Triethylamine removal using biotrickling filter (BTF): effect of height and recirculation liquid rate on BTFs performance

This study investigated the removal of triethylamine using a biotrickling filter. The influence of affecting parameters, such as height and recirculation liquid rate (V _L) on contaminant removal efficiency, was examined in detail. The results demonstrated that in the constant empty bed residence time (EBRT), when V _L was increased, the removal efficiency (RE) increased. Also, for a specific V _L, increasing EBRT could also increase RE values. However, it seems that an increasing V _L is a more cost-effective way to enhance RE as compared to an increasing EBRT. The obtained outcomes represented that for a constant EBRT, an increase in inlet loading (IL) could decrease RE. For lower ILs, the removal of the contaminant could be carried out faster in height. The first part of the bed contributed the most to contaminant removal, and for the lower ILs, the contribution was even further. For the first section of bed in a constant IL, increasing EBRT could increase RE. In a constant IL and EBRT, increasing V _L could increase RE, as well as the removed mass loading by at least 20–25 g/m³/h. Also, the effect of the V _L increase on removal amount in the second and third sections of the bed was negligible.