RESUMO
The increasing demand for water and the decrease in global water resources require research into alternative solutions to preserve them. The present study deals with the optimization of a treatment process, i.e. an aerobic fluidized bed reactor and the modelling of the degradation that takes place within it. The methodology employed is based on the hydrodynamics of the treatment process linked to the biodegradation kinetics of greywater coming from a washing machine. The residence time distribution (RTD) approach is selected for the hydrodynamic study. Biodegradation kinetics are quantified by respirometry and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) analysis on several mass quantities of colonized particles. RTD determinations show that there are no dysfunctions in the fluidized bed. Its hydrodynamic behaviour is similar to the one of a continuous stirred-tank reactor. A first-order reaction is obtained from the DOC biodegradation study. A model describing the degradation that takes place into the reactor is proposed, and from a sensitive study, the influence of the operating conditions on DOC biodegradation is defined. The theoretical results calculated from the first-order equation C(t) = 0.593 x C(0) x e(-kt) are compared with the experimental results and validated by a Student test. The value of the kinetic constant k is 0.011 h(-1) in the presence of a biomass carrier. The results highlight that it is possible to design a reactor in order to obtain a carbon content lower than 15 mg C L(-1) when the characteristics of raw greywater are known.