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An experimental study to examine the capabilities of the microbubble generator (MBG) on aerobic wastewater treatment was carried out under laboratory and industrial conditions. The tested MBG types were porous pipe & orifice and an MBG with a spherical body and drilled holes. In the laboratory-testing condition, an MBG was placed at a depth of 40 cm from the water surface. Three different pressure transducers were installed around the body of the MBG in order to analyze the inlet water pressure, the air-suction pressure, and the pressure at the outlet of the MBG. Next, the bubble diameter was measured by capturing the bubble pictures using a digital camera and analyzed using a developed image-processing technique. In order to simulate the application of the microbubble generator in the industrial field, a feasibility test of the MBG in aerobic wastewater treatment was performed. The results show the increase in MBG quantity with a higher ability to increase the oxygen, and that it is necessary to arrange the placement of each MBG in configuration to minimize bubble coalescence. Furthermore, by using a bio-ball as the porous media for microorganism attachment in aerobic wastewater treatment, the feasibility test showed promising results. Carbon on demand (COD) could be reduced to around 354 mg/l. The value of dissolved Oxygen (DO) was larger than 2 mg/L. The Ph level remained at 6, and temperature remained no more than 35ºC, which meet the requirements of aerobic wastewater treatment. |
