Use of porous glass media for a biofilter to remove odorous compounds from an air stream
A system for removing undesirable compounds from contaminated air includes a biofilter having sintered glass media. Hydrogen sulfide is removed from contaminated air by passing the contaminated air through the biofilter.
1. A gas phase biofilter for the treatment of contaminated air, the biofilter comprising:
a contaminated air inlet;
a treated air outlet; and
a media bed including foamed glass media in fluid communication between the contaminated air inlet and the treated air outlet, the foamed glass media including from about 80% to about 90% empty space and having a density of about 0.2 grams/cm 3 .
2. The biofilter of claim 1 , wherein the foamed glassmedia comprises silicon dioxide.
3. The biofilter of claim 2 , wherein the foamed glass media comprises silicon dioxide particles sintered to one another.
4. The biofilter of claim 3 , wherein the foamed glass media has a packing factor of less than about 0.8.
5. The biofilter of claim 4 , wherein the foamed glass media includes surface pores.
6. The biofilter of claim 4 , wherein the foamed glass media includes voids between adjacent silicon dioxide particles.
7. The biofilter of claim 1 , wherein individual pieces of the foamed glass media are formed in one of an approximately cylindrical shape and a gear shape, the individual pieces of the foamed glass media including a conduit extending from first surfaces of the individual pieces of the foamed glass media to second surfaces individual pieces of the foamed glass media.
8. The biofilter of claim 1 , further comprising a population of hydrogen sulfide oxidizing bacteria disposed on the foamed glass media.
9. The biofilter of claim 8 , operable to reduce a concentration of hydrogen sulfide in contaminated air by more than about 95% when the contaminated air is passed through the media bed of the biofilter at a flow rate of greater than about 250 cubic meters per hour per cubic meter of media bed volume.
10. The biofilter of claim 9 , operable to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the contaminated air by more than about 95% when the contaminated air is passed through the media bed of the biofilter at a flow rate of greater than about 500 cubic meters per hour per cubic meter of media bed volume.
11. The biofilter of claim 9 , operable to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the contaminated air by more than about 99% when the contaminated air is passed through the media bed of the biofilter at a flow rate of greater than about 250 cubic meters per hour per cubic meter of media bed volume.
12. The biofilter of claim 11 , operable to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the contaminated air by more than about 99% when the contaminated air is passed through the media bed of the biofilter at a flow rate of greater than about 500 cubic meters per hour per cubic meter of media bed volume.