Avaliação da adsorção de contaminantes orgânicos presentes em efluentes aquosos mediante leito fixo de biomassa em escala ampliada.

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the dynamics of adsorption of gasoline (adsorbate) using sugar-cane bagane in powder form as adsorbent, in a fixed bed in enlarged scale, through the analysis of breakthrough curves. The column used for adsorption consists of a glass cylinder with 60.0 cm height and 6.0 cm diameter. Initially were made analyses of chemical and physical characterization of cane bagane in powder form, as: chemical composition; dry matter percentage, humidity, ashes, organic matter, rude protein, cellulose and lignin. For evaluation of porous structure of the biomass sugar-cane pulp three analyses of the material were accomplished in powder form: superficial area, porous volume and porous diameter. With base in data obtained by experimentals for obtaining of breakthrough curves, dynamics of fixed bed can be evaluated in scale enlarged through the evaluation of results verified by experimental planning and th rough application of phenomenological modelling, using Lineal Impelling Force model. It was possible to observe that largest values of times of break of the curves were found for smallest flow rates with the three concentrations of entrance of simulate eff luent. Analyzing Pareto diagram was observed that the influence of interaction of initial concentration of gasoline with the operation flow rate is the most significant factor followed by height of fixed bed of biomass. It was also verified that the concentration of gasoline is the less important factor in biomass adsorption process. It was observed through the values obtained of mass transfer constant, using Lineal Impelling Force model, that there was a tendency for increase of mass transfer coefficient, as the flow rate increased. With those results, can be concluded that mass transfer coefficients in the solid, calculated in function of volumetric flow rate can be represented by a lineal relationship in the studied experimental conditions.