Optimization of Process Patterns of Simultaneous Desulfurization and Denitrification for Inorganic Sulfate-Laden Wastewater Treatment

Aiming at inorganic sulfate-laden wastewater biotreatment, sulfate reduction (SR) coupling with denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) is an effecitve method for sulfate removal in this kind of wastewater. In order to implement this method, two process patterns could be adopted, process pattern I (SR+DSR) and process pattern II (SRrarrDSR). For process pattern I, the courses of SR and DSR are integrated in one bioreactor. While, for process pattern II, the courses of SR and DSR are in separate bioreactors. In this study, comparison tests were performed to investigate which pattern is of more superiority in terms of desulfurization effieciency. Based on the experimental results and the analysis of desulfurization, nitrate consumption, elemental sulfur conversion rate and sulfur mass between the two patterns, it is found that process pattern II (SR rarrDSR) is much optimal than that of pattern I (SR+DSR).