Application of Taguchi method for the optimization of Fe2+ removal from contaminated synthetic groundwater using a rotating packed bed contactor
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-1-2020
Abstract
Malaysia contains elevated levels of iron in shallow groundwater in the range of 3-7 mg Fe/L compared to the USEPA safe limit of 0.3 mg Fe/L. Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd in Malaysia uses the `River Bank Filtration' (RBF) technology to harvest hyporheic water. The RBF treatment removes the turbidity of the river water through the river bed acting as a filter, but is unable to remove the Fe from the harvested water. This work proposes a technology to reduce Fe concentration in the extracted water using granular activated carbon in a laboratory-scale rotating packed bed contactor (RPBC). The Taguchi method was used for optimizing the operating conditions for the adsorption of Fe onto activated carbon in the RPBC system. Taguchi optimization results showed that a removal efficiency of 87% Fe from a 50 mg Fe/L concentration could be achieved by a RPBC at an initial pH of 6.5, a feed rate of 40 L/h, a rotating speed of 1600 rpm and a packing density of 357 kg/m(3).
Keywords
Fe2+ removal, Higee contactor, rotating packed bed, GAC, adsorption, optimization, Taguchi
Divisions
GEOLOGY
Funders
Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh [Grant No: D14R10330],Universiti Malaya [Grant No: IF004-2016]
Publication Title
Water and Environment Journal
Volume
34
Issue
1
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing
Publisher Location
111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA