A kinetic study for nitrate removal by anion exchange resin was performed using continuous column reactors. Kinetic approach from the packed bed showed the reaction rate constant k1 was 0.07∼0.17 ℓ/㎎·hr and maximum exchange quantity q0 was 27.75∼31.81 ㎎/g. The results from the continuous column well agreed with that from the batch reactor. An economic analysis of the water treatment plant by anion exchange resin with a regenerating system was performed to design plant and process. Based on the treatment of 20 ㎎/ℓ nitrate-contained wastewater of 10,000 gallons per day to 2 ㎎/ℓ , total capital cost and total annual cost are estimated to be 836 million wons and 211 million wons, respectively.

A kinetic study for anion exchange was performed for commercially available Cl- type anion exchange resin in use to remove nitrate in water. The obtained results from the batch reactor were applied to the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The constants for Langmuir model were qmax=29.82 and b=0.202, and for Freundlich model were K=5.509 and n=1.772. Langmuir model showed better fit than Frendlich model for the experimental results. Ion exchange reaction rate was also calculated and the approximate first-order reaction, rate constant k1 was 0.16 L/㎎·hr. Effective diffusion coefficient was obtained in the range from 9.67×10 exp (-8) to 1.67×10 exp (-6) ㎠/sec for initial concentration change, and from 6.09×10 exp (-7) to 3.98×10 exp (-6) ㎠/sec for reaction temperature change. Activation energy during the diffusion was calculated as 36 ㎉/㏖.

Ion exchange performance to remove nitrate in water was studied using commercially available strong base anion exchange resin of Cl^- type in the batch and continuous column reactors. The performance was tested using the effluent concentration histories for continuous column or equilibrium concentrations for batch reactor as a function of time until resins were exhausted or reached ionic equilibrium between resin and solution. Anion exchange resin used in this study was more effective than activated carbon or zeolite for nitrate removal. With large resin amount or low initial concentration, nitrate removal characteristics for a typical gel-type resin was increased. On considering the relation between the breakthrough capacity and nitrate concentration of the influent, the use of anion exchange resin were suitable for the higher order water treatment. The nitrate removal of above 90% could be possible until the effluent of above 650 BV was passed to the column. Thus, the commercially available strong base anion exchange resin of Cl^- type used in this study could be effectively used as economic material for treatment of the groundwater. The breakthrough curves showed the sequence of resin selectivity as SO_4^2- > NO_3, > NO^2- > HCO_3^-. The results of this study could be scaled up and used as a design tool for the water purification system of the real groundwater and surface water treatment processes.

Methane production from grain dust was studied using a 3 L laboratory-scale anaerobic plug flow digester. The digester was operated at; temperature of 35, 45, and 55℃ hydraulic retention time(HRT) of 6 and 12 days; and influent concentration(S_0) of 7.8 and 9.0 % total solids(%TS). With ten different operation conditions, this study showed the significant effects of temperature, hydraulic retention time, and influent concentration on methane production, The highest methane-production rate achieved was 1.903 (L methane) /(L digester)(day) at 55℃, 6 days HRT, and S_0 of 7.8 %TS. A total of 3.767 L of biogas per day with a methane content of 50.57% was obtained from this condition. The ultimate methane yield(B_0 was found to be a function of temperature and influent concentration, and was described as : B_0= 0.02907T-0.1263-0.00297(T-10)(%TS), where TS is the total solids in the liquid effluent, and T is temperature(℃). Our results showed that thermophilic condition is better than mesophilic for grain dust stabilization in an anaerobic plug flow digester.