Recent developments in the removal of organic matter using a spiral support system

There are various processes for treating wastewater and one of the most efficient is biological treatment, which consists of reducing the organic load, the elimination of pathogens and the reduction of dissolved solids. The biodisks are part of a secondary biological treatment system, known as attached growth. In the system of Conventional Independent Biodisks (hereafter, CIB), the support for the microbial fixing consists of several parallels and disks with a short distance between each of them and with a central axis passing through their centres. In this study, a system known as a Spiral Support Biodisk (hereafter, SSB) was designed and its performance was compared to CIB. A substrate in domestic sewage was used, and this was obtained from a wastewater treatment plant at Los Reyes Ixtacala in the municipality of Tlalnepantla de Baz, México City. The results showed a higher efficiency of operation and removal of organic matter with the SSB, and it was also possible to optimise the contact area and increase the turbulent flow.