Experimental study on adsorption of NH4+ with zeolite´s column

As for its high selectivity of NH₄⁺, large specific surface, simple and inexpensive desorption, zeolite has unique advantage in dealing with low concentration of ammonia-nitrogen wastewater. In experiment, the simulative column set, filled with zeolite as sorbent, was applied to investigate the character of zeolite adsorbing NH₄⁺ through the simulative and actual NH₄⁺ wastewater. The results showed that when the penetrating point C/C₀=0.3, inlet velocity 2.78 BV, the capacity of zeolite column reached 126 BV and 63 BV, respectively, aiming at initial 50 mg·L^-1 of simulative wastewater and 86 mg·L^-1 of industrial wastewater. Furthermore, the capacity of modified zeolite column can get 157 BV and 78 BV respectively. The capacity of zeolite column may increased with the hydraulic loading of zeolite column rising. Moreover, it has been found that saturated zeolite adsorbing NH₄⁺ was regenerated by 8% NaCl solution. Using lagergren rate equation to match the corresponding relation between different reaction time the capacity of zeolite column adsorbing NH₄⁺, NH₄⁺ adsorption rate of zeolite column has more than 98% after 0.5 h.