AER-208 - Research Respirometer Aerobic/Anaerobic

The AER-208 Research Respirometer System facilitates the automated, precision measuring and continuous recording of respiration rates for both aerobic and anaerobic lab-scale cultures, on up to 24 reactors, simultaneously.  This system has been the cornerstone of countless discoveries in isolating and understanding the effects of various environmental and biological variables present in biological microcosms, and has been a primary research tool, used in hundreds of research projects, worldwide.  

Challenge Technology works closely with researchers, and we listen to the needs of the wastewater industry, which ultimately benefits from the respirometric-based research.  The Challenge AER-208 Research Respirometer System, also, will measure solids-based microcosms, making it useful for evaluation of soil, compost and biodegradable material studies.

Whether  you're involved in municipal or industrial wastewater treatment, plant operations or research, consulting engineering or university work, here are some proven applications of the AER-208 Respirometer:

• Oxygen Uptake Rate (OUR) Fingerprints
• OUR Set-Point Control of Activated Sludge Processes
• Measuring Short-Term BOD
• Toxicity Assessment Using a Dilution Series
• Assessment of Acute Toxicity to Treatment Plants
• Biodegradation Tests for Wastewater Samples
• Assessing Nutrient Deficiencies
• Extant Biodegradation Kinetics of Mixed Wastewaters
• Intrinsic Biodegradation Kinetics of Chemicals
• Oxygen Uptake of Soil and Compost Samples, with Soil /
• Compost Reaction Chambers
• Anaerobic Biomass Activity Tests
• Anaerobic BMP and ATA Tests

The Challenge Technology AER-208 Aerobic/Anaerobic Research Respirometer System consists of biological reactor vessels, one or more cell bases, each containing 8 flow measuring cells, an interface module, an oxygen supply module, and a computer.  When operating in the aerobic mode, oxygen flows through each cell under the influence of a slight vacuum caused by oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide adsorption in the reactor vessel, causing oxygen bubbles of a fixed volume to form in the lower section of the cell.  These bubbles in turn pass through a detection section, where a counter is activated.  The number of bubbles is registered by the computer, to produce a measure of oxygen flow volume and rate.   This data is stored for later processing.  The lowest volume of measurement is one bubble, or about 0.06mg of oxygen (at 20C); the maximum rate is about three bubbles per second, or about 650mg/hr per cell.  Oxygen is supplied to the oxygen input manifold of the cell base from a pressure cylinder.  Under normal operation, excess oxygen from the oxygen input manifold is bubbled through the low flow regulator, to provide an atmospheric seal, and to maintain a slight, but constant pressure, on the input side of each cell.  

When operating in the anaerobic mode, gas produced by the biological reaction flows through each cell under the influence of a slight pressure buildup caused by gas production in the reactor vessel, and bubbles of a fixed volume are formed in the lower section of the flow measuring cell.   These bubbles, in turn, pass through the detector, thereby, activating a counter in the interface module.  The number of bubbles is registered by the computer to produce a measure of flow volume and rate.  This data is stored by the computer for later processing.  The lowest volume of measurement, using the standard cell is one bubble, or about 0.05mL; the upper range is two to three bubbles per second, or about 500mL/hr.   (Higher-capacity cells having a sensitivity of about 0.15mL per bubble, or 1200mL/hr are available).

• Power Requirements: 110/240V; 50/60Hz
• Number of Channels: 8; expandable to 16 or 24