Given

Wastewater flow Q = 32.5 m3/h

Concentration of ammonia in wastewater (Ce = 1500 mg/L)
Concentration of ammonia in outlet (Co = 50 mg/L)

Estimate bed height and column diameter.

Given HTU = 32 inches = 0.8128 m

Liquid loading rate (L) = 15 m3/m2/h

Now area of cross section (A) = Q/L

A = 32.5 (m3/h)/ 15 (m3/m2/h) = 2.166 m2

A = (π/4)*d2 

where d = column diameter

therefore, d = (4*A/π)0.5 = (4*2.166/π)0.5 = 1.66 m

Now to find bed height (Z)

Z = HTU*NTU

where NTU = number of transfer units.

Co
( ∗(S−1)+1)
S Ce
NTU = ∗ln
S−1 S

Where S = stripping factor = 3

NTU = (3/2)*ln [((1500/50)*2 + 1)/3] = 4.518

Z = NTU*HTU = 4.518*0.8128 m = 3.6725 m