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Modeling and simulation of hybrid anaerobic/aerobic wastewater treatment system

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Abstract

Modeling and simulation using GPS-X software for a packed bed up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket followed by a biological aerated filter were studied. Both treatment units were packed with a non-woven polyester fabric as a bio-bed. The system was operated at a hydraulic and organic loading rate of 9.65 m3/m2/d and 2.64 kg BOD5/m3/day. Verification of the experimental results and calibration of the model were carried out prior simulation and modeling. Variables under consideration were HLR, OLR, and surface area of the packing material. HLR and OLR are increased incrementally until the break through point has been achieved. The results obtained from modeling indicated that the treatment system has great potential to be used as an ideal and efficient option for high hydraulic and organic loading rates up to 19.29 m3/m2/d and 4.48 kg BOD5/m3/day. The model indicated that increasing the input HLR and OLR loads to the treatment system up to 50 % of the original values achieved removal efficiencies 98 % for TSS, 88 % for BOD5, and 85 % for COD. Moreover, increasing the HLR to four times the original value (38.59 m3/m2/d) reduced the efficiency of the treatment system to 50 % for COD and BOD5. However, the removal rates of TSS, TKN, and TP were not affected. Also, the modeling results indicated that increasing the surface area of the packing material increased the overall efficiency of the treatment system.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), the Science and Technology Development fund (STDF) for basic and research Grant No. 1088.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Center, Giza, Egypt

    S. I. Abou-Elela

  2. Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, El Sherouk Academy, Cairo, Egypt

    O. Hamdy

  3. Construction and Building Engineering, Faculty of Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, 1 El Mosheir Ahmed Ismail, Sherton Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt

    O. El Monayeri

Authors
  1. S. I. Abou-Elela
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  2. O. Hamdy
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  3. O. El Monayeri
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. El Monayeri.

Nomenclature

A a

Area of biofilm through which transport is occurring (m2)

δ L

Thickness of attached liquid layer (m)

\(S_{j}^{L}\)

Substrate concentration in liquid film horizontal section (mg/L)

t

Time (days)

\(S_{j}^{BLi}\)

Substrate concentration at biofilm liquid interface section j (mg/L)

S o

Substrate liquid-film substrate concentration (mg/L)

Q L

Volumetric flowrate of attached liquid layer (L/d)

K M

Mass transfer coefficient from liquid to biofilm (m/d)

K ML

Oxygen transfer coefficient from air to biofilm (m/d)

A

Area of attached microorganisms (m2)

D S

State variable diffusion coefficient (m2/d)

Q B

Volumetric flowrate of attached biofilm layer (L/d)

R S

Substrate utilization rate (mg/L/d)

S

State variable concentration in layer (mg/L)

\(S_{j}^{B}\)

State variable concentration in attached biofilm layer j (mg/L)

t

Time (days)

y

Thickness of biofilm layer (m)

δ L

Attached biofilm thickness in layer (m)

TSS

Total suspended solids

COD

Chemical oxygen demand

BOD5

Biological oxygen demand

TKN

Total Kjeldahl nitrogen

TP

Total phospherous

BAF

Biological aerated filter

UASB

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

1/m

Area of the media (equivalent to m2/m3)

ASM

Activated sludge model No.1

ASM3

Activated sludge model No.3

Mantis

Mantis Model

ASM2d

Activated Sludge Model No. 2d

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Abou-Elela, S.I., Hamdy, O. & El Monayeri, O. Modeling and simulation of hybrid anaerobic/aerobic wastewater treatment system. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 13, 1289–1298 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-0966-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-0966-7

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