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Experimental studies on a kinetic model for design and operation of activated sludge processes
Author(s) -
Gaudy A. F.,
Srinivasaraghaven R.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.260160604
Subject(s) - activated sludge , dilution , aeration , steady state (chemistry) , saturation (graph theory) , constant (computer programming) , thermodynamics , chemistry , pilot plant , reaction rate constant , substrate (aquarium) , bioreactor , kinetics , chromatography , environmental engineering , environmental science , mathematics , wastewater , ecology , physics , biology , computer science , organic chemistry , combinatorics , quantum mechanics , programming language
Previous experimentation in our laboratory has shown that the classical theory developed for continuous growth of pure cultures in completely mixed aerobic systems in which the recycle cell concentration factor, c (where c = X R / X ), is a selectable system constant, did not provide a suitable model for the heterogeneous (natural) populations of the activated sludge process. Another model was derived in which the recycle cell concentration, X R was employed as a system constant instead of c , and computational analysis was performed. Laboratory pilot plant experimentation was undertaken in order to determine whether a “steady state” in aerator biological solids concentration, X̄, and substrate concentration, S̄, could be approached under this mode of operation. Studies were performed at various organic feed concentrations holding dilution rate, D , at 0.125 hr −1 , hydraulic recycle ratio, α, at 0.25, and X R at 10,000 mg/liter. Also, values of maximum specific growth rate, μ max , and saturation constant, K s were determined. It was found that the model approached the steady state condition with heterogeneous populations more closely than did the classical model, and the high degree of treatment efficiency predicted by the model was demonstrated experimentally.