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Application of a Variable Structure Model in Observation and Control of an Anaerobic Digestor
Author(s) -
Tartakovsky B.,
Morel E.,
Steyer J. P.,
Guiot S. R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
biotechnology progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6033
pISSN - 8756-7938
DOI - 10.1021/bp010142c
Subject(s) - acidogenesis , bioreactor , anaerobic exercise , anaerobic digestion , process (computing) , process engineering , environmental science , computer science , biochemical engineering , chemistry , engineering , biology , methane , physiology , organic chemistry , operating system
In this work, a variable structure model (VSM) of an anaerobic digestion process was developed. The anaerobic biodegradation process was described by four nonlinear submodels representing methanogenic, chemical oxygen demand overload, acidogenic, and hydrogen‐inhibited states of the anaerobic process. At any instant, process dynamics was modeled only by one of the submodels, while the others were considered trailing. The choice of a leading submodel was handled by a knowledge‐based system, which analyzed available process variables, such as off‐gas composition and reactor pH. The feasibility of the proposed method was demonstrated both by using the VSM to predict the outputs of a comprehensive process model, and the experimental results obtained in a pilot scale anaerobic fixed‐bed bioreactor.