The effect of reactor hydraulics on the performance of activated sludge systems—I. The traditional modelling approach

Abstract

Abstract The traditional modelling approach involving only overall substrate and biomass parameters and a Monod-type of a rate expression was used to investigate the effect of reactor hydraulics on the substrate removal efficiencies of activated sludge systems. The traditional kinetics was observed to give a useful, although not a completely accurate picture of performances of different types of reactors: it showed basically that the relative performance of a given hydraulic configuration was significantly affected by the kinetic constants as well as by operating parameters. The results of model simulations indicated that most experimental studies in this area, were designed to operate at a range which should secure complete removal of the growth limiting substrate; therefore, the related experimental data so far available, do not necessarily provide conclusive evidence on the effect of reactor hydraulics.