Use of dimensionless parameters in design of cascade‐connected reactors

Abstract

AbstractGeneral relationships applicable to a wide variety of bacterial mediated wastewater treatment processes have been developed using continuous‐flow stirred‐tank reactors (CSTR) arranged in series. Monod kinetics and mathematical models of reactors‐in‐series were used to represent the actual conditions resulting from varying degrees of axial dispersion and wastewater qualities. A numerical method was developed and effluent concentrations from an equivalent reactor series expressed based upon a plug‐flow reactor with the same inlet and outlet conditions. Using the numerical results obtained, a nomogram has been derived that enables the required hydraulic and solids residence times for a reactor with a given dispersion number to be determined, when inlet and outlet conditions and the coefficients of Monod kinetics are known.