Abstract

Computer simulation has become a helpful tool in wastewater treatment systems performance and effectiveness analysis. Advanced monitoring, by using appropriate software, enables to create a mathematical model of a real wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), run a simulation and subsequently interpret results under various conditions. An operation of WWTP is usually controlled by global parameters such as flow, solids retention time, sludge age, concentration of ammonia and dissolved oxygen, etc. Furthermore key factor are also recirculated sludge pumps after sedimentation in the secondary clarifier and stirrers installed inside the reactor zones and on their borders (designed to cause circulation within each zone and internal recirculation between the zones of reactor). The way of their installation and arrangement (and hence the distribution of flow between the zones) depends on the activated sludge system. Unfortunately, very often technical solutions used (and even under design process) intend to underlie malfunctioning of the bioreactor. Thus, one of the basic elements of a well-implemented mathematical model could be appropriate diagnosis of bioreactor processes zone and hydraulic changes (it means quantitative determination of streams within individual zones and their flow directions). Therefore, the tracer study is the best way to adequately describe the biochemical processes taking place in different zones of the bioreactor (USGS, 1986). This study also allows to properly identify directions and propagation of fluxes between the zones that, together with the on-line measurements and other operating parameters indirectly exhibit the effectiveness and condition of activated sludge system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimization of the biological treatment processes at “Debogorze” WWTP in Gdynia (northern Poland) using the advanced monitoring study combining tracer and batch tests together with the COD fractionation method. These methods measures the biomass activity and together with mathematical modeling and computer simulations are the key factor for appropriate optimization and control of full-scale activated sludge systems

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