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Search results for: nutrient-rich sludge
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The role of particulate and colloidal substrate in biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems
PublicationThe authors investigated COD fractionation according to the physical state (soluble/colloidal/particulate) in four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in northern Poland. It was found that particulate and colloidal organic compounds constituted up to 70% of total COD. On the other hand, according to literature data, municipal wastewater contains readily and slowly biodegradable substrates in the amount of approximately 10-30% and...
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Modeling nutrient removal and energy consumption in an advanced activated sludge system under uncertainty
PublicationActivated sludge models are widely used to simulate, optimize and control performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). For simulation of nutrient removal and energy consumption, kinetic parameters would need to be estimated, which requires an extensive measurement campaign. In this study, a novel methodology is proposed for modeling the performance and energy consumption of a biological nutrient removal activated sludge system...
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A mechanistic model for fate and removal of estrogens in biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems
PublicationTwo estrogen fate and transformation models were integrated with a comprehensive activated sludge model (ASM) to predict estrogen removal based on biomass and solids production. Model predictions were evaluated against published full-scale plant data as well as results from a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) fed synthetic wastewater. The estrogen fate model relating the rate of total estrogen degradation to soluble...
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The role of slowly biodegradable substrate in a full-scale biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems
PublicationThis paper contains futher results obtained at ''Wschod'' WWTP in Gdańsk under transient conditions (spring season) and comparation of similar experiments carried out at a recently upgraded ''Debogorze'' WWTP in Gdynia. The removal of colloidal and particulate fractions resulted in similar effects (reduced process rates) at both plants. For example, the initial denitrification rates (NUR1) were up to 30% lower during the ''conventional''...
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Modeling hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable organic compounds in biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems
PublicationHydrolysis is an important process in biological wastewater treatment and is known to be the ratelimiting step in organic carbon removal from municipal or industrial wastewater. The influence of the readily biodegradable chemical oxygen demand fraction in biological wastewater treatment systems has been extensively investigated, but little is known about the effects of slowly biodegradable substrate (XS) on denitrification and...
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The role of biodegradable particulate and colloidal organic compounds in biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems
PublicationThe efficiency of denitrification and enhanced biological phosphorus removal in biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems is strongly dependent on the availability of appropriate carbon sources. Due to high costs of commercial compounds (such as methanol, ethanol, acetic acid, etc.) and acclimation periods (usually) required, the effective use of internal substrates is preferred. The aim of this study was to determine...
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Modeling hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable organic compounds in biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems
PublicationHydrolysis is an important process in biological wastewater treatment and has been known as the rate limiting step in organic carbon removal from municipal or industrial wastewater. The biodegradation of XS is initiated by hydrolysis which is an integral part of activated sludge models, such as the Activated Sludge Model no. 2d (ASM2d). The aim of this study was to evaluate different concepts of modeling the hydrolysis process...
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The role of slowly biodegradable organic compounds in a full-scale biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems
PublicationThe aim of this study was to determine the immediate effects of slowly biodegradable substrates on the denitrification capability and phosphate release/uptake interactions for a full-scale biomass process from two large wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in the cities of Gdansk and Gdynia (northern Poland). Since it is hard to distinguish the slowly biodegradable substrate in a direct way, a novel procedure based on batch...
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The impact of precipitation and external carbon source addition on biological nutrient removal in activated sludge systems - experimentalinvestigation and mathematical modeling
PublicationThe aim of this study was to determine the effects of chemical precipitation and addition of external carbonsources on the denitrification capability and enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) interactions atthe 'Wschod' WWTP (600,000 PE) in Gdansk (northern Poland). For this purpose, different kinds of batch experimentswere carried out with the settled wastewater (without pretreatment and after coagulation-flocculation)and...
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The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of phenol-rich extracts of Dracocephalum forrestii W. W. Smith shoot cultures grown in the nutrient sprinkle bioreactor
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The impact of precipitation and external carbon source addition on biological nutrient removal in activated sludge systems – experimental investigation and mathematical modeling
PublicationThe aim of this study was to determine the effects of chemical precipitation and addition of external carbonsources on the denitrification capability and enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) interactions atthe ‘Wschod’ WWTP (600,000 PE) in Gdansk (northern Poland). For this purpose, different kinds of batch experimentswere carried out with the settled wastewater (without pretreatment and after coagulation-flocculation)and...
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Modeling the Effect of External Carbon Source Addition under Different Electron Acceptor Conditions in Biological Nutrient Removal Activated Sludge Systems
Publicationhe aim of this study was to expand the International Water Association Activated Sludge Model No. 2d (ASM2d) to predict the aerobic/anoxic behavior of polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) and “ordinary” heterotrophs in the presence of different external carbon sources and electron acceptors. The following new aspects were considered: (1) a new type of the readily biodegradable substrate, not available for the anaerobic activity...
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Acclimation of denitrifying activated sludge to a single vs. complex external carbon source during a start-up of sequencing batch reactors treating ammonium-rich anaerobic sludge digester liquors
PublicationIn this study, denitrification of ammonium- reach anaerobic sludge digester liquor was investigated during start-up periods of two laboratory- scale ‘‘fill-and-draw’’ reactors. One reactor was fed with a single carbon source (ethanol), whereas the other reactor was fed with a complex carbon source (fusel oil). During two acclimation experiments, the structure of microbial community involved in denitrification was analyzed using...
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Biochemical assays of intensified methane content in biogas from low-temperature processing of waste activated sludge
PublicationAnaerobic digestion (AD) is implemented as an important ‘waste to energy’ approach for converting organic-rich byproducts such as sewage sludge into biogas and nutrient-rich digestate. Sewage sludge consists of primary sludge and waste activated sludge (WAS), and low biodegradability of WAS limits methane production. This study presents the influence of the low-temperature pretreatment (LT-PT) of WAS on the efficiency of AD. Different...
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Polish experience in operation of sludge treatment reed beds
PublicationSludge Treatment Reed Beds (STRBs) is the technology of sludge treatment, which is based on natural processes occurring in the environment, in specially designed and operated facilities to achieve benefits for the environment. Integrated dewatering and stabilization occur in reed systems. For economic and environmental reasons it is an attractive solution, especially in rural areas where there are no appropriate facilities. In...
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The microbial community, its biochemical potential, and the antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp. in Arctic lakes under natural and anthropogenic impact (West Spitsbergen)
PublicationThe sustainable management of small human communities in the Arctic is challenging. In this study, both a water supply system (Lake 1) under the natural impact of a bird-nesting area, and a wastewater receiver (Lake 2) were analysed in the vicinity of the Polish Polar Station on West Spitsbergen. Microbial community composition, abundance and activity were assessed in samples of the treated wastewater, lake water and sediments...
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The concept of sewage-sludge management system for an individual household
PublicationThe individual farms at the rural areas often face problems with domestic sewage collection and treatment. In many cases building of sewerage systems and central wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) brings too high costs, due to high distances from one farm to another and terrain configuration. Treatment wetlands for individual farms can solve this problem. In the article, an overview of individual treatment wetlands in Europe and...
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The effect of aeration mode (intermittent vs. continuous) on nutrient removal and greenhouse gas emissions in the wastewater treatment plant of Corleone (Italy)
PublicationThe paper reports the results of an experimental study aimed at comparing two configurations of a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP): conventional activated sludge (CAS) and oxic-settling-anaerobic process (OSA) with intermittent aeration (IA). A comprehensive monitoring campaign was carried out to assess multiple parameters for comparing the two configurations: carbon and nutrient removal, greenhouse gas emissions, respirometric...
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Mathematical modelling and computer simulation of activated sludge systems.Second edition
PublicationMathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation of Activated Sludge Systems – Second Edition, provides, from the process engineering perspective, a comprehensive and up-to-date overview regarding various aspects of the mechanistic (“white box”) modelling and simulation of advanced activated sludge systems performing biological nutrient removal. In the new edition of the book, a special focus is given to nitrogen removal and an overview...
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Assessment of diversity and composition of bacterial community in Sludge Treatment Reed Bed systems
PublicationDue to their low emission of odours and lack of the need to apply additional chemical agents, sludge treatment reed beds (STRBs) constitute an economically feasible and eco-friendly approach to sewage sludge management. Correctly designed and operated STRBs ensure effective reduction of the dry matter content coupled with the mineralisation of organic compounds. Successful operation of STRBs relies on complex interactions between...
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The Simulation of Activated Sludge System for Optimization of Predictive Aeration at Large WWTP
PublicationEffective use of biodegradable substrates as an internal carbon sources (ICS) for denitrification and EBPR and predicting performance of aeration systems during nitrification in activated sludge bioreactors, may be useful in realization the sustainable development by potentially saving energy consumption at WWTPs. A large number of WWTPs use activated sludge systems with an integrated removal of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus...
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Strategies for Achieving Energy Neutrality in Biological Nutrient Removal Systems – a Case Study of the Slupsk WWTP (northern Poland)
PublicationThe paper presents a model-based evaluation of technological upgrades on the energy and cost balance in a large biological nutrient removal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the city of Slupsk (northern Poland). The proposed upgrades include chemically enhanced primary sludge removal and reduction of the nitrogen load in the deammonification process employed for reject water treatment. Simulations enabled to estimate the increased...
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Strategies for achieving energy neutrality in biological nutrient removal systems - a case study of the Slupsk WWTP (northern Poland)
PublicationThe paper presents a model-based evaluation of technological upgrades on the energy and cost balance in a large biological nutrient removal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the city of Slupsk (northern Poland). The proposed upgrades include chemically enhanced primary sludge removal and reduction of the nitrogen load in the deammonification process employed for reject water treatment. Simulations enabled to estimate the increased...
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Spatial distribution of pharmaceuticals in conventional wastewater treatment plant with Sludge Treatment Reed Beds technology
PublicationPharmaceutical residues are an emerging environmental problem. It is strongly confirmed that pharmaceuticals are present in soils and environmental waters (surface, marine and even groundwater), and that wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are the main source of pharmaceuticals in the watershed. The aim of this studywas to recognize the spatial distribution and seasonal changes of selected pharmaceuticals in conventional WWTP...
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Wastewater Engineering 2020/21 (Environmental Engineering, II stopnia, stacjonarne, II semestr))
e-Learning CoursesWastewater sources and flows Wastewater characterization based on physical and biodegradation criteria Preliminary treatment unit operations (screens, grit chambers, primary clarifiers) Biological processes (suspended growth vs. attached growth, hybrid systems, granular sludge) for wastewater treatment. Principles of biological nutrient removal (nitrification, denitrification, enhanced biological P removal, anammox). Implementation...
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Modeling nitrous oxide production by a denitrifying-enhancedbiologically phosphorus removing (EBPR) activated sludge in thepresence of different carbon sources and electron acceptors
PublicationIn this study, the IWA Activated Sludge Model No. 2d (ASM2d) was expanded to identify the most important mechanisms leading to the anoxic nitrous oxide (N2O) production in the combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal activated sludge systems. The new model adopted a three-stage denitrification concept and was evaluated against the measured data from one/two-phase batch experiments carried out with activated sludge withdrawn...
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Modelization of Nutrient Removal Processes at a Large WWTP Using a Modified ASM2d Model
PublicationThe biodegradation of particulate substrates starts by a hydrolytic stage. Hydrolysis is a slow reaction and usually becomes the rate limiting step of the organic substrates biodegradation. The objective of this work was to evaluate a novel hydrolysis concept based on a modification of the activated sludge model (ASM2d) and to compare it with the original ASM2d model. The hydrolysis concept was developed in order to accurately...
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Synergism of floated paperboard sludge cake /sewage sludge for maximizing biomethane yield and biochar recovery from digestate: A step towards circular economy
PublicationAnaerobic digestion of floated paperboard sludge (PS) cake suffers from volatile fatty acids (VFAs) accumulation, nutrient unbalanced condition, and generation of digestate with a risk of secondary pollution. To overcome these drawbacks, sewage sludge (SS) was added to PS cake for biogas recovery improvement under a co-digestion process followed by the thermal treatment of solid fraction of digestate for biochar production. Batch...
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Impact of enhanced pretreatment on biological nutrient removal in municipal wastewater treatment plants
PublicationThe aim of this study was to determine the effect of enhanced primary treatment on: increasing primary sludge production for increased biogas production; reducing the organic load on downstream biological treatment processes and thereby reducing energy consumption for aeration; denitrification and enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) rates in the activated sludge system. For this purpose, three commercial organic polymers...
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The Hydrolysis of Slowly Biodegradable Substrate in Activated Sludge
PublicationIn a present work a novel procedure, based on the standard batch tests and pretreatment of wastewater sample with coagulation-flocculation method, was proposed to evaluate the effects of hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable substrate (Xs) on biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes in activated sludge systems. The study was conducted at two large BNR wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in northern Poland: "Wschod" in Gdansk and...
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Estimation and modeling hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable substrate based on the batch respirometric tests in activated sludge systems
PublicationNowadays, appropriate determination of chemical oxygen demand (COD) fractionation together with degradation kinetics of organic compounds have a prime importance on the design and operation of activated sludge systems. Batch respirometric tests based on the oxygen uptake rates (OUR) and corresponding COD is accepted method to reflect the consumption of biodegradable substrates. The influence of the readily biodegradable (Ss) fraction...
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Wastewater Engineering 2021/22 (Environmental Engineering, II stopnia, stacjonarne, II semestr))
e-Learning CoursesWastewater sources and flows Wastewater characterization based on physical and biodegradation criteria Preliminary treatment unit operations (screens, grit chambers, primary clarifiers) Biological processes (suspended growth vs. attached growth, hybrid systems, granular sludge) for wastewater treatment Principles of biological nutrient removal (nitrification, denitrification, enhanced biological P removal, anammox) Implementation...
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Wastewater Engineering 2022/23 (Environmental Engineering, II stopnia, stacjonarne, II semestr))
e-Learning CoursesWastewater sources and flows Wastewater characterization based on physical and biodegradation criteria Preliminary treatment unit operations (screens, grit chambers, primary clarifiers) Biological processes (suspended growth vs. attached growth, hybrid systems, granular sludge) for wastewater treatment Principles of biological nutrient removal (nitrification, denitrification, enhanced biological P removal, anammox) Implementation...
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Wastewater Engineering 2023/24 (Environmental Engineering, II stopnia, stacjonarne, II semestr)
e-Learning CoursesWastewater sources and flows Wastewater characterization based on physical and biodegradation criteria Preliminary treatment unit operations (screens, grit chambers, primary clarifiers) Biological processes (suspended growth vs. attached growth, hybrid systems, granular sludge) for wastewater treatment Principles of biological nutrient removal (nitrification, denitrification, enhanced biological P removal, anammox) Implementation...
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Strategies for mitigating nitrous oxide production and decreasing the carbon footprint of a full-scale combined nitrogen and phosphorus removal activated sludge system
PublicationNitrous oxide (N2O) emitted from biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems contributes significantly to the total carbon footprint of modern wastewater treatment plants. In the present study, N2O production and emissions were experimentally determined in a large-scale plant (220,000 PE) employing combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal. As a modelling tool, the Activated Sludge Model 2d (ASM2d) was extended...
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Evaluating the effect of different operational strategies on the carbon footprint of wastewater treatment plants – case studies from northern Poland
PublicationNowadays, low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission is expected at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, emission quantification and evaluation still faces difficulties related to data availability and uncertainty. The objective of this study was to perform carbon footprint (CF) analysis for two municipal WWTPs located in northern Poland. Slupsk WWTP is a large biological nutrient removal (BNR) facility (250,000 PE) which benefits...
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The impact of slowly biodegradable organic compounds on the oxygen uptake rate in activated sludge systems
PublicationThe hydrolysis process of slowly biodegradable substrate (Xs) have impact on the efficiencies of nutrient removal in activated sludge systems. Measurement of OUR and corresponding COD is accepted as a very useful tool to reflect the consumption of biodegradable substrates. The influence of the readily biodegradable substrate (Ss) in biological wastewater treatment systems has been extensively investigated, but little is known about...
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The impact of slowly biodegradable organic compounds on the oxygen uptake rate in activated sludge systems
PublicationThe hydrolysis process of slowly biodegradable substrate (Xs) have impact on the efficiencies of nutrient removal in activated sludge systems. Measurement of OUR and corresponding COD is accepted as a very useful tool to reflect the consumption of biodegradable substrates. The influence of the readily biodegradable substrate (Ss) in biological wastewater treatment systems has been extensively investigated, but little is known about...
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Characteristics and fate of organic nitrogen in municipal biological nutrient removal wastewater treatment plants
PublicationThe aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and fate of colloidal and dissolved organic nitrogen (CON and DON) across biological nutrient removal (BNR) activated sludge bioreactors. Primary and secondary effluent total nitrogen (TN) measurements and component fractionation, CON and DON concentration profiles across BNR bioreactors, and laboratory batch experiments with the process mixed liquor were carried out at several...
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Modeling sequencing batch reactor operational conditions depending on oxygen concentration
PublicationSequencing batch reactors (SBR) can be used as a fill-and draw activated sludge system for wastewater treatment with considerable operating flexibility and the possibility to conduct experiments under standard conditions and extreme case scenarios. Mathematical modeling and computer simulations provide an opportunity to implement existing wastewater processes in modeling software and evaluate different modifications at low costs...
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Modeling organic nitrogen conversions in activated sludge bioreactors
PublicationFor biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems designed to maximize nitrogen removal, the effluent total nitrogen (TN) concentration may range from 2.0 to 4.0 g N/m3 with about 25-50% in the form of organic nitrogen (ON). In this study, current approaches to modeling organic N conversions (separate processes vs. constant contents of organic fractions) were compared. A new conceptual model of ON conversions was developed and combined...
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Dissolved and colloidal organic nitrogen removal from WWTP effluents and reject waters using physical-chemical processes
PublicationFour physical-chemical processes were compared in terms of the efficiencies of dissolved and colloidal organic nitrogen (DON and CON) removal from the secondary effluents (SE) and reject water from full-scale biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems. Adsorption on activated carbon was most efficient and allowed to remove from the SE up to 80% and 100% of DON and CON, respectively. High efficiencies of DON removal from...
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The Influence of Co-Fermentation of Agri-Food Waste with Primary Sludge on Biogas Production and Composition of the Liquid Fraction of Digestate
PublicationEnergy self-sufficiency is a current trend in wastewater treatment plants. This effect can be achieved by increasing the production of electricity from biogas and by reducing energy consumption for technological processes. One idea, in line with the circular economy concept, is the use of waste rich in organic matter as co-substrates for the fermentation process. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of waste co-fermentation...
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Macro-nutrients recovery from liquid waste as a sustainable resource for production of recovered mineral fertilizer: Uncovering alternative options to sustain global food security cost-effectively
PublicationGlobal food security, which has emerged as one of the sustainability challenges, impacts every country. As food cannot be generated without involving nutrients, research has intensified recently to recover unused nutrients from waste streams. As a finite resource, phosphorus (P) is largely wasted. This work critically reviews the technical applicability of various water technologies to recover macro-nutrients such as P, N, and...
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Comparative Study of Balancing SRT by Using Modified ASM2d in Control and Operation Strategy at Full-Scale WWTP
PublicationDetailed knowledge on the composition of the influent going into the wastewater treatment system is essential for the development of a reliable computer model. In the context of WWTPs (wastewater treatment plants), the wastewater characteristics are not only important for activated sludge system modelling, but also have an impact on the appropriate control of single unit operations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concepts...
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Modeling external carbon addition in combined N-P activated sludge systems with an extension of the IWA Activated Sludge Models
PublicationThe aim of this study was to expand the IWA Activated Sludge Model No. 2d (ASM2d) to account for a newly defined readily biodegradable substrate that can be consumed by polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) under anoxic and aerobic conditions, but not under anaerobic conditions. The model change was to add a new substrate component and process terms for its use by PAOs and other heterotrophic bacteria under anoxic and aerobic...
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Modeling external carbon addition in combined N-P activated sludge systems with an extension of the IWA Activated Sludge Models
PublicationThe aim of this study was to expand the IWA Activated Sludge Model No. 2d (ASM2d) to account for a newly defined readily biodegradable substrate that can be consumed by polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) under anoxic and aerobic conditions, but not under anaerobic conditions. The model change was to add a new substrate component and process terms for its use by PAOs and other heterotrophic bacteria under anoxic and aerobic...
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The experimental evaluation and modeling of SBR removing nutrients under varied aeration conditions
PublicationSequencing batch reactors (SBR) are mainly characterized by sequential process phases of fill, react, settle, decant and idle periods that allow considerable flexibility in the design and operation in different conditions. This flexibility and the unique features of SBRs used to wastewater treatment by activated sludge systems operated in laboratory scale, allow not only conducting experiments for the standard conditions but also...
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Denitrification Process Enhancement and Diversity of the Denitrifying Community in the Full Scale Activated Sludge System after Adaptation to Fusel Oil
PublicationImplementation of anaerobic digestion of primary sludge in modern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) limits the availability of organic carbon for denitrification in conventional nitrification-denitrification (N/DN) systems. In order to ensure efficient denitrification, dosage of the external carbon source is commonly undertaken. However, application of commercial products, such us ethanol or acetate, greatly increases operational...
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Integrated plant-wide modelling for evaluation of the energy balance and greenhouse gas footprint in large wastewater treatment plants
PublicationModern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) should maintain a balance between three combined sustainability criteria, including effluent quality, energy performance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. All of these criteria were considered in the integrated plant-wide model developed in this study. The proposed model incorporates new features, including: (i) the addition of associated facilities to the overall energy balance and...