BIOM&S Seminar: A 1D model of a hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor with attachment and detachment processes

SPEAKER:   Matt Wade, Newcastle University

ABSTRACT:

The nitrification-denitrification process in wastewater treatment systems is important for ensuring that damaging levels of nitrogen are not released to the environment. With nitrogen rich influent streams, such as industrial and agricultural effluent, processing can be costly and inefficient. Engineering solutions to reduce overall costs and meet treatment discharge standards are the focus on much research in recent years. The Partial Nitritation-Anammox (PN/A) system reduces the demand on both oxygen and external carbon sources, which is useful for low COD:N influents. Modelling of such a system offers the potential to test operational scenarios for promoting beneficial Ammonia Oxidising Bacteria growth and minimising unwanted Nitrite Oxidising Bacteria regrowth, and subsequently strategies for process control. A non-trivial 1D model of a hybrid floc-biofilm PN/A system has been developed and I will discuss the development of the model and the associated numerical challenges to make it functional.