Search results for "Bioreactor"
showing 10 items of 397 documents
comparing two start-up strategies for MBRs: experimental study and mathematical modelling
2012
Abstract The performance of a membrane bioreactor (MBR), and mechanisms of fouling formation, may differ due to the start-up. Therefore, the start-up can constitute an aspect that critically influences MBR performance during its lifespan. Indeed, the start-up can influence the mechanisms of membrane fouling, which is of paramount importance in an MBR. In order to gain insights on the effects of the start-up, both experimental and mathematical modelling studies were carried out on an MBR pilot plant. The MBR pilot plant constituted of a hollow fibre membrane module, in a submerged configuration, was fed by real wastewater. Two experimental periods were carried out, lasting 65 days each, char…
Variance-based sensitivity analysis for wastewater treatment plant modelling.
2014
Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) is a valuable tool to support the use of mathematical models that characterise technical or natural systems. In the field of wastewater modelling, most of the recent applications of GSA use either regression-based methods, which require close to linear relationships between the model outputs and model factors, or screening methods, which only yield qualitative results. However, due to the characteristics of membrane bioreactors (MBR) (non-linear kinetics, complexity, etc.) there is an interest to adequately quantify the effects of non-linearity and interactions. This can be achieved with variance-based sensitivity analysis methods. In this paper, the Extend…
Hybrid moving bed biofilm reactors: a pilot plant experiment.
2008
The growing increment of the urbanization and on the other hand, the even more strict effluent limits imposed by the Water Framework Directive for the receiving water body quality state have lead to a need of upgrading several existing WWTP. With this respect HMBBR systems are an innovative solution since allow to upgrade existing high loaded WWTP without building new tanks. However, some uncertainties in their design, maintenance as well as performance have to be addressed due to their recent acquisition compared with well consolidated technologies such as activated sludge systems. In this light, a data gathering campaign on a HMBBR pilot plant has been performed. The aim was to detect the…
Modelling of hybrid moving bed biofilm reactors: a pilot plant experiment.
2007
In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the development of hybrid biofilm reactors, especially in the upgrading of existing WWTP that are no longer able to respect concentration limits. In fact, today's challenge is the achievement of a good aquatic state for the receiving water bodies according to the Water Framework Directive requirements, which indeed limit even more the continuous emissions, i.e. coming from WWTP. This paper presents the setting up of a mathematical model for the simulation of a hybrid MBBR system; the model calibration/validation has been carried out considering a field gathering campaign on an experimental pilot plant. The main goal is to gain insight…
Uncertainty assessment of a membrane bioreactor model using the GLUE methodology
2010
A mathematical model for the simulation of physical-biological organic removal by means of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) has been previously developed and tested. This paper presents an analysis of the uncertainty of the MBR model. Particularly, the research explores the applicability of the Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) methodology that is one of the most widely used methods for investigating the uncertainties in the hydrology and that now on is spreading in other research field. For the application of the GLUE methodology, several Monte Carlo simulations have been run varying the all model influential parameters simultaneously. The model was applied to an MBR pilot pl…
Parameter subset selection for the dynamic calibration of activated sludge models (ASMs): experience versus systems analysis.
2007
In this work we address the issue of parameter subset selection within the scope of activated sludge model calibration. To this end, we evaluate two approaches: (i) systems analysis and (ii) experience-based approach. The evaluation has been carried out using a dynamic model (ASM2d) calibrated to describe nitrogen and phosphorus removal in the Haaren WWTP (The Netherlands). The parameter significance ranking shows that the temperature correction coefficients are among the most influential parameters on the model output. This outcome confronts the previous identifiability studies and the experience based approaches which excluded them from their analysis. Systems analysis reveals that parame…
Instrumentation, control, and automation for submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors
2015
A submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) demonstration plant with two commercial hollow-fibre ultrafiltration systems (PURON® , Koch Membrane Systems, PUR-PSH31) was designed and operated for urban wastewater treatment. An instrumentation, control, and automation (ICA) system was designed and implemented for proper process performance. Several single-input-single-output (SISO) feedback control loops based on conventional on off and PID algorithms were implemented to control the following operating variables: flow-rates (influent, permeate, sludge recycling and wasting, and recycled biogas through both reactor and membrane tanks), sludge wasting volume, temperature, transmembrane pr…
Global sensitivity analysis of a filtration model for submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR)
2014
The results of a global sensitivity analysis of a filtration model for submerged anaerobic MBRs (AnMBRs) are assessed in this paper. This study aimed to (1) identify the less- (or non-) influential factors of the model in order to facilitate model calibration and (2) validate the modelling approach (i.e. to determine the need for each of the proposed factors to be included in the model). The sensitivity analysis was conducted using a revised version of the Morris screening method. The dynamic simulations were conducted using long-term data obtained from an AnMBR plant fitted with industrial-scale hollow-fibre membranes. Of the 14 factors in the model, six were identified as influential, i.e…
Mathematical modelling of filtration in submerged anaerobic MBRs (SAnMBRs): long-term validation
2013
The aim of this study was the long-term validation of a model capable of reproducing the filtration process occurring in a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAnMBR) system. The proposed model was validated using data obtained horn a SAnMBR demonstration plant fitted with industrial-scale hollow-fibre membranes. The validation was carried out using both lightly and heavily fouled membranes operating at different bulk concentrations, gas sparging intensities and transmembrane fluxes. Across a broad spectrum of operating conditions, the model correctly forecast the respective experimental data in the long term. The simulation results revealed the importance of controlling irreversible f…
Performance of a pilot-scale biotrickling filter in controlling the volatile organic compound emissions in a furniture manufacturing facility.
2009
A 0.75-m3 pilot-scale biotrickling filter was run for over 1 yr in a Spanish furniture company to evaluate its performance in the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contained in the emission of two different paint spray booths. The first one was an open front booth used to manually paint furniture, and the second focus was an automatically operated closed booth operated to paint pieces of furniture. In both cases, the VOC emissions were very irregular, with rapid and extreme fluctuations. The pilot plant was operated at an empty bed residence time (EBRT) ranging from 10 to 40 sec, and good removal efficiencies of VOCs were usually obtained. When a buffering activated carbon prefil…