A biofilm model for engineering design

Abstract

A biofilm model is presented for process engineering purposes--wastewater treatment plant design, upgrade and optimisation. The model belongs in the 1D dynamic layered biofilm model category, with modifications that allow it to be used with one parameter set for a large range of process situations. The biofilm model is integrated with a general activated sludge/anaerobic digestion model combined with a chemical equilibrium, precipitation and pH module. This allows the model to simulate the complex interactions that occur in the aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic layers of the biofilm. The model has been tested and is shown to match a variety of design guidelines, as well as experimental results from batch testing and full-scale plant operation. Both moving bed bioreactors (MBBR) and integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) systems were simulated using the same model and parameter set. A new steady-state solver generates fast solutions and allows interactive design work with the complex model.