title: Simulation of nitrification of municipal wastewater in a Moving Bed biofilm process: a bottom-up approach based on a 2D-continuum model for growth and detachment.
abstract: This paper presents a complete mathematical model of a Moving Bed biofilm process for waste-water treatment, in particular for the nitrification process. The model is based on a bottom up approach adopting a multidimensional model for the biofilm growth and metabolism and a global mass balance model for the whole reactor. The model shows that oxygen is limiting the amount of biomass involved in the nitrification process. Furthermore, it suggests the existence of an optimal amount biomass for an optimal reactor turnover rate. Studies of two specific new suspended carriers show that the model output is dependable on the geometry of the carrier, and to a satisfactory extent agreeable with measurements.
authors.affiliation: School of Technology and Society, Malmö University, SE-20506 Malmö, Sweden. erik.alpkvist@ts.mah.se
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alpkvist
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: N Chr
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Overgaard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christensson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heyden
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008954:Models, Biological; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical