title: Model development and simulation for predicting risk of foaming in anaerobic digestion systems.
abstract: Although there is not a complete agreement on the causes of foaming in anaerobic digestion, experts and operators do have valuable empirical knowledge of key factors. Based on this knowledge, a model for calculating the risk of foaming in anaerobic digestion systems due to microbiological causes has been developed. Organic loading rate, variation in organic loading rate, and the presence of filamentous microorganisms in the activated sludge system, used as a feed source for the digester, have been selected as the inputs of a knowledge-based model designed to provide as output the risk of foaming in an anaerobic digester. The performance of the model is demonstrated by means of a case study using the IWA Benchmark Simulation Model No. 2 as a framework, where risk of foaming is used as a new evaluation criterion. The simulated results of an open-loop configuration and two closed-loop control strategies illustrate the usefulness of this knowledge-based approach as a means of estimating the risk of foaming in anaerobic digestion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (LEQUIA), University of Girona, Faculty of Sciences, Montilivi Campus s/n, 17071 Girona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dalmau
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Comas
authors.forename: Ignasi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Roda
authors.forename: Krishna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pagilla
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Steyer
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008956:Models, Chemical; D012306:Risk; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*