title: Population balance models: a useful complementary modelling framework for future WWTP modelling.
abstract: Population balance models (PBMs) represent a powerful modelling framework for the description of the dynamics of properties that are characterised by distributions. This distribution of properties under transient conditions has been demonstrated in many chemical engineering applications. Modelling efforts of several current and future unit processes in wastewater treatment plants could potentially benefit from this framework, especially when distributed dynamics have a significant impact on the overall unit process performance. In these cases, current models that rely on average properties cannot sufficiently capture the true behaviour and even lead to completely wrong conclusions. Examples of distributed properties are bubble size, floc size, crystal size or granule size. In these cases, PBMs can be used to develop new knowledge that can be embedded in our current models to improve their predictive capability. Hence, PBMs should be regarded as a complementary modelling framework to biokinetic models. This paper provides an overview of current applications, future potential and limitations of PBMs in the field of wastewater treatment modelling, thereby looking over the fence to other scientific disciplines.
authors: BIOMATH, Department of Mathematical Modelling, Statistics and Bio-informatics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium E-mail: Ingmar.Nopens@UGent.be.
authors: Ingmar
authors: I
authors: Nopens
authors: BIOMATH, Department of Mathematical Modelling, Statistics and Bio-informatics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium E-mail: Ingmar.Nopens@UGent.be.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Torfs
authors: NC State University, 208 Mann Hall, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
authors: Joel
authors: J
authors: Ducoste
authors: modelEAU, Département de génie civil et de génie des eaux, Université Laval, 1065 av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors: Peter A
authors: PA
authors: Vanrolleghem
authors: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Building 229, Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark.
authors: Krist V
authors: KV
authors: Gernaey
mesh_terms: D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater