Model extension, calibration and validation of partial nitritation–anammox process in moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for reject and mainstream wastewater

ABSTRACT

In the paper, the extension of mathematical model of partial nitritation–anammox process in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) is presented. The model was calibrated with a set of kinetic, stoichiometric and biofilm parameters, whose values were taken from the literature and batch tests. The model was validated with data obtained from: laboratory batch experiments, pilot-scale MBBR for a reject water deammonification operated at Himmerfjärden wastewater treatment and pilot-scale MBBR for mainstream wastewater deammonification at Hammarby Sjöstadsverk research facility, Sweden. Simulations were conducted in AQUASIM software. The proposed, extended model proved to be useful for simulating of partial nitritation/anammox process in biofilm reactor both for reject water and mainstream wastewater at variable substrate concentrations (influent total ammonium–nitrogen concentration of 530 ± 68; 45 ± 2.6 and 38 ± 3 gN/m³ – for reject water – and two cases of mainstream wastewater treatment, respectively), temperature (24 ± 2.8; 15 ± 1.1 and 18 ± 0.5°C), pH (7.8 ± 0.2; 7.3 ± 0.1 and 7.4 ± 0.1) and aeration patterns (continuous aeration and intermittent aeration with variable dissolved oxygen concentrations and length of aerated and anoxic phases). The model can be utilized for optimizing and testing different operational strategies of deammonification process in biofilm systems.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Partial nitritation
• anammox
• mathematical modelling
• inhibition
• reject water
• mainstream wastewater

Acknowledgements

Karol Trojanowicz was supported with a post-doctoral fellowship from the Swedish Institute (SI) within the Visby Program. The research work was financed by Swedish Water Development (SVU), Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL) and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). The experimental work was performed at Hammarby Sjöstadsverk, Stockholm, Sweden (Swedish Water Innovation Center).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

K. Trojanowicz http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4234-391X