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Aeration is an essential component of aerobic biological wastewater treatment and is the largest energy consumer at most water resource recovery facilities. Most modelling studies neglect the inherent complexity of the aeration systems used. Typically, the blowers, air piping, and diffusers are not modelled in detail, completely mixed reactors in a series are used to represent plug-flow reactors, and empirical correlations are used to describe the impact of operating conditions on bubble formation and transport, and oxygen transfer from the bubbles to the bulk liquid. However, the mechanisms involved are very complex in nature and require significant research efforts. This contribution highlights why and where there is a need for more detail in the different aspects of the aeration system and compiles recent efforts to develop physical models of the entire aeration system (blower, valves, air piping and diffusers), as well as adding rigour to the oxygen transfer efficiency modelling (impact of viscosity, bubble size distribution, shear and hydrodynamics). As a result of these model extensions, more realistic predictions of dissolved oxygen profiles and energy consumption have been achieved. Finally, the current needs for further model development are highlighted.

A full-scale nitrifying biofilter was continuously monitored during two measurement periods (September 2014; February 2015) during which both gaseous and liquid N2O fluxes were monitored on-line. The results showed diurnal and seasonal variations of N2O emissions. A statistical model was run to determine the main operational parameters governing N2O emissions. Modification of the distribution between the gas phase and the liquid phase was observed related to the effects of temperature and aeration flow on the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa). With similar nitrification performance values, the N2O emission factor was twice as high during the winter campaign. The increase in N2O emissions in winter was correlated to higher effluent nitrite concentrations and suspected increased biofilm thickness., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from a full-scale denitrifying biofilter plant were continuously monitored over two periods (summer campaign in September 2014 and winter campaign in February 2015). Results of the summer campaign showed that the major part (>99%) of N2O flux was found in the liquid phase and was discharged with the effluent. N2O emissions were highly variable and represented in average 1.28±1.99% and 0.22±0.31% of the nitrate uptake rate during summer and winter campaigns, respectively. Denitrification was able to consume a large amount of dissolved N2O coming from the upstream nitrification stage. In the absence of methanol injection failure and with an influent BOD/NO3-N ratio higher than 3, average reduction of N2O was estimated to be of 93%. The control of exogenous carbon dosage is essential to minimize N2O production from denitrifying biofilters, in correlation to NO2-N concentrations in the filter., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Increasingly stringent effluent limits and an expanding scope of model system boundaries beyond activated sludge has led to new modelling objectives and consequently to new and often more detailed modelling concepts. Nearly three decades after the publication of Activated Sludge Model No1 (ASM1), the authors believe it is time to re-evaluate wastewater characterisation procedures and targets. The present position paper gives a brief overview of state-of-the-art methods and discusses newly developed measurement techniques on a conceptual level. Potential future paths are presented including on-line instrumentation, promising measuring techniques, and mathematical solutions to fractionation problems. This is accompanied by a discussion on standardisation needs to increase modelling efficiency in our industry.

The first objective of this work was to evaluate the ability of the long-term BOD tests to provide the total biodegradable COD (BCOD) for domestic wastewaters. Results show that the method is repeatable (using two different volume samples, 97 and 164 mL) and that the fractions of BCOD determined were not statistically different from the one obtained by respirometry (at low S/X ratio). Respirometric tests were also repeatable. They were shown to be sensitive to the origin of the sludge. The results obtained are in the range of literature data. But they later indicated that long-term bioassays (>20 days) give higher biodegradable fractions than the other methods (BOD and respirometry). The second objective was to compare soluble fractions obtained with raw and pre-flocculated samples. Flocculated filtered COD is significantly lower than filtered COD, even if a pore size of 0.1 microm is used. The comparison to literature values shows that physicochemical RBCOD fractions are significantly higher than the ones obtained using bioassays. Comparison with the fractions used in calibrated models would help the choice of the more suitable method for modelling purposes.

The Activated Sludge Model number 1 (ASM1) is the main model used in simulation projects focusing on nitrogen removal. Recent laboratory-scale studies have found that the default values given 20 years ago for the decay rate of nitrifiers and for the heterotrophic biomass yield in anoxic conditions were inadequate. To verify the relevance of the revised parameter values at full scale, a series of simulations were carried out with ASM1 using the original and updated set of parameters at 20 degrees C and 10 degrees C. The simulation results were compared with data collected at 13 full-scale nitrifying-denitrifying municipal treatment plants. This work shows that simulations using the original ASM1 default parameters tend to overpredict the nitrification rate and underpredict the denitrification rate. The updated set of parameters allows more realistic predictions over a wide range of operating conditions.

The objective of this paper is to compare the following four methods of measuring oxygen transfer in wastewater treatment plants under process conditions: the offgas, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), reaeration, and in situ oxygen uptake rate (OUR) methods. Comparative tests were performed under controlled conditions in a pilot column and in six full-scale oxidation ditches equipped with fine-bubble diffusers and slow-speed mixers. The offgas and H2O2 methods give similar results (differences between the oxygen-transfer coefficients under field conditions [k(L)a(f)] from each method lower than 10%). The reaeration procedure gives more random results (differences from -5 to -43% compared with values obtained using the offgas method). The in situ OUR method, in the presence of a horizontal flow of mixed liquor, leads to an estimate of k(L)a(f) to within 15% of the offgas value.

This note presents and compares two models to predict the equilibrium temperature in aerated basins. They differ by their degree of complexity and therefore by the input data they require. Both models were able to estimate the temperature of an industrial aerated lagoon, the more complex model giving, in addition, a complete breakdown of the heat exchanges.

At the first symptoms of organisation of the silkgland in the embryo, mitoses stop and nuclei start to grow. Through autoradiographic studies, performed after sequenced labeling with [3H] and [14C] thymidine, the durations of the different phases of DNA synthesis cycles (T = 42 to 48 h, S = 22 to 25 h, G = 20 to 23 h) are established. These durations are in fact identical during the second and the third instar, and the same, whatever region is concerned : posterior, middle or anterior parts. A model has been established to account for the distribution of the S phases during the second and third instars. The DNA synthesis in all nuclei of a given region has been followed during the first four instars by labelling with [3H]thymidine. The activity goes through maxima and minima, depending on the percent of nuclei synthesizing DNA and their synchronism, both being characteristic of each region; long resting periods are observed during the molting stages of the first three instars in the middle and the anterior parts. The coincidence is obvious between the maxima and minima and respectively the S and G phases of the model. DNA assays agree with the distribution of cycles established by autoradiography if one admits that each cycle does lead to a doubling of the amount of DNA. The overall DNA synthesis from the diploid value is estimated to correspond to 18-19 endomitoic cycles in the nucleic of the posterior part, 19-20 cycles of those of the middle part and 13 in those of the anterior part. The analysis of chromosome structures, by squashing the nuclear content, shows that existence of a complete endomitotic cycle: the doubling of chromosomes is associated with condensed structures, alternating with a decondensed state of chromatin, responsible for the DNA synthesis. The female heterochromatin undergoes a restricted morphological cycle delayed with respect to bulk chromatin. It is characterized by a late DNA duplication and by non dispersed daughter chromosomes. Some of these aspects are, to a lesser extent, reproduced in groups of autosomic chromosomes.