Calibration and validation of a model describing complete autotrophic nitrogen removal in a granular SBR system

Anna Katrine Vangsgaard, Ayten Gizem Mutlu, Krist Gernaey, Barth F. Smets, Gürkan Sin

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A validated model describing the nitritation-anammox process in a granular sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system is an important tool for: a) design of future experiments and b) prediction of process performance during optimization, while applying process control, or during system scale-up. RESULTS: A model was calibrated using a step-wise procedure customized for the specific needs of the system. The important steps in the procedure were initialization, steady-state and dynamic calibration, and validation. A fast and effective initialization approach was developed to approximate pseudo steady-state in the biofilm system. For oxygen mass transfer coefficient (kLa) estimation, long-term data, removal efficiencies, and the stoichiometry of the reactions were used. For the dynamic calibration a pragmatic model fitting approach was used - in this case an iterative Monte Carlo based screening of the parameter space proposed by Sin et al. (2008) - to find the best fit of the model to dynamic data. Finally, the calibrated model was validated with an independent data set. CONCLUSION: The presented calibration procedure is the first customized procedure for
this type of system and is expected to contribute to achieve a fast and effective model calibration, an important enabling tool for various biochemical engineering design, control and operation problems.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
Volume88
Issue number11
Pages (from-to)2007-2015
ISSN0268-2575
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

Keywords

  • Calibration and validation
  • Model fitting
  • Monte Carlo
  • Autotrophic nitrogen removal
  • Anammox
  • Sequencing batch reactors

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