The use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Technique for evaluating the efficiency of an activated sludge reactor

• Published in: Water science and technology 1999, Vol.39 (10-11), p.329-332
• Main Authors: Karama, A.B., Onyejekwe, O.O., Brouckaert, C.J., Buckley, C.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated sludge; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Clarifiers; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer applications; Computer simulation; Computers; Construction costs; Dynamics; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General purification processes; Hydrodynamics; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Mathematical models; Pollution; Reactors; residence time distribution; Sedimentation; Sedimentation tanks; Sludge; Tanks; Wastewater; Wastewater treatment; Wastewater treatment plants; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; Water treatment plants
• ISSN: 0273-1223; 1996-9732
• DOI: 10.1016/S0273-1223(99)00294-2

Adequate models for wastewater treatment are limited by the cost of constructing them. Many a time, studies carried out on wastewater treatment plants have not been very useful in enhancing their performance. As a result, numerous mathematical models presented by different researchers on sedimentation tanks and clarifiers have not been getting much attention. Recently, improvement in computers and computational techniques have led to the development of a new generation of highly efficient programs for simulating real fluid flow within any type of geometry including clarifiers and activated sludge reactors. Herein, a computational fluid dynamics code, PHOENICS, (Rosten and Spalding, 1990) is used to determine the performance of an anaerobic zone in an activated sludge reactor. Plausible results were achieved when experimental data were compared with numerical results.