CFD for wastewater treatment: an overview

Computational fluid dynamics study on first reaction chamber of internal circulation anaerobic reactor

This study aims to investigate the characteristics of gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow in an Internal Circulation (IC) anaerobic reactor during the treatment of wastewater. Through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the gas-liquid-solid three-phase in the first reaction chamber and based on the anaerobic granule swarms drag coefficient model, the study investigates the effects of superficial liquid velocity and superficial gas velocity on granules distribution, uniformity index, gas holdup, flow velocities of each phase, and the dimensionless variance of residence time distribution. In addition, the relationship between the fully mixed superficial velocities of gas and liquid in the first reaction chamber is also determined.

A synergistic approach combining computational fluid dynamics simulation with hydrolysis-acidification for dye wastewater treatment

Wastewater treatment is effectively conducted using anaerobic biological methods. Nevertheless, the efficiency of these methods can be hindered by challenges like short-circuits and dead zones, particularly in treating persistent contaminants. This work utilized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to enhance water distribution, ensuring uniform interactions between solid and liquid phases, and thus mitigating issues related to short-circuits and dead zones. Such enhancements notably amplified the anaerobic biological process's efficiency. Furthermore, dye biodegradability was improved through the application of the hydrolysis acidification technique. Optimal hydraulic retention time for the hydrolysis-acidification reactor, established at 9 h, was determined via sludge cultivation and domestication for stable operation. During stable operation, an elevation in effluent volatile fatty acids was observed, alongside a COD removal rate fluctuating between 15% and 29%. Approximately 50% was noted as the rate of color removal. Simultaneously, a noticeable decrease in effluent pH occurred, with total nitrogen removal approximating 8%. An estimated BOD5/COD ratio of 0.32 was recorded. The incorporation of microbial agents led to an enhanced COD removal, ranging from 28% to 33%, thereby stabilizing the effluent BOD5/COD ratio at around 0.35. This research highlights the advantages of optimizing water distribution in anaerobic reactors, particularly when combined with hydrolysis-acidification techniques, effectively addressing issues of short-circuits and dead zones.

Deciphering styrene oxide tolerance mechanisms in Gluconobacter oxydans mutant strain

Chemical production wastewater contains large amounts of organic solvents (OSs), which pose a significant threat to the environment. In this study, a 10 g·L-1 styrene oxide tolerant strain with broad-spectrum OSs tolerance was obtained via adaptive laboratory evolution. The mechanisms underlying the high OS tolerance of tolerant strain were investigated by integrating physiological, multi-omics, and genetic engineering analyses. Physiological changes are one of the main factors responsible for the high OS tolerance in mutant strains. Moreover, the P-type ATPase GOX_RS04415 and the LysR family transcriptional regulator GOX_RS04700 were also verified as critical genes for styrene oxide tolerance. The tolerance mechanisms of OSs can be used in biocatalytic chassis cell factories to synthesize compounds and degrade environmental pollutants. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying the toxicological response to OS stress and offers potential targets for enhancing the solvent tolerance of G. oxydans.

On the use of deep learning and computational fluid dynamics for the estimation of uniform momentum source components of propellers

This article proposes a novel method based on Deep Learning for the resolution of uniform momentum source terms in the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations. These source terms can represent several industrial devices (propellers, wind turbines, and so forth) in Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations. Current simulation methods require huge computational power, rely on strong assumptions or need additional information about the device that is being simulated. In this first approach to the new method, a Deep Learning system is trained with hundreds of Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations with uniform momemtum sources so that it can compute the one representing a given propeller from a reduced set of flow velocity measurements near it. Results show an overall relative error below the 5 % for momentum sources for uniform sources and a moderate error when describing real propellers. This work will allow to simulate more accurately industrial devices with less computational cost.

Deep learning in wastewater treatment: a critical review

Modeling wastewater processes supports tasks such as process prediction, soft sensing, data analysis and computer assisted design of wastewater systems. Wastewater treatment processes are large, complex processes, with multiple controlling mechanisms, a high degree of disturbance variability and non-linear (generally stable) behavior with multiple internal recycle loops. Semi-mechanistic biochemical models currently dominate research and application, with data-driven deep learning models emerging as an alternative and supplementary approach. But these modeling approaches have grown in separate communities of research and practice, and so there is limited appreciation of the strengths, weaknesses, contrasts and similarities between the methods. This review addresses that gap by providing a detailed guide to deep learning methods and their application to wastewater process modeling. The review is aimed at wastewater modeling experts who are familiar with established mechanistic modeling approach, and are curious about the opportunities and challenges afforded by deep learning methods. We conclude with a discussion and needs analysis on the value of different ways of modeling wastewater processes and open research problems.

CFD simulation of anaerobic granular sludge reactors: A review

Anaerobic digestion processes can generate renewable energy in the form of biogas while treating organic wastewater. The generation of biogas within anaerobic digestion systems is directly linked to the mixing conditions inside the reactors. In high-rate reactors such as the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, the expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor and the internal circulation (IC) reactor, the hydrodynamic behaviour will depend on the interactions between the wastewater, the biogas, and the biomass granules. Over the past few years, various researchers have used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to study the hydrodynamic behaviour in these types of reactors. This review aims to present and critically discuss the state of the art in the use of CFD applied to anaerobic granular sludge reactors (AGSRs). It briefly introduces and discusses the various aspects of modelling. It also reviews the various papers which used CFD to model these reactors and critically analyses the models used for the simulations in terms of general approaches and single-phase vs multiphase studies. The methods used in the validation of the CFD models are also described and discussed. Based on the findings, the challenges and future perspectives for the CFD modelling of AGSRs are discussed and gaps in the knowledge are identified.

Hybrid bioreactor built-in with fixed bio-carriers for denitrification with low C/N ratio: Hydrodynamic optimization and microbial divergence

Hydrodynamics played an important role in the design and operation of bioreactors for wastewater treatment. In this work, an up-flow anaerobic hybrid bioreactor built-in with fixed bio-carriers was designed and optimized using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The results indicated that the flow regime involving with vortex and dead zone was greatly affected by the positions of water inlet and bio-carrier modules. The ideal hydraulic features were obtained when the water inlet and bio-carrier modules located 9 cm and 60 cm above the bottom of reactor. Using the optimum hybrid system for nitrogen removal from wastewater with low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N = 3), the denitrification efficiency could reach 80.9 ± 0.4%. Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed that the microbial community divergence occurred among the biofilm on bio-carrier, the suspended sludge phase and the inoculum. Especially, the relative abundance of denitrifying genera Denitratisoma in the biofilm of bio-carrier reaches 5.73%, 6.2 times higher than that in the suspended sludge, implying the imbedded bio-carrier was conductive to enrich the specific denitrifiers to polish the denitrification performance with low carbon source. This work provided an effective method for the design optimization of bioreactor based on CFD simulation, and developed a hybrid reactor with fixed bio-carrier for nitrogen removal from wastewater with low C/N ratio.

Enhancing bioflocculation in high-rate activated sludge improves effluent quality yet increases sensitivity to surface overflow rate

High-rate activated sludge (HRAS) relies on good bioflocculation and subsequent solid-liquid separation to maximize the capture of organics. However, full-scale applications often suffer from poor and unpredictable effluent suspended solids (ESS). While the biological aspects of bioflocculation are thoroughly investigated, the effects of fines (settling velocity < 0.6 m³/m²/h), shear and surface overflow rate (SOR) are unclear. This work tackled the impact of fines, shear, and SOR on the ESS in absence of settleable influent solids. This was assessed on a full-scale HRAS step-feed (SF) and pilot-scale HRAS contact-stabilization (CS) configuration using batch settling tests, controlled clarifier experiments, and continuous operation of reactors. Fines contributed up to 25% of the ESS in the full-scale SF configuration. ESS decreased up to 30 mg TSS/L when bioflocculation was enhanced with the CS configuration. The feast-famine regime applied in CS promoted the production of high-quality extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). However, this resulted in a narrow and unfavorable settling velocity distribution, with 50% ± 5% of the sludge mass settling between 0.6 and 1.5 m³/m²/h, thus increasing sensitivity towards SOR changes. A low shear environment (20 s^-1) before the clarifier for at least one min was enough to ensure the best possible settling velocity distribution, regardless of prior shear conditions. Overall, this paper provides a more complete view on the drivers of ESS in HRAS systems, creating the foundation for the design of effective HRAS clarifiers. Tangible recommendations are given on how to manage fines and establish the optimal settling velocity of the sludge.

Continuous antibiotic attenuation in algal membrane photobioreactor: Performance and kinetics

The attenuation of 10 mixed antibiotics along with nutrients in a continuous flow mode by four freshwater microalgae (Haematococcus pluvialis, Selenastrum capricornutum, Scenedesmus quadricauda, and Chlorella vulgaris) was examined in membrane photobioreactors (MPBRs). At lab-scale, consistent removal of both antibiotic and nutrient was shown by H. pluvialis and S. quadricauda, respectively. The system exhibited better performance with enhanced removal at HRT 24 h compared to 12 h and 48 h. The highest removal efficiency of antibiotics was observed in H. pluvialis MPBR, with the mean antibiotic removal values of 53.57%- 96.33%. Biodegradation was the major removal pathway of the antibiotics in the algal-MPBR (AMPBR), while removal by bioadsorption, bioaccumulation, membrane rejection, and abiotic was minor. Then, the bacterial feature was studied and showed significant influence from system hydrodynamics. The kinetics of continuous flow antibiotic removal followed Stover-Kincannon and Grau second-order models, which revealed great potential of AMPBR to withstand antibiotic load. The latter coupled with the computational fluid dynamic simulation was successfully applied for the residual antibiotic prediction and potential system optimization. Overall, these results provide an important reference for continuous flow antibiotic removal using AMPBR.

Characterising sedimentation velocity of primary waste water solids and effluents

Sedimentation in waste water is a heavily studied topic, but mainly focused on hindered and compression settling in secondary sludge, a largely monodispersed solids, where bulk sedimentation velocity is effectively described by functions such as double Vesilind (Takacs). However, many waste water solids, including primary sludge and anaerobic digester effluent are polydispersed, for which application of velocity functions is not well understood. These systems are also subject to large concentration gradients, and poor availability of settling velocity functions has limited design and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis of these units. In this work, we assess the use of various sedimentation functions in single and multi-dimensional domains, comparing model results against multiple batch settling tests at a range of high and low concentrations. Both solids concentration and sludge bed height (interface) over time are measured and compared. The method incorporates uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo regression, DIRECT (dividing rectangles), and Newton optimisation. It was identified that a double Vesilind (Takacs) model was most effective in the dilute regime (<1%v/v), but could not effectively fit high solids concentrations (>1%v/v) without a substantial (50%) decrease in effective maximum sedimentation velocity (V₀). Other parameters (R_h, R_p) did not change. A power law velocity model (Diehl) was significantly less predictive at low concentrations, and not significantly better at higher concentrations. The optimised model (with reduction in V₀) was tested vs a standard (optimised) double Vesilind velocity model in a simple primary sedimentation unit, and resulted in deviation from -12% to +18% in solids capture prediction from underload to overload (washout) conditions, indicating that the effect is important in CFD based analysis of these systems.

Design-oriented evaluation of the hydrodynamics in a full-scale combined filter-lamella separator for urban stormwater treatment

The development of compact treatment devices with high removal efficiencies and low space requirements is a key objective of urban stormwater treatment. Thus, many devices utilize a combination of sedimentation and upward flow filtration in a single system. This study, for the first time, evaluates the flow field inside a combined filter-lamella separator via computational fluid dynamics. Herein, three objectives are investigated: (i) the flow field for different structural configurations, (ii) the distribution of particulate matter along the filter bed and (iii) the dynamic clogging in discrete filter zones, which is addressed by a clogging model derived from literature data. The results indicate that a direct combination of a filtration stage with a lamella separator promotes a uniform flow distribution. The distribution of particulate matter along the filter bed varies with configuration and particle size. Clogging, induced by particles in the spectrum <63 μm, creates gradients of hydraulic conductivity along the filter bed. After treating about half of Germany's annual runoff-efficient precipitation at a rainfall intensity of 5 L/(s·ha), the filtration rates increase in the front of the filter bed by +10%. Thus, long-term operating behavior is sensitive to efficient filter utilization in compact treatment devices.

Effects of mild thermal pre-treatment combined with H2O2 addition on waste activated sludge digestibility

The pre-treatment of waste activated sludge (WAS) has become more common since it often results in improved bioconversion to methane, in both rate and extent. However, thorough insights on the possible effects and mechanisms of mild pre-treatment techniques, such as temperatures <100 °C combined with the addition of H2O2, are still limited. This study reports the effects of the addition of 5-30 mgH2O2/g TS and its interaction with thermal pre-treatment at 70 °C on methane production, using WAS as the substrate. It was found that the addition of H2O2 increased the methane production rate, coinciding with a decrease in apparent viscosity of WAS, which probably improved mass transfer under non-ideal mixing conditions. While H2O2 solubilized proteins and carbohydrates and mineralized a small fraction of the humic substances in WAS, these biochemical transformations did not suffice to explain the observed extent and rate of methane production. A decreased particle size, the presence of Fenton's reagent, and the presence of cationic polymers in the WAS were discarded as the reasons for the observed decrease in apparent viscosity. It was concluded that the pre-treatment conditions applied in the present study might be a strategy to enhance mixing conditions in full-scale anaerobic digesters.

Process optimization and CFD simulation in external loop airlift reactor and sectionalized external loop airlift for application of wastewater treatment

The industrial wastewater treatment is carried out in an external loop airlift reactor (EL-ALR) and sectionalized EL-ALR. The airflow rate is optimized in EL-ALR and sectionalized EL-ALR for better degradation of wastewater. The 74% degradation is obtained in sectionalized EL-ALR as compared to EL-ALR for continuous aeration up to 32 h. For higher superficial gas velocity (U G ) percentage degradation is decreased due to shear stress on microorganisms. The extent of degradation is obtained 77 and 80% for the effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and combination of H2O2 and Fenton reagent in an EL-ALR. The computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation validated with experimental results of gas hold-up and liquid circulation velocity compared in EL-ALR sectionalized EL-ALR over a broad range of superficial gas velocity 0.0024 ≤ U G  ≤ 0.016 m/s. The comparison of CFD and experimental values of gas hold-up and liquid circulation velocity are in good agreement.

Modeling of wastewater treatment processes with hydrosludge

The pressure for Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRF) operators to efficiently treat wastewater is greater than ever because of the water crisis, produced by the climate change effects and more restrictive regulations. Technicians and researchers need to evaluate WRRF performance to ensure maximum efficiency. For this purpose, numerical techniques, such as CFD, have been widely applied to the wastewater sector to model biological reactors and secondary settling tanks with high spatial and temporal accuracy. However, limitations such as complexity and learning curve prevent extending CFD usage among wastewater modeling experts. This paper presents HydroSludge, a framework that provides a series of tools that simplify the implementation of the processes and workflows in a WRRF. This work leverages HydroSludge to preprocess existing data, aid the meshing process, and perform CFD simulations. Its intuitive interface proves itself as an effective tool to increase the efficiency of wastewater treatment. PRACTITIONER POINTS: This paper introduces a software platform specifically oriented to WRRF, named HydroSludge, which provides easy access to the most widespread and leading CFD simulation software, OpenFOAM. Hydrosludge is intended to be used by WRRF operators, bringing a more wizard-like, automatic, and intuitive usage. Meshing assistance, submersible mixers, biological models, and distributed parallel computing are the most remarkable features included in HydroSludge. With the provided study cases, HydroSludge has proven to be a crucial tool for operators, managers, and researchers in WRRF.

Improving wastewater treatment plant performance by applying CFD models for design and operation: selected case studies

Hydrodynamic simulation (CFD: computational fluid dynamics) is one of the major tools for planning the reconstruction and operation of the structures in wastewater treatment plants, and its routine use is commonplace because of the cost savings and efficiency gains that can be achieved. This paper provides examples of how CFD can contribute to substantial improvements in the overall efficiency of wastewater treatment plants.The case studies presented in the paper include rarely investigated issues, such as the operation of aerated grit chambers, performance of primary settling tanks, mixing performance in oxidation ditches and return sludge control. The results show that: (1) air intake rate can be strongly decreased in most of the grit chambers, (2) optimization of the inlet geometry design of primary settling tanks is crucial, especially at high loads caused by storm events, (3) mixer performance design based on current design guidelines is often of an unnecessarily high capacity, (4) sludge recirculation rate should be optimized by CFD investigations based on secondary settling tank performance.

Use of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model for a new configuration of circular primary settling tank

Appropriately used, computational fluid dynamics models are powerful tools to design and optimize primary settling tanks (PSTs). This paper uses a Fluent-based 3D model to identify the possible causes for underperformance of the circular PSTs at the Cali waste-water treatment plant, Colombia, and to propose design modifications to improve performance. A new configuration for the center well (CW) is proposed and evaluated. The influence of a rotational sludge scraper and of continuous sludge removal were considered in the numerical simulation. The new configuration included the modification of the current CW diameter and the location of a second baffle with the CW. The results suggest that the installation of the second baffle allows a more uniform flow distribution within the PST and consequently, the hydrodynamic problems associated with short-circuiting of the influent to the bottom of the tank are reduced. The second baffle suppresses the downward current, effectively dissipates the kinetic energy in the influent and forces the particles to move toward the bottom of the PST. In addition, the second CW baffle allows the formation in the inlet zone of a consistently more concentrated sludge blanket layer and thicker sludge, reducing the risk of solids leaving in the effluent of the PST.

Numerical Modelling Assisted Design of a Compact Ultrafiltration (UF) Flat Sheet Membrane Module

The increasing adoption of ultra-low pressure (ULP) membrane systems for drinking water treatment in small rural communities is currently hindered by a limited number of studies on module design. Detailed knowledge on both intrinsic membrane transport properties and fluid hydrodynamics within the module is essential in understanding ULP performance prediction, mass transfer analysis for scaling-up between lab-scale and industrial scale research. In comparison to hollow fiber membranes, flat sheet membranes present certain advantages such as simple manufacture, sheet replacement for cleaning, moderate packing density and low to moderate energy usage. In the present case study, a numerical model using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of a novel custom flat sheet membrane module has been designed in 3D to predict fluid flow conditions. The permeate flux through the membrane decreased with an increase in spacer curviness from 2.81 L/m²h for no (0%) curviness to 2.73 L/m²h for full (100%) curviness. A parametric analysis on configuration variables was carried out to determine the optimum design variables and no significant influence of spacer inflow or outflow thickness on the fluid flow were observed. The numerical model provides the necessary information on the role of geometrical and operating parameters for fabricating a module prototype where access to technical expertise is limited.

Not Just Numbers: Mathematical Modelling and Its Contribution to Anaerobic Digestion Processes

Mathematical modelling of bioprocesses has a long and notable history, with eminent contributions from fields including microbiology, ecology, biophysics, chemistry, statistics, control theory and mathematical theory. This richness of ideas and breadth of concepts provide great motivation for inquisitive engineers and intrepid scientists to try their hand at modelling, and this collaboration of disciplines has also delivered significant milestones in the quality and application of models for both theoretical and practical interrogation of engineered biological systems. The focus of this review is the anaerobic digestion process, which, as a technology that has come in and out of fashion, remains a fundamental process for addressing the global climate emergency. Whether with conventional anaerobic digestion systems, biorefineries, or other anaerobic technologies, mathematical models are important tools that are used to design, monitor, control and optimise the process. Both highly structured, mechanistic models and data-driven approaches have been used extensively over half a decade, but recent advances in computational capacity, scientific understanding and diversity and quality of process data, presents an opportunity for the development of new modelling paradigms, augmentation of existing methods, or even incorporation of tools from other disciplines, to ensure that anaerobic digestion research can remain resilient and relevant in the face of emerging and future challenges.

Utilisation of appropriately treated wastewater for some further beneficial purposes: a review of the disinfection method of treated wastewater using UV radiation technology

Due to world population growth, global climate change and the deteriorated quality of water, water supply struggles to keep up the clean water demand to meet human needs. Ultraviolet (UV) technology holds a great potential in advancing water and wastewater treatment to improve the efficiency of safe treatment. Over the last 20 years, the UV light disinfection industry has shown a tremendous growth. Therefore, reuse of wastewater contributes significantly to an efficient and sustainable water usage. Disinfection is a requirement for wastewater reuse due to the presence of a swarm of pathogens (e.g. bacteria, viruses, worms and protozoa) in secondary effluents. UV technology is widely favoured due to its environmentally friendly, chemical-free ability to provide high-log reductions of all known microorganisms, including chlorine-resistant strains such as Cryptosporidium. The UV disinfection process does not create disinfection by-products and unlike the chlorine UV disinfection process, it is not reliant on water temperature and pH. UV disinfection can eliminate the need to generate, handle, transport or store toxic/hazardous or corrosive chemicals and requires less space than other methods. As UV does not leave any residual effect that can be harmful to humans or aquatic life, it is safer for plant operators.

Micro-bubble flow simulation of dissolved air flotation process for water treatment using computational fluid dynamics technique

A dissolved air flotation (DAF) system is one of the water treatment processes that purifies contaminants through a buoyancy effect by attaching the moiety of micro-bubbles on their free surface. Since the DAF system was first used in the drinking water treatment in the 1960s, it has been recognized as an effective treatment for the water purification process. Most previous works laid great emphasis on the internal flow behaviors of fluid to improve the purification efficiency of the DAF system. Nevertheless, the practical implementation with a pilot plant indeed revealed some technical incompleteness for the DAF system. To circumvent for the technical incompleteness, numerical simulation based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been carried out to understand the in-depth knowledge on internal flow phenomena in the DAF system. However, the standard k-ε turbulence model has been conventionally used in the most studies without any proper consideration process. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to investigate the major effects on the internal flow behaviors for an efficient numerical simulation of DAF when a different turbulence model and micro-bubble parameters are used. As a result, the present study found that the standard k-ε model would be not proper for the internal flow simulation of the DAF process and a careful consideration would be required for a more accurate prediction. In addition, the present study examined a desirable internal flow pattern with various operating conditions of the micro-bubble. Consequently, the main findings of this study are expected to provide realistic information to related researchers for designing the DAF system with the optimal operating parameters.

Full-scale investigation of in-situ iron and alkalinity generation for efficient sulfide control

Hydrogen sulfide induced corrosion of concrete sewer pipes is a major issue for wastewater utilities globally. One of the most commonly used methods to combat hydrogen sulfide is the addition of ferric chloride. While a reliable and effective method, ferric chloride is acidic causing OH&S concerns as well as alkalinity consumption in sewage. This study investigates, under full-scale field conditions, an alternative method for sulfide control by in-situ electrochemical generation of iron ions using sacrificial iron electrodes. This method concomitantly produces alkalinity through cathodic OH^- generation, rather than consumption. The gaseous hydrogen sulfide concentrations at the discharge wet well of a real-life rising main (length: ∼1 km in, diameter: 150 mm) decreased from 173 ppm to 43 ppm (90 percentile of peak values), when a current of 0.86 A/m³ of sewage was applied. The 90 percentile peak H₂S value was further reduced to 6.6 ppm when the applied current was increased to 1.14 A/m³ sewage. Moreover, methane generation was almost completely inhibited from 25.3 ± 1.46 mg COD/L to 0.06 ± 0.04 mg COD/L. The overall cell voltage remained constant throughout the experimental period clearly showing the stability of the process. Detailed characterization of the down-stream sewer pipe biofilm revealed the complexity of the iron chemistry as the in-situ produced iron ions undergo transformation into a variety of iron species. Overall, this study demonstrates that in-situ generation of iron and alkalinity is an effective alternative method for hydrogen sulfide control in sewers.

Detailed experimental and numerical characterization of turbulent flow in components of a water treatment plant

This paper presents a detailed characterization of turbulence in the incoming flow to the clarification component of a water treatment plant, 'Los Molinos' (Córdoba, Argentina). The main problems were related to the presence of turbulent flow patterns throughout the treatment, affecting the proper development of the physical processes required for water clarification. Namely: (a) a poor hydraulic design that could produce a non-homogeneous spatial distribution of the flow, recirculation zones and flow stagnation, and a non-uniform discharge distribution among the sedimentation units as a result of different cross-sectional dimensions of the transverse-channel, and (b) high turbulence intensity that affect the flocs' size as well as the efficiency of the settling tanks and filters. Firstly, a detailed in-situ experimental characterization of the turbulent flow was undertaken. An acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) was used to characterize the flow turbulence, whereas for discharge measurements and mean flow velocity field an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) was employed. Secondly, a numerical model, based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations and the k-ε turbulence closure model, was validated with the experimental data. Finally, based on the results, a diagnosis and recommendations were made for the optimization of the hydraulic design of the water treatment plant.

Characterising the two-phase flow and mixing performance in a gas-mixed anaerobic digester: Importance for scaled-up applications

This study aimed to characterise the gas-liquid flow and mixing behaviour in a gas-mixed anaerobic digester by improving phase interaction modelling using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). A 2D axisymmetric model validated with experimental data was set up using an Eulerian-Eulerian method. Uncertainty factors, including bubble size, phase interaction forces and liquid rheology were found to significantly influence the flow field. A more reliable and complete validation was obtained by critical comparison and assessment of the referred experimental data, compared to the models reported in other studies. Additionally, justifiable corrections and predictions in detail were obtained. Mixing was evaluated by trajectory tracking of a large number of particles based on an Euler-Lagrange method. The mixing performance approximated to a laminar-flow reactor (LFR) that distinctly deviated from expected continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) design, indicating limited enhancement from the applied gas-sparging strategy in the studied digester. The study shows the importance of a proper phase-interaction description for a reliable hydrodynamic characterisation and mixing evaluation in gas-mixed digesters. Validations, bend to experimental data without a critical assessment, may lead to an inaccurate model for further scaled-up applications.

The future of WRRF modelling - outlook and challenges

The wastewater industry is currently facing dramatic changes, shifting away from energy-intensive wastewater treatment towards low-energy, sustainable technologies capable of achieving energy positive operation and resource recovery. The latter will shift the focus of the wastewater industry to how one could manage and extract resources from the wastewater, as opposed to the conventional paradigm of treatment. Debatable questions arise: can the more complex models be calibrated, or will additional unknowns be introduced? After almost 30 years using well-known International Water Association (IWA) models, should the community move to other components, processes, or model structures like 'black box' models, computational fluid dynamics techniques, etc.? Can new data sources - e.g. on-line sensor data, chemical and molecular analyses, new analytical techniques, off-gas analysis - keep up with the increasing process complexity? Are different methods for data management, data reconciliation, and fault detection mature enough for coping with such a large amount of information? Are the available calibration techniques able to cope with such complex models? This paper describes the thoughts and opinions collected during the closing session of the 6th IWA/WEF Water Resource Recovery Modelling Seminar 2018. It presents a concerted and collective effort by individuals from many different sectors of the wastewater industry to offer past and present insights, as well as an outlook into the future of wastewater modelling.

Sludge treatment: Current research trends

Sludge is produced during wastewater treatment as a residue containing most insoluble and adsorbed soluble impurities in wastewaters. This paper summarized the currently available review papers on sludge treatments and proposed the research trends based on the points raised therein. On partition aspect, sludge production rate and the reduction of production rate and the fate and transformation of involved emergent contaminants including endocrine disrupting chemicals and pharmaceuticals and personal care products are widely studied. On release aspect, development of thermal processes on sludge with migration and transformation of heavy metals in sludge during treatment is a research focus. The use of detailed fluid and biological reaction models and advanced instrumentation and control systems is studied to optimize treatment performances. On recovery part, co-digestion of sludge with co-substrates at mesophilic and hyperthermophilic conditions and the recovery of phosphorus at low costs are research highlights.

Numerical and experimental investigation for cleaning process of submerged outside-in hollow fiber membrane

Membrane fouling has limited extensive applications for hollow fiber membranes in water treatment. Backwashing and air scouring can effectively solve this problem in the submerged outside-in hollow fiber membrane system. In this study, variation of the fouling layer on the membrane surface during backwashing and the impact of shear stress caused by air scouring on fouling removal were investigated through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The backwashing and air scouring process were simulated using CFD and the results were verified by experimental studies. The results of experimental studies are in accordance with the simulation results. During the backwashing process, the velocity profile inside the reactor was presented, and visualization of the particle movement to illustrate the dynamic peeling process of the fouling layer on the membrane surface was also shown. The formation of uneven cleaning reveals that the upper region of the fibers has an excellent cleaning effect during backwashing. After that, the supporting role of air scouring was investigated in the study. It is concluded that the lower part and the middle region of the fibers suffer greater shear stress by analyzing the velocity contours and vectors, and the analysis results indicated that air scouring can further remove membrane fouling.