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Estimation of GHG Emissions of a Fixed Bed Biofilm Reactor Cascade in Wastewater Treatment



Author(s)

Daniel Bencsik and Tamas Karches

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DOI:10.17265/2162-5298/2015.11.001

A pilot scale fixed bed biofilm reactor used for treating municipal wastewater was modelled to examine greenhouse gas emissions under different operational parameters. For the calculations, GPS-X 6.3 commercial simulation tool was applied, which coupled the biokinetic modelling with a GHG estimator. Model calibration was based on a twelve-day set of measurements, where the system was operated under near steady-state condition. Simulation results reflected that direct emissions from biological processes are more significant than indirect emissions originating from energy consumption. Optimizing the operational parameters of a wastewater treatment system, a significant amount of GHG emission can be spared (e.g. optimal setup for internal recycle flow and dissolved oxygen levels), whereas, environmental factors such as temperature can also have a remarkable effect on GHG emissions: rising temperature causes faster biological reactions, increasing the production of greenhouse gases, especially methane, from the inner layers of the thick biofilm.

Biofilm, biokinetic modelling, greenhouse gas emission, wastewater treatment