Kinetic modeling of organic and nitrogen removal from domestic wastewater in a down-flow hanging sponge bioreactor

Abstract

A down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) bioreactor was operated for the treatment of domestic wastewater. The Stover-Kincannon model was applied for kinetic evaluation of the reactor performance during the operational period. As a result, the coefficient of determination (R2) for straight lines of effluent concentration from the experimental data and from the predictive data of BOD5; NH4+-N; and TN were 0.9727; 0.9883; and 0.9934, respectively. The calculation of saturation value constant (Umax-g L-1 d-1) and maximum utilization rate constant (KB-g L-1 d-1) were 56.818 and 75.034 for BOD5; 2.960 and 4.713 for NH4+-N; 2.810 and 8.37 for TN, respectively. The study suggests that Stover-Kincannon model can be used for effective evaluation of kinetic removal of BOD5; NH4+-N; and TN from domestic wastewater treated in a DHS bioreactor.