Model prediction and verification of a two-stage high-rate anaerobic wastewater treatment system subjected to shock loads

Abstract

The dynamic responses of an anaerobic wastewater treatment system subjected to shock loads were determined experimentally and simulated using a mechanistic model. The comparison between the measured and the predicted data showed the ability of the model to predict the dynamic behaviour of most reactor variables. Of particular importance was the prediction of the organic acids accumulation in the acidification reactor. It was shown that lactic acid was an important intermediate fermentation product in anaerobic degradation processes handling carbohydrate-based wastewater.