Model-based strategy for nitrogen removal enhancement in full-scale wastewater treatment plants by GPS-X integrated with response surface methodology

Jiashun Cao; E Yang; Chengzhi Xu; Teng Zhang; Runze Xu; Boming Fu; Qian Feng; Fang Fang; Jingyang Luo

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144851

Model-based strategy for nitrogen removal enhancement in full-scale wastewater treatment plants by GPS-X integrated with response surface methodology

Sci Total Environ. 2021 May 15:769:144851. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144851. Epub 2021 Jan 19.

Authors

Jiashun Cao¹, E Yang², Chengzhi Xu², Teng Zhang², Runze Xu², Boming Fu², Qian Feng¹, Fang Fang¹, Jingyang Luo³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Guohe Environmental Research Institute (Nanjing) Co, Ltd, Nanjing 211599, China.
² Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Guohe Environmental Research Institute (Nanjing) Co, Ltd, Nanjing 211599, China. Electronic address: luojy2016@hhu.edu.cn.

PMID: 33736239
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144851

Abstract

Model simulation is an effective approach to optimize the operational performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study presents a novel strategy to enhance the total nitrogen (TN) removal in WWTPs by GPS-X integrated with response surface methodology. The sensitivities of 61 parameters were screened and analyzed, and 6 critical parameters (i.e., μ_{max A}, K_A/a, μ_{max H}, K_H/ss, Y_H and μ_maxPAO) were selected for further adjustment. The accuracy of GPS-X for WWTPs modeling was validated by static and dynamic simulations with actual operational data. The results showed that the DO concentration diffused in different biological compartments exhibited significant effects on the denitrification rate. The TN removal is also associated with SRT. The significance and optimization orders of key parameters were analyzed. With the optimization of DO in biological units and SRT, the nitrification and denitrification rates were improved to 97.1 and 85.3% respectively, saving 17.9% energy consumption.

Keywords: DO concentration; Denitrification rates; GPS-X; Model simulation; Total nitrogen removal; Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).