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Efficient model calibration method based on phase experiments for anaerobic–anoxic/nitrifying (A2N) two-sludge process

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Abstract

A systematic calibration and validation procedure for the complex mechanistic modeling of anaerobic–anoxic/nitrifying (A2N) two-sludge system is needed. An efficient method based on phase experiments, sensitivity analysis, and genetic algorithm is proposed here for model calibration. Phase experiments (anaerobic phosphorus release, aerobic nitrification, and anoxic denitrifying phosphate accumulation) in an A2N sequencing batch reactor (SBR) were performed to reflect the process conditions accurately and improve the model calibration efficiency. The calibrated model was further validated using 30 batch experiments and 3-month dynamic continuous flow (CF) experiments for A2N-SBR and CF-A2N process, respectively. Several statistical criteria were conducted to evaluate the accuracy of model predications, including the average relative deviation (ARD), mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and Janus coefficient. Visual comparisons and statistical analyses indicated that the calibrated model could provide accurate predictions for the effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4 +-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP), with only one iteration.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported by the Major Science and Technology Project of Water Pollution Control and Management in China (2012ZX07101005), the National Science and Technology Support Program in China (2015BAL01B01), and the Scientific Research Foundation of Graduate School of Southeast University (YBJJ1643). We thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments that improved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xiwu Lu.

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Responsible editor: Marcus Schulz

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Dai, H., Chen, W., Dai, Z. et al. Efficient model calibration method based on phase experiments for anaerobic–anoxic/nitrifying (A2N) two-sludge process. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 19211–19222 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9437-z

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