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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Mesocosm-Scale Constructed Wetland Design for Wastewater Treatment
Published on: May 2, 2025
Simulation of subsurface flow constructed wetlands--results and further research needs
1Department for Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control (IWGA-SIG), BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, A- 1190 Vienna, Austria. langergraber@iwga-sig.boku.ac.at
Abstract:
Simulation of constructed wetlands has two main tasks: to obtain a better understanding of the processes in constructed wetlands, and to check and optimise existing design criteria. This paper shows simulation results for two indoor pilot-scale constructed wetlands for wastewater and surface water treatment respectively. The results presented and discussed are mainly focussed on the hydraulic behaviour of the constructed wetland systems. In addition results of reactive transport simulations with CW2D are shown. The multi-component reactive transport model CW2D (Constructed Wetlands 2 Dimensional) was developed to model transport and reactions of the main constituents of wastewater (organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus) in subsurface flow constructed wetlands. For the pilot-scale constructed wetlands a calibration of the flow model was possible and therefore the results of the reactive transport simulations with CW2D fit the measured data well. The further research needs regarding the simulation of subsurface flow constructed wetlands are discussed.
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