Mathematical modelling of the anaerobic hybrid reactor

This paper presents a new mathematical model for the anaerobic hybrid reactor (AHR) (a UASB reactor and an anaerobic filter in series) and its experimental calibration and verification. The model includes a biochemical part and a mass transport one, which considers the AHR as two contact reactors in series. The anaerobic process transformations are described by the model developed by Siegrist et al. The fraction (F) of solids in the clarification zone of the UASB reactor that leaves this first reactor is the key physical parameter to be estimated. The main parameters of the model were calibrated using experimental results from a bench-scale AHR fed with real slaughterhouse wastewater. The fraction of inert particulate COD in the influent and the factor F were estimated by a trial and error procedure comparing experimental and simulated results of the mass of solids in the lower tank and the VSS concentration in the AHR effluent. A good fit was obtained. The final verification was carried out by comparing a set of experiments with simulated data. The model's capability to predict the process performance was thus proved.