This research will develop and validate a distributed model to simulate activated sludge wastewater treatment systems. A model of this kind would be an improvement over conventional "lumped models," which are based on system-wide average conditions, because it would account for variable states of bacteria owing to such factors as variable residence times within the system. This is particularly important for treatment systems with multiple reactors operated in different ways, such as are found in systems designed to remove phosphorus by biological means. The research plan includes a combination of modeling and observational techniques. The results of the research should enhance knowledge in the field of wastewater treatment and produce enabling technology (the model) for more accurate treatment plant designs and for further advancements by other researchers.
