Chapter 2
Advantages of Hybrid Bioreactor
The limitations of activated sludge process with regard to surge loading, maintaining
uniform biomass concentration, poor settleability in secondary clarifier, inadequacy
to withstand toxic and inhibitory substances, etc. have been focused. Thereafter, the
efforts have been made to highlight on upgradation of activated sludge process (ASP)
with different possible forms. Advantages of attached-growth process and development of aerobic fixed-bed hybrid bioreactor are also highlighted in this section.
Chronological developments of various mathematical models with their comparative features and validation with experimental data are also presented. Treatability
study of municipal wastewater under both ASP and aerobic fixed-bed hybrid bioreactor is also explored. Finally, critical assessment is done based on evolution of
aerobic fixed-bed hybrid bioreactor, its present and future perspective, mathematical
modeling of hybrid bioreactor and its validation in the treatment of synthetic and
municipal wastewater.
2.1 Limitations of Activated Sludge Process
Activated sludge process has experienced several operational problems since its
inception. The major problems encountered by this process are depicted below.
2.1.1 Substantial Volume of the Tank
Maintaining uniform biomass concentration in the aeration tank is a great challenge in
the ASP, requiring for sludge recirculation. In order to accommodate the recirculated
flow, additional volume of the aeration tank needs to be provided. As a result, the
overall volume of the aeration unit gets increased leading to higher capital cost.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
S. Sarkar, Fixed Bed Hybrid Bioreactor, Green Energy and Technology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4546-1_2
9
Advantages of Hybrid Bioreactor
The limitations of activated sludge process with regard to surge loading, maintaining
uniform biomass concentration, poor settleability in secondary clarifier, inadequacy
to withstand toxic and inhibitory substances, etc. have been focused. Thereafter, the
efforts have been made to highlight on upgradation of activated sludge process (ASP)
with different possible forms. Advantages of attached-growth process and development of aerobic fixed-bed hybrid bioreactor are also highlighted in this section.
Chronological developments of various mathematical models with their comparative features and validation with experimental data are also presented. Treatability
study of municipal wastewater under both ASP and aerobic fixed-bed hybrid bioreactor is also explored. Finally, critical assessment is done based on evolution of
aerobic fixed-bed hybrid bioreactor, its present and future perspective, mathematical
modeling of hybrid bioreactor and its validation in the treatment of synthetic and
municipal wastewater.
2.1 Limitations of Activated Sludge Process
Activated sludge process has experienced several operational problems since its
inception. The major problems encountered by this process are depicted below.
2.1.1 Substantial Volume of the Tank
Maintaining uniform biomass concentration in the aeration tank is a great challenge in
the ASP, requiring for sludge recirculation. In order to accommodate the recirculated
flow, additional volume of the aeration tank needs to be provided. As a result, the
overall volume of the aeration unit gets increased leading to higher capital cost.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
S. Sarkar, Fixed Bed Hybrid Bioreactor, Green Energy and Technology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4546-1_2
9