Simulation of the performance of aerobic granular sludge SBR using modified ASM3 model

The activated sludge model No. 3 (ASM3) was modified to describe the biological reactions in aerobic granular sludge SBR. The simultaneous storage and growth, nitrification and denitrification were all accounted for in modified model. The sensitivities of effluent COD, NH4+–N, and TN toward the stoichiometric and kinetic coefficients were analyzed. A standard set of parameters obtained from a combination of literature data was chosen for the model. The experimental results for the time profile of COD, NH4+–N, and TN in a typical cycle were used to verify the ASM3 model. The verification results show the model established is applicable for simulating the performance of an aerobic granule-based SBR. A comparison of the measured and predicted values of substrate removal for both the modified ASM3 and the original ASM3 was also performed. The verification and comparison results show the modified ASM3 model describes the aerobic granule-based SBR better and more mechanistically.

► The modified model is suitable for simulating the biological conversion processes.
► Modified model includes simultaneous storage-growth, nitrification–denitrification.
► We have adjusted 11 important parameters of model according to our analysis.