Simulation and optimization of a coking wastewater biological treatment process by activated sludge models (ASM)

•An ASM3 modeling study was applied in a coking wastewater treatment plant (CWTP).•Kinetic and stoichiometric model parameters were determined by respirometric tests.•WEST 2012® was used to build, calibrate and validate the ASM model for the CWTP.•The model successfully simulated the CWTP performances in removing COD and NH4–N.•The CWTP operation cost would be reduced from 6.2 to 5.5 €/m3 after optimization.

Applications of activated sludge models (ASM) in simulating industrial biological wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are still difficult due to refractory and complex components in influents as well as diversity in activated sludges. In this study, an ASM3 modeling study was conducted to simulate and optimize a practical coking wastewater treatment plant (CWTP). First, respirometric characterizations of the coking wastewater and CWTP biomasses were conducted to determine the specific kinetic and stoichiometric model parameters for the consecutive aeration-anoxic-aeration (O-A/O) biological process. All ASM3 parameters have been further estimated and calibrated, through cross validation by the model dynamic simulation procedure. Consequently, an ASM3 model was successfully established to accurately simulate the CWTP performances in removing COD and NH4–N. An optimized CWTP operation condition could be proposed reducing the operation cost from 6.2 to 5.5 €/m3 wastewater. This study is expected to provide a useful reference for mathematic simulations of practical industrial WWTPs.

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