Optimization of bio-hydrogen production and C-N removal in combined anaerobic-aerobic systems

FUENTES, M.; AGUIRRE, P.; SCENNA, N.

Lappenranta

Simposio; ESCAPE23: 23rd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering; 2013

This work deals with optimization of a hybrid system for simultaneous bio-hydrogen production and C-N removal by a combined anaerobic-aerobic treatment method. The global model couples kinetics, hydrodynamics and bioparticle subsystem for each reactor model. An existing set of experimental data is used for model validation. Fluctuating operation conditions such as disturbances in the organic loading rate, feed and recycle flow rates result in strong numerical discontinuities that are included in the simulation schedules. Optimization results are based on maximized a pondered function involving the hydrogen production rate and C-N removal efficiency subjected to (pH, DO and nitrite) path constraints and interior- and end-point constraints related to the (COD and nitrogen) pollutant concentration, and manipulating feed, recycle and cations flow rates using piecewise constant functions. gOPT tool of gPROMS was used to perform the dynamic optimization.