Michael R. Rasmussen

Numerical modelling of insulin and amyloglucosidase release from swelling Ca–alginate beads

The release of insulin hexamer (39 kD) and amyloglucosidase (AMG, 97 kD), entrapped in spherical Ca-alginate beads, was investigated. While the release of insulin could be described solely by diffusion this was not the case for the 1.6 (rm/rm) larger AMG protein, where rm is the Stokes-Einstein effective molecular radius. Because the alginate bead size was not constant during the release experiments, it was hypothesised that in addition to the diffusional mass transfer, a non-negligible convective flow of liquid in or out of the beads was present due to swelling or shrinkage, respectively. Although it should be expected that the effective diffusion coefficient of AMG is only slightly lower than that of insulin, the results show that the effective diffusions coefficient of AMG was found to be much smaller. In the case of AMG, it was shown that including bead size changes and the resulting convective flow in the numerical model, release could be described more accurately. The numerical model was able to describe the release characteristics from both shrinking, swelling, and non-swelling alginate beads. To evaluate the effect of bead swelling on the protein release rate, a swelling modulus and a release index was defined, describing the different effects on release of smaller and larger proteins.

A new settling velocity model to describe secondary sedimentation

Secondary settling tanks (SSTs) are the most hydraulically sensitive unit operations in biological wastewater treatment plants. The maximum permissible inflow to the plant depends on the efficiency of SSTs in separating and thickening the activated sludge. The flow conditions and solids distribution in SSTs can be predicted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools. Despite extensive studies on the compression settling behaviour of activated sludge and the development of advanced settling velocity models for use in SST simulations, these models are not often used, due to the challenges associated with their calibration. In this study, we developed a new settling velocity model, including hindered, transient and compression settling, and showed that it can be calibrated to data from a simple, novel settling column experimental set-up using the Bayesian optimization method DREAM(ZS). In addition, correlations between the Herschel-Bulkley rheological model parameters and sludge concentration were identified with data from batch rheological experiments. A 2-D axisymmetric CFD model of a circular SST containing the new settling velocity and rheological model was validated with full-scale measurements. Finally, it was shown that the representation of compression settling in the CFD model can significantly influence the prediction of sludge distribution in the SSTs under dry- and wet-weather flow conditions.

A method for measuring sludge settling characteristics in turbulent flows

A method for the determination of the settling velocity for sludge as a function of turbulence intensity and sludge concentration has been developed. The principle of the method is to continuously feed the top of a settling column with sludge so that a steady state and uniform concentration distribution occurs in the middle of the column. This eliminates time scale effects such as flocculation from the measurements, as the resulting settling velocity only can be found at steady state and uniform conditions. The method assumes that flocculated sludge settles faster than disintegrated sludge to make a mass balance involving concentration at the top and at the middle of the column as well as the inlet sludge flow. The resulting mass balance is used to calculate a local settling velocity. The turbulence is introduced by an oscillating grid in the whole depth of the settling column. Settling velocities can be measured at arbitrarily selected combinations of turbulence and concentration. The foremost advantage of the method is that settling characteristics measured in this way can be utilized directly in numerical models of sedimentation tanks, process tanks, etc.

Comparison Of Short Term Rainfall Forecasts For Model Based Flow Prediction In Urban Drainage Systems

Forecast-based flow prediction in drainage systems can be used to implement real-time control of drainage systems. This study compares two different types of rainfall forecast - a radar rainfall extrapolation-based nowcast model and a numerical weather prediction model. The models are applied as input to an urban runoff model predicting the inlet flow to a waste water treatment plant. The modelled flows are auto-calibrated against real-time flow observations in order to certify the best possible forecast. Results show that it is possible to forecast flows with a lead time of 24 h. The best performance of the system is found using the radar nowcast for the short lead times and the weather model for larger lead times.

Analytical and numerical modelling of Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquid in a rotational cross-flow MBR

Fouling is the main bottleneck of the widespread use of MBR systems. One way to decrease and/or control fouling is by process hydrodynamics. This can be achieved by the increase of liquid cross-flow velocity. In rotational cross-flow MBR systems, this is attained by the spinning of, for example, impellers. Validation of the CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model was made against laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) tangential velocity measurements (error less than 8%) using water as a fluid. The shear stress over the membrane surface was inferred from the CFD simulations for water. However, activated sludge (AS) is a non-Newtonian liquid, for which the CFD model was modified incorporating the non-Newtonian behaviour of AS. Shear stress and area-weighted average shear stress relationships were made giving error less that 8% compared with the CFD results. An empirical relationship for the area-weighted average shear stress was developed for water and AS as a function of the angular velocity and the total suspended solids concentration. These relationships can be linked to the energy consumption of this type of systems.

Predictions of Resuspension of Highway Detention Pond Deposits in Interrain Event Periods due to Wind-Induced Currents and Waves

The paper presents a numerical study of resuspension of deposits from highway detention ponds based on a previous experimental study. The resuspension process is evaluated in dry weather periods with baseflow/infiltration flow through the ponds only. The resuspension is caused by the bed-shear stress induced by the return flow near the bed and waves both generated by the wind. Wind statistics for 30 years have been applied for prediction of the annual discharged bulk of suspended solids and associated pollutants; fluoranthene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (PAHs) and the heavy metals of cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. The current and wave-generated bed-shear stresses entail a discharged bulk of pollutants corresponding to approximately 10% of the annual accumulation of pollutants in the present pond due to the baseflow in the pond. The mean outlet concentration of suspended solids is well correlated with the wind speed. To reduce the resuspension of deposited materials, two mechanisms are prevailing; either by increase of the water depth of the pond to minimize the effect of the wind in the near-bed region or by reduction of the wind to some degree. The most efficient action for reducing the wind impact on the shallow waters is the establishment of shelterbelts as known from the agriculture. Just a 20% reduction of the yearly wind speeds will reduce the outlet mass with 70% and a 50% reduction with almost 100%. A 50% reduction of the wind speed is far from impossible to achieve with relatively small investments.

Experimental and CFD simulation studies of wall shear stress for different impeller configurations and MBR activated sludge

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have been used successfully in biological wastewater treatment for effective solids-liquid separation. However, a common problem encountered with MBR systems is fouling of the membrane resulting in frequent membrane cleaning and replacement which makes the system less appealing for full-scale applications. It has been widely demonstrated that the filtration performances in MBRs can be improved by understanding the shear stress over the membrane surface. Modern tools such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to diagnose and understand the shear stress in an MBR. Nevertheless, proper experimental validation is required to validate CFD simulation. In this work experimental measurements of shear stress induced by impellers at a membrane surface were made with an electrochemical approach and the results were used to validate CFD simulations. As good results were obtained with the CFD model (<9% error), it was extrapolated to include the non-Newtonian behaviour of activated sludge.

On hydraulic and pollution effects of converting combined sewer catchments to separate sewer catchments

The overall objective of this paper is to contribute to the standing debate concerning the advantages of separate sewer systems compared to traditional combined sewer systems. By a case study this investigation reveals that transformation of part of a town from being serviced with combined sewer systems to become serviced with separate sewer systems decreases the volumes of storm water and pollutants diverted to the waste water treatment plant and discharged as combined sewer overflow. This happens at the expense of an increase in volumes of storm water and pollutant loads diverted to local receiving waters when detention ponds are not built-in the new separate sewer systems. It is concluded that consequences can be fatal for receiving waters, if no retention of pollutants is integrated into the system.

Estimating Subcatchment Runoff Coefficients using Weather Radar and a Downstream Runoff Sensor

This paper presents a method for estimating runoff coefficients of urban drainage subcatchments based on a combination of high resolution weather radar data and flow measurements from a downstream runoff sensor. By utilising the spatial variability of the precipitation it is possible to estimate the runoff coefficients of the separate subcatchments. The method is demonstrated through a case study of an urban drainage catchment (678 ha) located in the city of Aarhus, Denmark. The study has proven that it is possible to use corresponding measurements of the relative rainfall distribution over the catchment and downstream runoff measurements to identify the runoff coefficients at subcatchment level.

State-space adjustment of radar rainfall and skill score evaluation of stochastic volume forecasts in urban drainage systems

Merging of radar rainfall data with rain gauge measurements is a common approach to overcome problems in deriving rain intensities from radar measurements. We extend an existing approach for adjustment of C-band radar data using state-space models and use the resulting rainfall intensities as input for forecasting outflow from two catchments in the Copenhagen area. Stochastic grey-box models are applied to create the runoff forecasts, providing us with not only a point forecast but also a quantification of the forecast uncertainty. Evaluating the results, we can show that using the adjusted radar data improves runoff forecasts compared with using the original radar data and that rain gauge measurements as forecast input are also outperformed. Combining the data merging approach with short-term rainfall forecasting algorithms may result in further improved runoff forecasts that can be used in real time control.