World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology

International Journal of Chemical, Molecular, Nuclear, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015

Process Design and Application of Aerobic Hybrid

Bioreactor in the Treatment of Municipal Wastewater
Sushovan Sarkar, Debabrata Mazumder

 refractory or recalcitrant. It is the hybrid bioreactor which

Abstract—Hybrid bioreactor having both suspended-growth and takes up challenges for stabilizing those slowly biodegradable
attached-growth bacteria is found a novel and excellent bioreactor substances. Rational analysis for the appropriate process
system for treating the municipal wastewater containing inhibitory design for predictions pertinent to the performance of the said
substrates too. In this reactor a fraction of substrate is used by
reactor is extremely needed.
suspended biomass and the remaining by attached biomass resulting
in the competition between the two growths for the substrate. The
combination of suspended and attached growth provides the system II. ROLE OF HYBRID BIOREACTOR IN WASTEWATER
International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015 waset.org/Publication/10001004

with enhanced biomass concentration and sludge age more than those TREATMENT
in ASP. Similar to attached growth system, the hybrid bioreactor The combination of suspended and attached biomass
ensures considerable efficiency for treating toxic and refractory
substances in wastewater. For the process design of hybrid bioreactor
improved effluent quality, solids settling and promoted
a suitable mathematical model is required. Although various nitrification. The hybrid bioreactor system can eliminate
mathematical models were developed on hybrid bioreactor in due recirculation of biomass by omitting the secondary clarifier
course of time in earlier research works, none of them was found and thereby economizing the entire process. Further the
having a specific simplified solution of the corresponding models and process reduces the volume of the tank thereby making
without having any drawback. To overcome this drawback authors optimization in reactor design and also imparts stability to the
already developed a simplified mathematical model for process
design of a hybrid bioreactor. The present paper briefly highlights on
treatment system. In the past there was a problem in increase
the various aspects of process design of an aerobic hybrid bioreactor in biomass in a conventional activated sludge reactor due to
for the treatment of municipal wastewater. difficulty in separation of large quantity of biomass in the
secondary clarifier. These problems are eliminated in the
Keywords—Hybrid bioreactor, mathematical model, process hybrid bioreactor because of the attachment of a portion of
design, application, municipal wastewater. biomass to the support medium. It has been established that
two to five fold increase in biomass concentration is possible
I. INTRODUCTION in hybrid bioreactor compared to that in a conventional

H YBRID bioreactor is the biological system where both

suspended and attached growth biomass occur
simultaneously. Suspended sludge-biofilm process is an
activated sludge process [4]. Hybrid bioreactor has been
satisfactorily used for the treatment of wastewater containing
slowly biodegradable /recalcitrant substances. Solid retention
aerobic hybrid process which combine suspended sludge with time is higher for the adhered biomass than for the biomass
attached growth process by the incorporation of biofilm media flocs in suspension thereby making compatible for growth of
into aeration tank of activated sludge process [7], [1], [9], nitrifying microorganisms preferentially onto the support [1].
[15]. The aeration tank was made hybrid bioreactor also by
providing plastic nets vertically inside the tank [4], [6]. In this III. PROBLEM SCENARIO
reactor competition for substrates exist between two different So far, a few numbers of model expressions for the hybrid
growths of bacteria. However, a suitable mathematical model bioreactor was developed and almost none of them considered
is needed in the process design that considers two growths for the concurrent growth of both suspended and attached biomass
a single substrate in a completely mixed system. except the model proposed by [10]. However, the numerical
Slowly biodegradable substances in the wastewater are solution obtained by Regular Falsi method in that case was an
generally the aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds, approximate one. In other cases, model expression for hybrid
inorganic salts, organic solvents etc which pose unique bioreactor was developed using either a set of dimensionless
problems in wastewater treatment, due to their resistance to algebraic equation [8] or some graphical tools [2], which lead
biodegradation and potential toxicity to the environment and to an approximate solution. Earlier the numerical analysis
human health. Those compounds are difficult to treat in method like regular falsi technique, pseudo analytical tool
conventional biological treatment process and are termed as [10], [11], normalized loading curve were used to calculate the
effluent substrate concentration in a hybrid bioreactor and no
satisfactory result was obtained. Out of all, pseudo analytical
S. Sarkar is with Heritage Institute of Technology, Anandapur, Chowbaga,
Road, P.O. East Kolkata Township, Kolkata-700107(corresponding author to appeared to be effective, because it simplified the analysis of
provide phone: 8697777755; e-mail: [email protected]). biofilm segment in as hybrid bioreactor. However, it also
D. Mazumder is with Indian Institute of Engineering Science and could not provide an accurate solution and ultimately it was
Technology, Shibpur, P.O. – Botanic Garden, Howrah – 711 103 (e-mail:
[email protected]). difficult to predict the performance of the hybrid bioreactor.

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical, Molecular, Nuclear, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015

Therefore a proper process design for hybrid bioreactor finds not considered. However, in true sense the hybrid bioreactor is
its relevance for predicting its performance. of completely mixed in nature. In this model the partial mixing
condition was assumed. Again, no specific analytical solution
IV. SELECTION OF MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR PROCESS of the same was developed, instead the special case like zero
DESIGN order and 1st order kinetics were simulated separately in the
Chi-Yuan Lee (1992) has developed following model mass balance equation. Weighted average of the flux was
equation for the process design of hybrid bioreactor [10]. derived by means of first and zero order kinetics without
dividing the biofilm in small divisions in the said model.
Thus all the existing mathematical models which were
kSw YaJ bs
S0-Sw - bt - aJθ=0 (1) developed for process design of a hybrid bioreactor suffer
( K  Sw)( 1  bd  YkSw ) from a common drawback in determining the average
c K  Sw
substrate flux within biofilm and the effective biofilm
thickness. In most of the existing models there is no specific
in which, J=substrate flux into the biofilm (mg/cm2/day),
analytical solution, which is simple in nature.
S0=entering substrate concentration (mg/cm3), Sw=Exiting
In view of all such limitations and drawbacks, a simplified
substrate concentration in bulk liquid (mg/cm3), k=maximum
model for hybrid bioreactor was developed by [12], [13] for
International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015 waset.org/Publication/10001004

specific rate of substrate use (per day), Ə=empty bed

easily determining the output parameters like exiting substrate
hydraulic detention time (hr), Əc=solid retention time (hr),
concentration in bulk liquid, average substrate flux in the
K=half velocity coefficient (mg/cm3), a=specific surface area
biofilm and effective as well as total biofilm thickness. The
of supporting media (cm-1). bs=biomass loss rate due to
conceptual diagram of aerobic hybrid bioreactor considered in
shearing from biofilm, day-1, bt=total biomass loss rate from
developing the model is shown in Fig. 1. Typical substrate
biofilm, day-1, bd= biomass decay coefficient, day-1 and
profile assumed within the biofilm for model development is
Y=bacteria yield coefficient.
also shown in Fig. 2.
The drawback of this model was that no explicit
relationship between exiting substrate concentration (Sw) and
Substrate flux (J) was established. Therefore, it was difficult to
determine the flux (J) because Sw and J are interdependent.
Moreover, the substrate flux mentioned above should be the
average substrate flux in the biofilm. In addition, the
methodology for determining the average substrate flux was
very complex. Furthermore, in the above model, there is no
provision for calculating the effective biofilm thickness (Le)
for ascertaining the type of biodegradation like aerobic,
facultative, anaerobic etc. Regular falsi technique, traditionally
applied for the numerical solution of the said model was also
inconvenient and found approximate. Fig. 1 Conceptual diagram of Aerobic Hybrid Bioreactor
A computer program was developed for integrated fixed
film activated sludge system for removing soluble COD and
nutrients [14]. However, that model too was found very
complicated and it did not consider the simultaneous growth
of both suspended and attached biomass.
Later, modelling of hybrid bioreactor was accomplished
assuming the reactor comprised of two units in series. The first
reactor unit was modeled applying biofilm principle and the
second one was modeled with the concept of activated sludge
process [6], [5]. The limitation of those models was that
suspended and attached growth systems were not considered
simultaneously instead initially attached growth and
subsequently suspended growth was simulated.
A simplified mathematical model was developed for a Fig. 2 Typical substrate profile within the Biofilm
biofilm activated sludge reactor to calculate the substrate flux A. Analytical Validation of the Selected Model
in the biofilm under substrate limiting condition [5]. The
drawback of this model is that the analysis can be made for the The performance of this model was examined with a set of
targeted effluent concentration i.e. when the effluent substrate representative input variables and standard kinetic data. The
concentration is known priori. Another model of hybrid results were compared with similar outputs available in
bioreactor reactor was proposed by [3]. In this model also the standard literatures as shown in Table I.
concurrent growth of both suspended and attached growth was From Table I, it is evident that the selected model perfectly
corroborates with the available ones. It is much simpler than

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical, Molecular, Nuclear, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015

all the existing models and involves no tedious calculation. In TABLE II

COMPARISON OF OUTPUT PARAMETERS (SW AND J) WITH THE EXPERIMENTAL
view of that the proposed model is considered to be validated
DATA OBTAINED FROM SEMI-BATCH STUDIES
with analytical data. S0 θ a Xf Sw (mg/cc) J(mg/cm2/day)
mg/cc As per As per semi As per As per semi
TABLE I
COMPARISON OF OUTPUT PARAMETERS (S W AND J) USING VARIOUS HYBRID model by batch study model by batch study
MODELS author author
0.12 3 0.402 10 0..064 0.06 0.94 1.03
S0 θ θc a Xf Sw(mg/cc) J(mg/cm2/day)
mg/cc hr hr cm-1 mg/cc 0.12 6 0.402 10 0.0349 0.036 0.6 0.587
Case 1 Case2 Case1 Case2 0.12 9 0.402 10 0.0207 0.023 0.41 0.4
0.43 24 12 0.9 25 0.004 0.0039 0.271 0.2785 0.13 3 0.402 10 0.0705 0.068 1.0 1.06
Case1 Case3 Case1 Case3 0.13 6 0.402 10 0.0582 0.036 0.65 0.678
0.43 12 12 1.8 25 0.004 0.004 0.27 0.28 0.13 9 0.402 10 0.022 0.025 0.434 0.413
Case1 Case4 Case1 Case4 0.14 3 0.402 10 0.077 0.07 1.06 1.2
0.16 12 12 0.154 54.63 0.08 0.07 0.79 *** 0.14 6 0.402 10 0.0415 0.038 0.69 0.73
‘***’ indicates non-availability of data. 0.14 9 0.402 10 0.024 0.027 0.458 0.433
Case 1: By the model developed by authors
Case 2: By the model developed by [10]
International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015 waset.org/Publication/10001004

Case 3: By the model developed by [5] V. PROCESS DESIGN

Case 4: By the model developed by [6] The process design of hybrid bioreactor is aimed to find out
B. Experimental Validation of the Selected Model its volume, physical dimension and other operational
The Environmental Engineering Cell, Civil Engineering requirements including oxygen for any targeted effluent
Department, IIEST, Shibpur has been carrying out studies on substrate concentration. Besides this, it is also possible to
Hybrid bioreactor for treating municipal wastewater. The calculate the solid retention time (θc), average substrate flux
schematic diagram of aerobic Hybrid bioreactor system used into the biofilm (Jav) and effective as well as total biofilm
is shown in Fig. 3. In this study, the hybrid bioreactor is thickness. There must have certain design criteria, which can
operated under with and without any recirculation of biomass. be checked accordingly for any physical configuration adopted
After the analytical validation is over, it was decided to for the reactor. The process design has been performed
conduct the experimental run under semi-batch mode, so that considering steady-state condition for biomass and substrate.
the results could be compared with the model predictions. Monod kinetics is assumed rational for the aerobic hybrid
Hence, the reactor was operated with varying influent bioreactor treating municipal wastewater. Transport of the
substrate concentration and batch periods, but with a constant dissolved substrate in the liquid phase and biomass was
density of attached biomass. The effluent substrate considered due to molecular diffusion as described by Fick’s
concentration was measured and thereby the substrate flux law.
was calculated for each batch operation. Those parameters The rational design of the above hybrid bioreactor is
were also calculated using the proposed mathematical model contemplated employing Monod’s growth pattern and
and compared with respective experimental results. The associated kinetic coefficients. The values of kinetic
comparison of such output parameters (Sw and J) with their coefficients, i.e. K, k, Y, bt, bs and bd are determined
experimental values is shown in Table II. experimentally. The items for the design of an aerobic hybrid
bioreactor are aeration tank capacity and dimensions, aeration
facilities, porosity of the reactor, optimum hydraulic retention
time, solid retention time, biofilm thickness and specific
surface area of the biofilm. It is observed that economical
volume of the reactor can be achieved by adopting a large
value of suspended biomass X and a thick biofilm in the
attached surface. A common range of X between 3000 and
4000 mg/L may be considered in the design of the hybrid
bioreactor for the sake of good settleability. The biomass
Fig. 3 Schematic Diagram of Aerobic Hybrid Bioreactor used in concentration in waste sludge is denoted as Xr, which may be
batch study considered between 10000 and 12000 mg/L, in case of hybrid
bioreactor with recirculation.
Table II clearly demonstrates that the effluent substrate
A. Determination of Aeration Basin Volume
concentrations are satisfactorily tallying with the values,
predicted from the model. It is also established that the values The volume of the Aeration Basin (reactor) V is calculated
of substrate flux derived from experimental observations and as per the following steps:
the model are close to each other depicting a nominal For case 1: Hybrid bioreactor without recirculation
variation. Hence, the proposed model for the hybrid bioreactor Step 1. Assuming rational values of MLSS concentration, X
is subsequently considered for Process Design. and hydraulic retention time θ for any particular value
of porosity p, aJavg may be calculated as per

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical, Molecular, Nuclear, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015

(S0-Sw)- pkXS w  aJ   0 V = bioreactor empty bed liquid volume (m3), Vd = liquid

( K  Sw ) avg
volume displaced by the media (m3); p as calculated above has
i.e. to be checked with the assumed value of p and the volume of
So  S w pkXS w the reactor again has to be recalculated and will be finalized
aJ avg ( calculated )   0 till the trial process is over i.e. when calculated value of p
 ( K  Sw )
equals to its assumed value.
Step 2. C. Oxygen Requirements
θc =p*θ (2) Oxygen is required in the aerobic hybrid bioreactor for the
endogenous respiration of the biomass in the system.
Step 3. MLSS, X can now be calculated as: The oxygen requirement O2 is given by,
bs
YaJavg (3) Q ( S  S )
Xcalculated 
p *bt
O2=
0 w
 1 .4 2 Q w X r (7)
1  bd  YkSw f
c K  Sw
f=ratio of BOD5 to ultimate BOD.1.42 = oxygen demand of
International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015 waset.org/Publication/10001004

Step 4. If Xcalculated=Xassumed, then V=Q*θ biomass (g/g).

Otherwise, changing the value of p with the earlier value of In this case, we have considered the removal of
aJavg, revised θ value can be obtained from (2) and revised carbonaceous organic matter only.
calculated value of X can be obtained from (4). This trial
process by changing the value of p will be continued till D. Aeration Facility
Xcalculated=Xassumed and the volume of the reactor V=Q*θrevised. The aeration facility should be provided in the reactor with
For case 2: Hybrid bioreactor with recirculation air compressor along with controlled air flow through air flow-
Step 1. This step is same as case 1. meter with an average air flow of 20-30 l/m. The airflow may
Step 2. be uniformly distributed through air nozzles to different slots
p of attached media .i.e. through eight (8) nos slots in octagonal
Q w Xr
attachment (one typical configuration) media. Mixing with
θc= (4) aeration facility maintains proper agitation in order to make
Q X
uniform suspended biomass in the aeration tank. A DO
Qw= Waste sludge flow rate, m3/hr; Xr=Biomass concentration concentration more than 2.0 mg/L needs to be maintained in
in waste sludge (mg/cc). The fraction Qw/Q should be in the the reactor.
range of (0.1-0.5). Xr may be considered between 10000 and
12000 mg/L. VI. CONCLUSION
Step 3. From the biomass balance for the suspended growth at There was no research work done earlier on the process
steady state. design of an aerobic hybrid bioreactor without of which it is
difficult to build up such a reactor system for the treatment of
YaJ avg bs 1 wastewater In order to go for a suitable process design a
- + YkSw -bd = 0 simplistic mathematical model is required for determining the
pX bt  c K  Sw
outputs rationally. Obviously all the outputs are finally
i.e. required for finalizing the design of an aerobic hybrid
YkS bioreactor. Although some mathematical models were
X( 1 bd  w ) developed as a preliminary step of process design there was no
aJavg(calculated)= c KSw (5)
(Ybs /pbt ) specific analytical simplified solutions of those models were
developed which could determine all the necessary output
Step 4. If “aJavg calculated from (2)” equals to “aJavg calculated parameters required for a process design of an aerobic hybrid
from (5)”, then V=Q*θ bioreactor integrating the biofilm model and the classical
Otherwise, changing the value of p with the earlier value of suspended growth model simultaneously. A simplified
aJavg, revised θ value can be obtained from (2) and revised approach for modeling of an aerobic hybrid bioreactor was
calculated value of aJavg can be obtained from (5). This trial already developed by the author and the present efforts were
process by changing the value of p will be continued till put on the process design of the hybrid bioreactor to make its
aJavg(calculated) from (2)= aJavg(calculated) from (5). The volume of successful application in the field. The development of the
the reactor V=Q*θrevised.. kinetic coefficients for the hybrid bioreactor for the treatment
of municipal wastewater was also developed by the author,
B. The Surface Area to Be Provided =(1-p)V*a which have a significant role in the process design of the
V  Vd reactor.
p  (6)
V For the municipal wastewater in the medium and small
town the strength of wastewater varies due to disintegrated

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical, Molecular, Nuclear, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015

sewerage systems. For the low strength to medium strength Engineering Science and Technology, India. Mr. Sarkar has an exposure 24
yrs in various industries like Consultancy house, EPC Contractors, Real Estate
municipal wastewater main problem for treatment is the Developers and educational institutes etc. e-mail:
sustaining of the biomass in the reactor. Presently adequate [email protected]
biomass is maintained through extended aeration and with
Debabrata Mazumder was graduated in the year 1993 with Bachelor of Civil
high recirculation ratio thereby increasing the pumping cost of Engineering from Jadavpur University. Later he did his Master’s Degree in
the treatment. For the low strength municipal wastewater Civil Engineering with specialization in Environmental Engineering from the
which is highly biodegradable the suspended biomass is same university in the year 1996. He received his Ph.D. Degree in Civil
subjected to wash out. Thus the concept of attached biomass Engineering for the research work in the field of “Wastewater Treatment by
Hybrid Biological Reactor” from Indian Institute of Engineering Science and
into the suspended growth system can be reasonably thought Technology, Shibpur in the year 2004. He is now a Professor of the same
for ensuring sufficient biomass in the reactor. The footprint department. He has published 58 papers at his credit in various National and
area of the proposed hybrid bioreactor is very small compared International Journals and Conferences. He also guided 16 master’s level
thesis till now. e-mail: [email protected]
to the conventional reactor thereby making the economy of
the treatment system.

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International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:9, No:3, 2015 waset.org/Publication/10001004

[1] Artiga. P et al., “An innovative biofilm-suspended biomass hybrid

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Sushovan Sarkar had his BE. (Civil Engineering, 1990) from Jadavpur
University, India, his ME (Environmental Engineering, 2006) from Indian
Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, India and MBA (Finance,
1999) from Jadavpur University, India. He is currently working as Assistant
Professor at the Civil Engineering Department of Heritage Institute Of
Technology, India. His research interest is in the areas of advanced biological
wastewater treatment and solid waste management. He is a member of the
Institution of Engineers, India, a PhD Scholar at Indian Institute of

International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 9(3) 2015 504 scholar.waset.org/1999.2/10001004