Guidelines for Use of Activated Sludge Models: Good Modelling Practice Book

Mathematical modelling of activated sludge systems is used widely for plant design, optimisation, training, controller design and research. The quality of simulation studies varies depending on the project objectives, finances and expertise available. Consideration has to be given to the model accuracy and the amount of time required carrying out a simulation study to produce the desired accuracy. Inconsistent approaches and insufficient documentation make quality assessment and comparison of simulation results difficult or almost impossible. A general framework for the application of activated sludge models is needed in order to overcome these obstacles. The genesis of the Good Modelling Practice (GMP) Task Group lies in a workshop held at the 4th IWA World Water Congress in Marrakech, Morocco where members of research groups active in wastewater treatment modelling came together to develop plans to synthesize the best practices of modellers from all over the world. The most cited protocols were included in the work, amongst others from: Hochschulgruppe, STOWA, BIOMATH and WERF. The goal of the group was to set up an internationally accepted framework to deal with activated sludge models in practice. This framework shall make modelling more straightforward and systematic especially for consultants and other practitioners.