Numerical modelling of oxygen mass transfer in diffused aeration systems: A CFD-PBM approach

The diffused aeration process is the most energy-intensive operation of bioreactor treatment, amounting to 45–75 % of the plant energy costs. To improve its efficiency, it is essential to measure the oxygen transfer rate from the aerators to wastewater. In this study, a multiphase mixture computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed using k-ε turbulence closure equations along with a discrete population balance model (PBM) add-on with...