B028779 - MICROBIAL ECOSYSTEMS MODELING AND CONTROL

Italian

The course is focused on suspended and biofilm monitoring, modeling and control in environmental applications based on the knowledge of stoichiometry, kinetics, thermodynamics and models conceptual structure of bioprocesses. This knowledge is applied during a guided simulation of a wastewater treatment train.

Slides of the course.

For specific topics:
1) Biological Wastewater Treatment: Principles, Modelling and Design By M. Henze M. C. M. van Loosdrecht G.A. Ekama D. Brdjanovic IWA Publishing, 2008.


2) Activated Sludge Models ASM1, ASM2, ASM2d and ASM3 By M. Henze W. Gujer T. Mino M. van Loosdrecht IWA Publishing, 2006.

3) Anaerobic digestion model n. 1, IWA task group for mathematical modeling of anaerobic processes, IWA publishing, 2008.

To understand the ecological function of microbes in natural ecosystems and their metabolic potential in environmental engineering.
To acquire knowledge on basic mathematical modeling tools for the simulation of contaminated matrices treatment processes based on microbial communities application.
To learn how toapply mathematical modelling tools in the design, monitoring and control of wastewater treatment facilities.
To acquire learning ability on natural selection-based microbial community mechanisms and to apply it in microbial community engineering.

Basic knowledge of physical chemical and biological processes of waste and wastewater

Lectures, exercises, tutored mathematical modeling examples

During the lectures the teacher will provide a software and the information needed to simulate a case study of a wastewater treatment train. A report on the case study will be required in order to get access to the oral exam. During the oral exam the modelling case study will be discussed together with the other topics of the course and the final score will depend on the quality of both the report and the oral exam. It will be necessary to be registered for the oral exam of “Modelling and control of microbial ecosystems” in order to receive a score in the online system.
During the oral examination the following learning objectives will be considered:
- the knowledge of the ecological function of microbes in natural ecosystems and their metabolic potential in environmental engineering;
- knowledge on basic mathematical modelling tools for the simulation of contaminated matrices treatment processes based on microbial communities application.
- the capability of applying mathematical modelling tools in the design, monitoring and control of wastewater treatment facilities.
- the knowledge of natural selection-based microbial community mechanisms and the capabilities of applying it in microbial community engineering.

Introduction
Natural and engineered microbial ecosystems
Biogeochemical cycles (C, N, P, S, metals)
Classification, ecological functions and diversity in microbial communities
Metabolic potential of microorganisms in environmental biotechnologies
Molecolar techniques for the study of microbial communities
Ecological stoichiometry
Thermodynamic of biological processes
Bioenergetic and stoichiometry

Modelling and control of suspended biomass processes
Ideal reactors, sequencial and continuous processes
Activated sludge models structure
Stoichiometric matrices
Growth, decay and hydrolysis rates
Biomass retention and processes parameters control
Exercises on suspended biomass unit processes modelling and control
Monitoring and control of bioprocesses: nitrification as a case study

Biofilm
Development, characteristics, structure and function of a biofilm
Storage products and extracellular poluymers
Biofilms in the treatment of wastewater
Attached growth systems for effluent treatment
Granular systems for effluent treatment
Monitoring and control of attached growth systems

Modelling and control of wastewater treatment trains
Simulation of wastewater treatment trains
Tutored exercise on wastewater treatment train design through modelling
Tutored exercise on wastewater treatment modelling for process control