SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS ON A SEQUENCING BATCH REACTOR MODEL - I - EFFECTOF KINETIC-PARAMETERS

A structured model for sequencing batch reactors, which was developed earlier and tested successfully against a number of experimental data sets, is used in this study to investigate the sensitivity of model pr edictions to some of the system kinetic parameters for a wide range of parameter values. The results obtained reveal the relative importance of the various parameters. The parameter K-s has insignificant effect s on the effluent COD concentration; although its effect on the interm ediate COD concentration is appreciable. The parameters alpha(1), mu(m ), K-p, K-x, K-h and B-h have been shown to affect considerably both t he intermediate and effluent COD concentrations. Since the effluent CO D concentration is one of the prime state variables in the design of w astewater treatment reactors, special attention should be given to the se parameters when such a model is used for design and control purpose s.