Title

Tracer-Based System Dynamic Modeling For Designing A Subsurface Upflow Wetland For Nutrient Removal

Keywords

Constructed wetlands; Nutrient control; System dynamics modeling; Tracer study; Wastewater treatment

Abstract

In this study, a new-generation subsurface upflow wetland (SUW) system packed with a unique sorption media was introduced for nutrient removal in a domestic wastewater treatment process. To explore the interface between hydraulic and environmental performance, a tracer study was carried out in concert with a transport model to collectively provide hydraulic retention time (7.1 days) and compelling evidence of pollutant fate and transport processes. Research findings indicate that our pollution-control media demonstrates smooth nutrient removal efficiencies across different sampling port locations given the appropriate size distribution conversant with the anticipated hydraulic patterns and layered structure among the sorption media components. The sizable capacity for nutrient removal in this bioprocess confirms that the SUW is a promising substitute or an extension of traditional onsite wastewater treatment systems. Constructed wetlands have been popular in ecological engineering regime; yet modeling the physical, chemical, and biological processes within these wetlands with respect to the knowledge gained in a tracer study has been a long-standing challenge in past decades. The second part of this chapter highlights an advancement of modeling the SUW system with a layer-structured compartmental simulation model. This is the first wetland model of its kind in the world to address the complexity between plant nutrient uptake and sorption media. Such a system dynamics model using STELLA® as a means for a graphical formulation was applied to illustrate the essential mechanism of the nitrification and denitrification processes within a sorption media-based SUW system, which can be recognized as one of the major passive onsite wastewater treatment technologies in this decade. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Publication Title

Developments in Environmental Modelling

Volume

26

Number of Pages

625-649

Document Type

Article; Book Chapter

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63249-4.00027-0

Socpus ID

84898760288 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84898760288

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