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Biomedical subjects

A Bouzas

Publications and source records attributed to A Bouzas.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Fermentation and elutriation of primary sludge: effect of SRT on process performance.

A primary sludge fermentation-elutriation pilot plant was operated using in-line and side-stream schemes. The influence of solids retention time, recirculation sludge flow-rate and solids concentration on the fermentation-elutriation process performance has been assessed in this paper. The use of high elutriation flows (12% of influent flow) improved the volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration in the effluent stream. Suspended solids removal efficiency decreased in the primary settler when the solids retention time (SRT) was increased from 4 to 8 days. Disintegration step during hydrolysis process was pointed out as the main reason for that decrease. Maximum VFA productions were achieved at SRT between 6 and 8 days at the highest elutriation flow tested for both configurations. Propionic, butyric and valeric volatile fatty acids percentage increased when total solids sludge concentrations above 23,000mgl(-1) were used. Hydrogen accumulation, causing acetogenic bacteria inhibition, was indicated as the reason for C(3)-C(5) fatty acids accumulation.

Bioreactors↗
PubMed2006

Calibration and simulation of ASM2d at different temperatures in a phosphorus removal pilot plant.

In this work, an organic and nutrient removal pilot plant was used to study the temperature influence on phosphorus accumulating organisms. Three experiments were carried out at 13, 20 and 24.5 degrees C, achieving a high phosphorus removal percentage in all cases. The ASM2d model was calibrated at 13 and 20 degrees C and the Arrhenius equation constant was obtained for phosphorus removal processes showing that the temperature influences on the biological phosphorus removal subprocesses in a different degree. The 24.5 degrees C experiment was simulated using the model parameters obtained by means of the Arrhenius equation. The simulation results for the three experiments showed good correspondence with the experimental data, demonstrating that the model and the calibrated parameters were able to predict the pilot plant behaviour.

Calibration↗
PubMed2004

Use of biological and sedimentation models for designing Peñíscola WWTP.

This paper presents Peñíscola wastewater treatment plant design. Peñíscola is a tourist city in Castellón (Spain), whose population changes significantly between summer and the rest of the year. The design of the biological and settling treatment units has been confirmed by computer model simulations and provided for biological organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Two different treatment schemes have been proposed in order to optimize the plant performance during both seasonal operations. During low-load season, the plant will be operated under extended aeration conditions, so further sludge stabilization will not be needed. During high-load season, the plant will be operated under conventional process conditions and excess sludge will be aerobically digested. Since the treated water will be reused for irrigation purposes, biological nutrient removal has been considered in this design. Phosphorus released during aerobic digestion must be removed by chemical precipitation in the supernatant from dewatering process. In this way, deterioration of the enhanced biological phosphorus removal process caused by phosphate recirculation can be avoided. Mathematical models have proven to be very useful to make decisions about plant design and operation, mainly in situations with significant variations in the influent load and flow-rate. Several operation conditions have been simulated to obtain optimum operation criteria for both seasons.

Geologic Sediments↗
PubMed2004

Calibration and simulation of two large wastewater treatment plants operated for nutrient removal.

Control and optimisation of plant processes has become a priority for WWTP managers. The calibration and verification of a mathematical model provides an important tool for the investigation of advanced control strategies that may assist in the design or optimization of WWTPs. This paper describes the calibration of the ASM2d model for two full scale biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal plants in order to characterize the biological process and to upgrade the plants' performance. Results from simulation showed a good correspondence with experimental data demonstrating that the model and the calibrated parameters were able to predict the behaviour of both WWTPs. Once the calibration and simulation process was finished, a study for each WWTP was done with the aim of improving its performance. Modifications focused on reactor configuration and operation strategies were proposed.

Bioreactors↗
PubMed2002

Modelling of an activated primary settling tank including the fermentation process and VFA elutriation.

A complete model of a primary settler including both sedimentation and biological processes is presented. It is a one-dimensional model based on the solids flux concept and the conservation of mass that uses the Takács model for the settling velocity, which is corrected by a compression function in the lower layers. The biological model is based on the ASM2 and enlarged with the fermentation model proposed by this research group. The settler was split in ten layers and the flux terms in the mass balance for each layer is obtained by means of the settling model. A pilot plant has been operated to study the primary sludge fermentation and volatile fatty acids (VFA) elutriation in a primary settler tank. The model has been tested with pilot plant experimental data with very good results. It has been able to simulate the VFA production in the settler and their elutriation with the influent wastewater for all the studied experiments. The developed model is easily applicable to secondary settlers and thickeners, also taking into account biological activity inside them.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2002

Fermentation of municipal primary sludge: effect of SRT and solids concentration on volatile fatty acid production.

Laboratory bench-scale experiments were conducted to investigate the performance of primary sludge fermentation for volatile fatty acids production. Primary sludges from two major wastewater treatment plants located in Valencia (Pinedo and Carraixet) were used. Experiments were performed at solids retention times between 4 and 10 days, and total volatile solids concentrations between 0.6% and 2.8%. Operation at two temperatures (20 degrees C and 30 degrees C) was also checked. Results indicated the importance of feed sludge characteristics on volatile fatty acids yields, being approximately double for the Carraixet wastewater treatment plant sludge than for the Pinedo plant. In both cases, higher volatile fatty acids yields were observed at higher total volatile solids concentrations. Solids retention times above 6 days scarcely improve volatile fatty acids yields, while experiments conducted at 4 days of solids retention times show an important decrease in volatile fatty acids yields. On raising temperature an increase in volatile fatty acids yields was observed, mainly due to an improvement in the hydrolysis of particulate organic matter.

Bioreactors↗
PubMed1983

Zinc, cobalt and selenium concentrations in the premature and full-term newborn eye.

Zinc, cobalt and selenium concentrations were determined in tunics, vitreous and lens of the eyes of 17 infants who died during the neonatal period. Significantly higher concentrations of the measured elements were found in the vitreous. The tunics contained more zinc and cobalt than the lens, while the latter contained more selenium.

Cobalt↗
PubMed1980

Context dependent changes in the reinforcing strength of schedule-induced drinking.

Previous experiments show that the opportunity to engage in schedule-induced responding is reinforcing. In this experiment, the reinforcing strength of schedule-induced drinking was measured. Four rats were trained on a concurrent-chain schedule. The two terminal links provided food pellets on identical fixed-time schedules. In addition, one terminal link also provided the opportunity to press a button that operated a water dipper. In this link, the rats showed polydipsic drinking. Button-pressing rate for polydipsic drinking was a bitonic function of pellet rate, and it was possible to describe the relationship with a slightly modified version of the matching equation for primary reinforcement. This equation also closely fit the data from other studies. Initial-link response rates, however, did not appear to be influenced by the availability of water in the terminal links. Control conditions suggested that the reinforcing strength of polydipsia was strongly bound to the context provided by periodic food reinforcement.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

The relative law of effect: effects of shock intensity on response strength in multiple schedules.

Key pecking of four birds was reinforced with food according to a two-component multiple variable-interval 1-minute variable-interval 4-minute schedule. In addition, key pecking was punished by a brief shock according to a variable-interval 30-second schedule during both components of the multiple schedule. The intensity of the shock was varied. For all birds, punishment had a stronger suppressive effect on the responding maintained by the leaner food schedule, and the ratio of responding during the two components of the multiple schedule became closer to the ratio of reinforcement as shock intensity was increased, as the relative law of effect predicts. At the higher shock intensity, there was some evidence that the ratio of responses overmatched the ratio of reinforcements.

Journal Article↗