Enhancing Biological Treatment Efficiency: A Review of Activated Sludge Models in Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs)

¹ Civil Engineering and Environment Laboratory (LGCE); Materials, Water and Environment Team; Higher School of Technology of Salé; Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco
² Laboratory of Applied Geophysics Engineering, Geotechnical and Environmental Geology, Mohammedia School of Engineers, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco;

^* Corresponding author: Oualid.besbou@gmail.com

Abstract

Activated Sludge Models (ASMs) are effective tools for enhancing wastewater treatment plants. as an important aspect of engineering and technology in the water sector, They replicate the biological and chemical processes involved in organic carbon degradation and nutrient removal, which allows operators to enhance control, performance of processes and manage the environmental impacts.

This review synthesizes scientific articles and case studies to understand how ASM1, ASM2d, and ASM3 contribute to the performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Findings indicate that a reasonable prediction of systems is based heavily on the characterization and calibration of influent. For example, ASM3 was suitable in modeling coking wastewater produced from industrial production, while ASM1 adequately modeled domestic municipal wastewater treatment system.

In conclusion, ASMs provide a framework for optimization, or measurable process control, and cost control of WWTPs , which directly support Sustainable development by improving the management of water resources. Future developments in AI (or more localized model predictability) will improve the ability of ASMs to develop predictive capabilities for specific environmental and climatic conditions, especially water-stressed conditions, such as those in Morocco.