Abstract
Heterotrophic biomass yield coefficients, $Y_H$, for aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic reactors were successfully estimated for the two wastewater treatment plants, where one plant was operating in the $A^2/O$ process and the other was operating in the 4-stage BNR process. The estimation of $Y_H$ was undertaken by plotting the biomass COD concentrations versus the soluble COD concentrations in order to calculate the ${\Delta}biomass$ COD/ ${\Delta}soluble$ COD in each batch reactor. The batch reactors employed in this study were fed by filtered influent and mixed liquors in the ratio of 10:1, and operated in the aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic conditions, which represented the actual operating conditions for the $A^2/O$ and 4-stage BNR process. The average $Y_H$ values of the aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic reactor for the $A^2/O$ process were 0.52, 0.41 and 0.18 mg COD/mg COD, respectively, and those for the 4-stage BNR process were 0.58, 0.40 and 0.20 mg COD/mg COD, respectively. The average ratio of the $Y_H$ for aerobic reactors to those for the anoxic reactors were about 1:0.79 for the $A^2/O$ process, and about 1:0.69 for the 4-stage BNR process. The experimental method for anoxic and anaerobic $Y_H$ estimation shown in this study has turned out to be simple and efficient in its practical application.