19/5/2018 Reactor mixing - Complete Mix, Plug Flow, & Hybrid - what we see in the real systems versus

s versus text book - Biological Waste Treatment Exp…

Contact Us (mailto:erumbaugh@asterbio.co
(https://www.facebook.com
(//www.linkedin.com/in/
(https://twitter.com/
Biological Waste Treatment Expert (/) Search

BLOG (/) USEFUL INFORMATION (/USEFUL-INFORMATION.HTML) INTERESTING ARTICLES (/INTERESTING-ARTICLES.HTML)

ABOUT US (/ABOUT-US.HTML) BIOAUGMENTATION APPLICATIONS (/BIOAUGMENTATION-APPLICATIONS.HTML)

Reactor mixing - Complete Mix, Plug Flow, & Hybrid - what we see Search

in the real systems versus text book

Author
(//www.biologicalwasteexpert.com/blog/reactor-mixing-
Erik Rumbaugh has been
complete-mix-plug- ow-hybrid-what-we-see-in-the-real- involved in biological waste

systems-versus-text-book) treatment for over 20 years.

He has worked with
1/18/2018
0 Comments (//www.biologicalwasteexpert.com/blog/reactor-mixing-complete-mix-plug-flow-hybrid-what-we-see-in- industrial and municipal
the-real-systems-versus-text-book#comments) wastewater facilities to
ensure optimal performance
of their treatment systems.
He is a founder of Aster Bio
(www.asterbio.com
(http://www.asterbio.com/))
specializing in biological
waste treatment.

(https://www.linkedin.com/i
n/erikrrumbaugh)

We often discuss water treatment systems as complete-mix (CSTR), plug flow (PFTR), or hybrid (this RSS Feed (/1/feed)
includes multiple CSTR). In the real world of waste treatment systems we rarely find pure complete mix or
Click to set custom HTML
plug flow systems. An Batch Reactor (SBR) is a common true CSTR, along with the large single, highly mixed
tank based activated sludge units found in chemical industries where influent dilution is important. Categories
Systems such as oxidation ditches, aerated basins, and systems like the diagram above (left) are called plug All (/blog/category/all)
flow which is not usually the correct model. For a true plug flow system, the water and solids move in one Additives
direction, without back-mixing. The action of mechanical aeration, diffusers, mixers, and even friction with (/blog/category/additives)
walls creates back-mixing in most of these systems. This back-mixing creates a flow pattern simulated by Aquaculture
multiple CSTRs (the area around each mixing zone becomes an in-basin CSTR). As the number of CSTRs (/blog/category/aquaculture)
increases (smaller CSTRs in series), tracer studies show more of a plug flow peak for effluent tracer Archaea
concentration. (/blog/category/archaea)
Bacteria
Like 1 Tweet (/blog/category/bacteria)
Bioaugmentation
0 Comments (//www.biologicalwasteexpert.com/blog/reactor-mixing-complete-mix-plug-flow-hybrid-what-we-see-in-
(/blog/category/bioaugment
the-real-systems-versus-text-book#comments)
ation)
Bioremediation
(/blog/category/bioremediati
on)
Blood Worm
Leave a Reply. (/blog/category/blood-
worm)
Fungi (/blog/category/fungi)

https://www.biologicalwasteexpert.com/blog/reactor-mixing-complete-mix-plug-flow-hybrid-what-we-see-in-the-real-systems-versus-text-book 1/3
19/5/2018 Reactor mixing - Complete Mix, Plug Flow, & Hybrid - what we see in the real systems versus text book - Biological Waste Treatment Exp…

Nombre (requerido) Indicator Organisms

(/blog/category/indicator-
organisms)
Correo electrónico (No publicado) Microbiology
(/blog/category/microbiology
)
Sitio web Microscopic Exam
(/blog/category/Microscopic
Exam)
Microscopic Exam
Comentarios (requerido)
(/blog/category/microscopic-
exam)
Midge Fly
(/blog/category/midge-fly)
Pretreatment
(/blog/category/pretreatmen
Deseo recibir notificaciones sobre nuevos comentarios en esta t)
entrada por correo electrónico.
Red Worm
Enviar (/blog/category/red-worm)
SV30 (/blog/category/sv30)
SVI (/blog/category/svi)
Wastewater
(/blog/category/wastewater)

Archives
August 2017
(/blog/archives/08-2017)
July 2017
(/blog/archives/07-2017)
June 2017
(/blog/archives/06-2017)
May 2017
(/blog/archives/05-2017)
April 2017
(/blog/archives/04-2017)
March 2017
(/blog/archives/03-2017)
February 2017
(/blog/archives/02-2017)
January 2017
(/blog/archives/01-2017)
December 2016
(/blog/archives/12-2016)
November 2016
(/blog/archives/11-2016)
October 2016
(/blog/archives/10-2016)
September 2016
(/blog/archives/09-2016)
August 2016
(/blog/archives/08-2016)
July 2016
(/blog/archives/07-2016)
June 2016
(/blog/archives/06-2016)
May 2016
(/blog/archives/05-2016)
April 2016
(/blog/archives/04-2016)
March 2016
(/blog/archives/03-2016)
February 2016
(/blog/archives/02-2016)
January 2016
(/blog/archives/01-2016)
December 2015
(/blog/archives/12-2015)
November 2015
(/blog/archives/11-2015)

https://www.biologicalwasteexpert.com/blog/reactor-mixing-complete-mix-plug-flow-hybrid-what-we-see-in-the-real-systems-versus-text-book 2/3
19/5/2018 Reactor mixing - Complete Mix, Plug Flow, & Hybrid - what we see in the real systems versus text book - Biological Waste Treatment Exp…
October 2015
(/blog/archives/10-2015)
September 2015
(/blog/archives/09-2015)
August 2015
(/blog/archives/08-2015)
July 2015
(/blog/archives/07-2015)
June 2015
(/blog/archives/06-2015)
May 2015
(/blog/archives/05-2015)
April 2015
(/blog/archives/04-2015)
March 2015
(/blog/archives/03-2015)
February 2015
(/blog/archives/02-2015)
January 2015
(/blog/archives/01-2015)
December 2014
(/blog/archives/12-2014)
November 2014
(/blog/archives/11-2014)
October 2014
(/blog/archives/10-2014)
September 2014
(/blog/archives/09-2014)
August 2014
(/blog/archives/08-2014)
July 2014
(/blog/archives/07-2014)
June 2014
(/blog/archives/06-2014)
May 2014
(/blog/archives/05-2014)
April 2014
(/blog/archives/04-2014)
March 2014
(/blog/archives/03-2014)
February 2014
(/blog/archives/02-2014)

Proudly powered by Weebly (http://weebly.com)

Photos used under Creative Commons from Picturepest (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59923990@N05/14997753245), perzonseowebbyra (http://www.flickr.com/photos/148443584@N05/33271534381),
Picturepest (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59923990@N05/14739877768), Picturepest (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59923990@N05/10748327976), dsearls
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/52614599@N00/24618875473), dungodung (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16953270@N00/16080569517), Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/77102986@N07/13894928393), aqua.mech (http://www.flickr.com/photos/137169575@N04/24445365953), vastateparksstaff
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/37922399@N05/25304225732), hile (http://www.flickr.com/photos/44122310@N00/16380997762), Aaron Volkening (http://www.flickr.com/photos/87297882@N03/19712443462),
amishsteve (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61414741@N00/84094416), Neil DeMaster (http://www.flickr.com/photos/84169650@N07/10536090484), mklwong88
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/101173750@N03/23624687114), KOMUnews (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12801018@N00/13131651795), Picturepest (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59923990@N05/15080206004),
kaibara87 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34745138@N00/4457914327)

https://www.biologicalwasteexpert.com/blog/reactor-mixing-complete-mix-plug-flow-hybrid-what-we-see-in-the-real-systems-versus-text-book 3/3