Activated sludge modelling: past, present and future.

Model complexity in activated sludge modelling has increased over 30 years in parallel with the computational power of computers. Today, the complexity of biokinetics has reached a practical limit. Future advances may be in the direction of enhanced spacial resolution (CFD, single organisms) respectively, in repetitive computations (MC simulation, parameter identification). Further model development may be in niches such as population dynamics, micropollutants, etc.