Zhao, Y.Q.Y.Q.ZhaoSun, GuangzhiGuangzhiSunAllen, StephenStephenAllen2011-09-232011-09-232004 Elsev2004-07Water Research0043-1354http://hdl.handle.net/10197/3173Two separate sets of reed bed systems were operated in parallel for the purpose to study a comparative behaviour of high strength animal wastewater treatment. Each system consisted of five-stage gravel-based reed beds. The only difference between the two systems lies in the gravel arrangement within the beds. One system employed single sized gravel as bed medium (termed as mono-sized bed) while the other used two layers of gravel with coarse grain as the upper layer (termed as anti-sized bed). It was demonstrated that both the systems have the strong capacity for animal wastewater treatment but no significant difference with regard to pollutants‟ removal efficiency. However, anti-sized system showed a clear advantage in its ability to retard the clogging phenomenon exhibited during the system operation and avoid the impairment of its long-term functioning and sustainability. Clogging development was monitored via daily record of evolution of water level after the reed bed fill-up step in tidal flow operation strategy. According to present study, anti-sized reed bed experienced more than 2-fold operating period without clogging as compared with mono-sized reed bed in their parallel operation. In addition, a conceptual model to predict the clogging time was attempted and its utility was demonstrated via the data of this study.277109 bytesapplication/pdfenThis is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Water Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Water Research, 38 (12): 2907-2917 DOI 10.1016/j.watres.2004.03.038.BiofilmCloggingConstructed wetlandsGravelReed bedSuspended solidsTidal flowWastewater treatmentConstructed wetlandsAnimal wasteOrganic wastes--PurificationJournal Article38122907291710.1016/j.watres.2004.03.038https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/1.0/