This bioreactor calculator is an interactive tool that can be used to help farmers implement water quality treatment systems to specifically fit their land measurements and crop yield standards, while being able to sufficiently reduce environmental contamination from agricultural runoff and improve wildlife habitat.
Bioreactor Sizing Calculator
Enter Desired Retention Time (hours):
Enter Pump Discharge Rate or estimate ditch flowrate (gpm):
Enter Pump Runtime (hours per day) or enter 24 hours if in ditch:
Enter Channel Width (feet):
Enter Channel Depth (feet):
1. Desired Retention Time: can be calculated from the "Hydraulic Residence Time" tab.
2. Estimate how much water is moving through the channel where the bioreactor is going to go. Try calculating the cross-sectional area of the ditch in square-feet. If there appears to be no flow, multiply by 2 feet per minute. If there is gentle flow, multiply by 10 feet per minute. Any more flow than that, it may not be advisable to install a bioreactor. Take your cubic feet per minute and multiply by 7.4 to arrive at gpm. Alternatively if the channel is fed primarily by a pump, enter the pump rate.
3. If the channel is regulated by a pump, then estimate how many hours a day that pump kicks on. Alternatively if the channel is fed mostly by tile drains, then enter 24 hours.
4. Enter the channel depth and width best you can.
