*2.2. Input Model Data*

The daily pattern of wastewater flowrate was obtained from one-year hourly data of a medium-scale municipal WWTP (86,400 population equivalent (PE), Udine Province), highlighting two distinct peaks at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. (Figure 2). The obtained data were consistent with the typical reported 24-h behavior of flowrate in municipal WWTPs [1].

**Figure 2.** Mean 24-h behavior of the influent flow-rate in the analyzed WW.TP.

The calculated WWTP peak factor (maximum flowrate in the 24 h period divided by mean daily flowrate) was around 1.1, showing a moderate daily variability. The flowrate daily pattern was assumed to be constant for all the analyzed plant potentialities and any seasonal factor was considered in this first approach. The electricity price pattern in the 24 h time period was calculated considering the mean values of a typical month in Italy [28]. The mean electricity price for industrial users was given by the Italian Authority for energy, gas, water and waste [29].
