Flocculent　sludge　was　inoculated　at　room　temperature　in　SBR　reactors　R1,　R2,　and　R3　running　in　gradient,　fast,　and　slow　feeding,　respectively.　Using　artificial　water　distribution　as　the　influent　substrate,　the　impact　of　the　feeding　method　on　the　carbon　source　storage　performance　and　pollutant　removal　effect　was　explored.　The　results　showed　that　the　gradient　feeding　had　better　internal　carbon　source　storage　performance　and　denitrification　effect.　After　successful　startup,　the　CODin,　SNED　rates　and　the　average　removal　rates　of　TN,　COD　and　TP　in　R1　were　99.69%,　81.52%,　79.07%,　92.35%,　96.03%,　respectively.　The　average　removal　rate　of　TP　was　ond　only　to　98.43%　of　R3.　This　was　because　the　contribution　of　PAO　to　the　internal　carbon　source　storage　(Ppaos)　under　slow　feeding　was　the　majority　(54.41%),　while　the　gradient　water　Ppaos　was　only　47.90%.　The　sludge　concentration　in　R1　was　5mg/L,　which　was　lower　than　the　6389mg/L　in　R2,　but　its　MLSS/MLVSS　was　0.90,　indicating　that　the　gradient　influent　granular　sludge　had　a　higher　biomass.　The　EPS　analysis　results　showed　that　the　composition　of　extracellular　polymeric　substances　(EPS)　changed　with　the　change　of　the　feeding　method,　and　the　gradient　feeding　contained　higher　PN,　so　the　particles　were　more　hydrophobic　and　the　particle　structure　was　more　stable.　©　2022,　Editorial　Board　of　China　Environmental　Science.　All　right　reserved.