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Evaluation of control strategies using an oxidation ditch benchmark
A Abusam1, K J Keesman, H Spanjers
1Systems and Control Group, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
Summary
A new benchmark for oxidation ditch wastewater treatment plants was validated using real-world data. This tool helps evaluate control strategies, though future versions need to assess settler performance for long-term analysis.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Water Treatment Technologies
- Process Control
Background:
- Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) require effective control strategies for optimal performance.
- Evaluating control strategies necessitates reliable simulation tools.
- Oxidation ditch systems are a common type of WWTP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a benchmark simulation for a full-scale oxidation ditch WWTP.
- To assess the benchmark's ability to predict plant performance metrics.
- To utilize the validated benchmark for evaluating control strategies.
Main Methods:
- Development of a benchmark based on model and performance criteria.
- Validation by comparing benchmark predictions with real measurements of energy consumption and sludge disposal.
- Application of the benchmark to evaluate basic and advanced control strategies.
Main Results:
- The benchmark reasonably predicts the performance of the specific oxidation ditch WWTP.
- Influent flow splitting ratio did not significantly impact effluent Total Nitrogen (TN) concentrations.
- The current benchmark requires enhancement to assess settler performance for long-term control strategy evaluation.
Conclusions:
- The validated benchmark is a useful tool for evaluating oxidation ditch WWTP performance and control strategies.
- Future benchmark development should incorporate settler performance assessment for comprehensive long-term analysis.