Extension of the IWA/COST simulation benchmark to include expert reasoning for system performance evaluation

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Wastewater Treatment
• Process Simulation

Background:

• Activated sludge process control is crucial for effective wastewater treatment.
• Simulation benchmarks like IWA/COST are vital for evaluating control strategies.
• Existing benchmarks lack robust methods for detecting biological settling issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an extension module for the IWA/COST simulation benchmark.
• To incorporate expert reasoning for detecting biological settling problems.
• To enhance the realistic assessment of activated sludge control strategies.

Main Methods:

• Development of an extension module integrating expert reasoning into the simulation benchmark.
• Proposal of specific flow diagrams for identifying filamentous bulking, foaming, and rising sludge.
• Application and evaluation of the module using two distinct activated sludge control strategies.

Main Results:

• The module successfully detects conditions conducive to biological settling problems.
• It provides supplementary criteria for assessing plant performance within the simulation.
• Results indicate improved realism in evaluating simulated control strategies.

Conclusions:

• The developed module offers a more realistic framework for evaluating simulated control strategies.
• It enhances the reliability of simulation outputs for operators and real-world facilities.
• Expert reasoning integration improves the detection and assessment of biological settling issues in activated sludge models.