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Published on: April 15, 2014
An intelligent system for precise management of coagulants in sludge conditioning: Inspired by the exploratory
Shuxin Li1, Daxin Zhang2, Rongxi Zhu1
1Beijing Key Lab for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control & Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
Abstract:
Coagulation conditioning is a key step for sludge dewatering, while the control of optimal coagulant dosing is still a challenge. This study proposes an intelligent system for the precise management of coagulants (IISPMC) in sludge conditioning. This system was assembled using an electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)-based sensor and a decision-making model to conduct the self-perception, decision-making, execution, and dosage optimization in sludge conditioning through a feedback-driven exploratory trial process, conceptually inspired by structured exploration behavior observed in primates. Using the optimal dosage obtained by the traditional manual jar test as the reference, the accuracy and repeatability of the IISPMC were investigated. The robustness under different perturbed conditions, reliability, and generalizability of the IISPMC were further assessed. Moreover, the long-term operational capability and the feasibility of the application in the scaled-up conditioning were also discussed. The results showed that the intelligent system achieved statistical median accuracy and repeatability of approximately 5 %, good reliability with a 5 g/kg resolution (R2 > 0.94 in validation tests) in determining the optimal coagulant dosage, and strong robustness under sludge conductivity and concentration perturbed conditions. In addition, the performance of the IISPMC was validated across different sludge sources, including activated sludge, dredged sediment, and algal sludge, as well as different coagulants, exhibiting solid generalizability. The system also demonstrated stable continuous operation over 40 batches, which is equivalent to the number of continuous operation batches of a small-sized treatment plant over approximately half a month. Furthermore, even after scaling up the conditioning tank, the IISPMC maintained stable performance. These findings highlight the potential of the IISPMC for practical applications in sludge conditioning.
