Aquasuite® MINE – the advanced and optimal control of sludge treatment: PRESENTATION ONLY
Koornneef, E., van Eijden, R. and Visser, A., Royal HaskoningDHV, The Netherlands
(free)
Since 2005, Dutch water authorities aim for energy neutral sewage treatment plants with maximal
recovery of natural resources, embracing the concept of a circular economy. This development
initiated a new focus and a need for new innovative concepts on sludge handling. For this purpose
Royal HaskoningDHV developed the following new concepts to improve sludge handling, sludge
digestion and recovery of phosphorus as a resource:
- Aquasuite® MINE, a smart software application to optimise existing and new sludge handling
facilities;
- Ephyra® a high rate plug flow sludge digestion technology;
- Themista®, a pre-treatment technology for sludge to improve anaerobic sludge digestion;
- Crystalactor® a crystallization technology for phosphorus recovery.
This paper focuses on Aquasuite® MINE, a member of the Royal HaskoningDHV Aquasuite® family that
also includes OPIR (drinking water supply), FLOW (sewage transport), and PURE (wastewater
treatment control). Aquasuite® MINE is a modular control concept for sludge handling with the
following building blocks: sludge logistics, sludge wasting, sludge thickening, sludge buffering, sludge
digestion, and sludge dewatering. Dependent of the specific situation on site, a combination of these
building blocks can be used. Specific features of Aquasuite® MINE are a holistic control of the sludge
system using real-time monitoring with a self-learning and predictive control strategy. This results in
a stable optimal performance of the sludge handling facilities with minimal operational effort,
optimal use of sludge buffer facilities, an improved sludge digestion with higher biogas output and
sludge removal, and a better sludge dewatering result. Using Aquasuite® MINE also allows for a
centralised and unattended operation. Aquasuite® MINE has been operational at three pilot plants
and is now started up at two full scale plants for optimizing (existing) central sludge dewatering
facilities including the optimal use of sludge buffering and sludge logistics and at one full scale plant
for better digestion with an Ephyra® digester installation. In this paper, the principle and the results
of Aquasuite® MINE at both the pilot and full scale sites are presented.
Key theme – Advanced monitoring and control of sludge handling
