Reduce capital investments and operating costs with plant wide control – waste water manager – control – wastewater treatment plant optimisation
Sørud, M., Kόzka, A.A., Vangsgaard, A.K. and Ønnerth, T., Krüger A/S, Denmark
(free)
Abstract
WasteWater Manager-Control focuses on operating costs-savings. The savings are achieved through prioritisation of the best biological performance during all load situations without compromising a good effluent quality. In the denitrification and phosphorus removal process, the advantages ranges from reduced energy consumption, no need for chemicals, significant reduction in chemical sludge production to improved environmental compliance. Additionally, WasteWater Manager-Control increases hydraulic capacity while reducing the need for process and clarifier extensions. When installed as part of a design-build project, the online control will reduce footprints and help avoid plant extensions. Proven achievements include up to 100 percent higher flow through the wastewater treatment plant without capital investment. WasteWater Manager-Control is part of the product suite STAR Utility Solutions™ specially designed with focus on safety, operating cost-savings and process performance.
Keywords Advanced process control, online control, plant wide control, CAPEX reduction, OPEX reduction, STAR Utility Solutions™, WasteWater Manager-Control, wastewater treatment plant optimisation
Introduction
The increasing demands by citizens and environmental organizations have initiated environmental protection against harmful effects of urban and industrial wastewater discharges. The definition of sensitive areas introduced by the European Union (Council of European Communities 1991) for freshwater bodies, estuaries, lakes, coastal waters, water sources for drinking water abstraction (surface water and groundwater) has strengthened activities related to further treatment to comply with other regulations on fish, bathing, shellfish waters and protection of natural environment of wild birds and natural habitats. Most of the wastewater treatment plants have been extended and modernised for nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Subsequently, the local regulations published and the amendment to the directive (Council of European Communities 1998), including summary report with identification of sensitive areas by the Member States of EU, have introduced even more stringent environmental demands for the effluent quality of the wastewater treatment plant. Therefore, it may seem that wastewater treatment plants that do not comply with the effluent demands must be further modernised, extended or re-designed to replace the existing technologies. But is it really the only solution to comply with those strict demands? It is probably the most common question for many wastewater plants with continuous focus on operational improvements.
More stringent effluent demands and expensive environmental fees usually result in high operating costs, even for the plants that comply with the effluent demands. Here, excessive operating costs are mainly due to energy and chemical consumption. Is there any economical and profitable solution to reduce the operating costs with the lowest possible capital investments? Let us take a closer look at the plants with advanced online control systems, and the results obtained and the operational experience gained.
