The use of modelling to implement strategies in automatic control of WWTPs

Real time control is a valuable option to improve the management of wastewater treatment systems. Since the goal of any control strategy is to optimize the operating conditions to the changing influent sewage load, experimental plants fed with real wastewater should be used to test the proposed control strategies to improve the efficiency of biological processes. In this work a model for a continuous-flow activated sludge with denitrification/ nitrification processes and fed with real wastewater has been developed. The ASM1 dynamic model of the plant has been implemented using the WEST modeling and simulation environment, according to the sludge characterization and applying the daily varying wastewater composition. Based on real-time data acquired and the dynamic model, control strategies for the internal and sludge recycle flow rates have been recognized.