A Neural Network Model for Decision-Making with Application in Sewage Sludge Management

Francesco Facchini,Luigi Ranieri,Micaela Vitti

doi:10.3390/app11125434

Francesco Facchini, Luigi Ranieri + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125434

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Abstract

Wastewater treatment (WWT) is a foremost challenge for maintaining the health of ecosystems and human beings; the waste products of the water-treatment process can be a problem or an opportunity. The sewage sludge (SS) produced during sewage treatment can be considered a waste to be disposed of in a landfill or as a source for obtaining raw material to be used as a fertilizer, building material, or alternative fuel source suitable for co-incineration in a high-temperature furnace. To this concern, this study’s purpose consisted of developing a decision model, supported by an Artificial Neural Network (ANN model), allowing us to identify the most effective sludge management strategy in economic terms. Consistent with the aim of the work, the suitable SS treatment was identified, selecting for each phase of the SS treatment, an alternative available on the market ensuring energy and/or matter recovery, in line with the circular water value chain. Results show that the ANN model identifies the suitable SS treatments on multiple factors, thus supporting the decision-making and identifying the solution as per user requirements.

Highlights

Climate change is a global crisis that has forced a more sustainable development of resources planning, analyses, and policymaking regarding the valorization of the limited resources on earth
The work conducted consisted of developing an ANN model that aims to identify the suitable sewage sludge (SS) treatment, based on a framework consisting of six steps and a predefined series of alternatives for each step, to suggest a most effective sludge-management strategy in economic terms
The developed ANN model was tested on 20 possible scenarios, identified considering out-of-sample data

Summary

Introduction

Climate change is a global crisis that has forced a more sustainable development of resources planning, analyses, and policymaking regarding the valorization of the limited resources on earth. The sustainability of industrial activities has become crucial for many firms [1]. To this concern, increased awareness concerning greenhouse gas (GHG). Emissions evaluation, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2 ), methane (CH4 ), and nitrous oxide (N2 O), was observed in recent years. In this context, the wastewater (WW) sector plays a crucial role in identifying needs, barriers, and new strategies to face the future’s expected challenges [2]. According to Chai et al, the emissions due to the WWT are the sixth largest contributors to methane (CH4 ) emissions and the third largest sources of nitrous oxide (N2 O) emissions, respectively [3].

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