Fault Tree Analysis for Wastewater Treatment

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A method of determining plant operating deficiencies has been applied to a small wastewater-treatment plant. The method used was Fault Tree Analysis, a logic technique developed in the aerospace industry. A logic diagram was developed showing potential deficiencies in the plant's BOD removal processes. Critical process failure paths in the logic diagram were traced based on the likely deficiencies of the plant analyzed. Each critical failure path was then examined to determine the feasibility of using monitor instruments to warn of plant failures before serious degradation of plant effluent quality occurred.