Abstract
An Ammonia-Based Aeration Control (ABAC) system is installed in the primary aeration basins of a regional wastewater treatment facility. The energy consumption of the system of air blowers, measured in kilowatts per hour by an existing meter, is analyzed for seven months after the installation of the ABAC system and compared to system performance prior to commissioning of the ABAC system. Processed data, including volume flow rate, ammonia loading, and treatment equipment efficiency, are evaluated for periods before and after the ABAC system installation. Ammonia mass loading and air transfer ratio in the aeration basins are determined to be the leading factors affecting the performance of the ABAC system and thus impacting the metered energy consumption. The metered energy consumption data are normalized by the two calculated ratios, which reflect the change in ammonia loading and air transfer ratio. The normalized and metered energy consumption data are compared, and the results show a reduction in energy consumption since the installation of the ABAC system. A yearly savings of approximately 9 ± 1% in energy costs is estimated with the installation of the ABAC system. The savings in energy consumption calculated as well as the improvements in nitrification efficiency confirm the benefit of an ABAC system in reducing operation costs and enhancing process control.
Highlights
Recent advances in technology have improved the efficiency of the wastewater treatment process and paved the way for recycled water use
An Ammonia-Based Aeration Control (ABAC) system is composed of an open-loop and closed-loop controller that sets dissolved oxygen (DO) setpoints in the treatment aeration basin to maintain a predetermined ammonia setpoint at the effluent [3,4]
Other plant factors, such as influent feed rate, biological oxygen demand (BOD), total organic carbon (TOC), and total suspended solids (TSS), were analyzed as well to identify drastic changes that could have contributed to the energy consumption rate
Summary
Recent advances in technology have improved the efficiency of the wastewater treatment process and paved the way for recycled water use. An ABAC system is composed of an open-loop and closed-loop controller that sets DO setpoints in the treatment aeration basin to maintain a predetermined ammonia setpoint at the effluent [3,4] This decreases the overall energy consumption of the facility while maintaining high-quality effluent. Utilization of novel aeration control strategies to optimize the biological processes such as nitrification or phosphorus removal, has shown to decrease plant chemical usage without sacrificing effluent quality [2]. Advanced technologies may exist and improve the wastewater treatment process, the decision to implement these technologies must often meet the criteria of functionality, cost, and long-term environmental impact Current technologies, such as ABAC systems, offer a long-term, cost-effective solution to a significant energy demand issue associated with wastewater treatment, without sacrificing the quality of the final water product. Through collaboration between an academic institution and a public utility agency, this study will pave the path for future research and development efforts in the local and broader wastewater treatment community
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