Machine learning regression-based prediction model for the autonomous control of coagulant dosing in smart water purification plants

Abstract

ABSTRACT The global issue of water scarcity is escalating due to urbanization and increased demand. This paper proposes a machine learning (ML) regression-based model for automatic coagulant dosing control in smart water purification plants (SWPPs).1 The model uses random forest (RF), light gradient boosting machine (LGBM), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), and k-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithms. Performance metrics include MAE, MSE, RMSE, MAPE, and R2. The RF algorithm showed superior performance, with MAE of 0.005, MSE of 0.002, RMSE of 0.05, and MAPE of 0.000 for anion-poly aluminum chloride dosing, and MAE of 0.007, MSE of 0.00, RMSE of 0.02, and MAPE of 0.000 for Polymax dosing. The RF model's performance is due to its robust handling of large datasets and ensemble learning approach. Limitations include testing only two coagulants and reliance on historical data. These findings suggest integrating advanced water management, energy systems, and facility management to make SWPPs feasible and efficient, establishing a foundation for future applications of ML in chemical processes.