Performance of wastewater treatment is heavily influenced by the steadiness and predictability of the influent flow. Local level-based control of pumping stations of the transport system can cause peak flows and loads to the treatment plant. Especially during rain-weather flow conditions. Furthermore, the amount of energy and chemicals required to achieve a desired effluent quality is dependent on the quantity and composition of the inflow of wastewater to the treatment plant.
Aquasuite FLOW from Royal HaskoningDHV has a predictive controller to optimise flow to the wastewater treatment plant. Moreover, Aquasuite PURE is a system for optimising nutrient removal and the energy and chemical usage of a wastewater treatment process. The result? Calmer networks, better effluent quality and less energy consumption.
About Water Authority Vallei en Veluwe
Water Authority Vallei en Veluwe looks after 16 wastewater treatment plants, processing 340 million litres of wastewater every day, the equivalent of 2.2 million baths of water daily. The plants are located in Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Bennekom, Brummen Ede, Elburg, Epe, Hattem, Harderwijk, Heerde, Nijkerk, Renkum, Soest, Terwolde, Veenendaal and Woudenberg. The company aims to be sustainable by 2050, by drawing all its energy from renewable sources, including water, wind and solar power. Water Authority Vallei and Veluwe is always looking for innovative treatment solutions and constantly works to improve surface water quality for the benefit of the environment. Also, the increased extraction of energy and raw materials from the sludge is one of the major improvements.
“We are undoubtedly in better control of the operation of the whole wastewater treatment plant, regardless of the flow conditions.”
Frank van de Grootevheen, Process engineer at
Water Authority Vallei en Veluwe
Client
Water board Vallei en Veluwe
Questions
How can we optimise wastewater transport to the treatment plant to improve the performance of treatment processes?
How can we optimise nutrient removal and energy and chemical usage at our wastewater treatment plants?
Solutions
Aquasuite FLOW uses real-time data and rainfall forecasts to predict flows in the sewage network and optimises discharge to the treatment plant with predictive control. This auto-pilot reduces peak flows and bypass of post-treatment, resulting in calmer networks and better effluent quality.
Aquasuite PURE learns the patterns of the wastewater inflow at treatment plants and predicts daily inflow, including detection of rain-weather flow, to anticipate changing load. It applies machine learning for feedforward control finetuned with feedback control. It adjusts aerators, pumps and valves accordingly to optimise nutrient removal and reduce energy and chemical use as far as possible.
Results
- Calm network and peak flow reduction with integrated catchment control
- Improved performance of (primary and secondary) wastewater treatment process
- 50% less bypass of tertiary treatment
- Better utilisation of existing post-treatment assets
- Reduction of energy consumption by up to 15%
- More stable treatment process and improved effluent quality
- Increased insight into treatment process through smart dashboards
- Self-learning system minimises staff intervention, optimising efficiency