Nonlinear modeling of activated sludge process using the Hammerstein-Wiener structure

Opole University of Technology, ul. Prószkowska 76, 45-758 Opole, Poland

^a Corresponding author: p.fracz@po.opole.pl

Abstract

The paper regards to physical model of the Activated Sludge Process, which is a part of the wastewater treatment. The aim of the study was to describe nitrogen transformation process and the demand of chemical fractions, involved in the ASP process. Moreover, the non-linear relationship between the flow of wastewater and the consumed electrical energy, used by the blowers, was determined. Such analyses are important from the economical and environmental point of view. Assuming that the total power does not change the blower is charging during a year an energy amount of approx. 613 MW. This illustrates in particular the scale of the demand for energy consumption in the biological aeration unit. The aim is to minimize the energy consumption through first building a model of ASP and then through optimization of the overall process by modifying chosen parameter in numerical simulations. In this paper example measurement and analysis results of nitrite and ammonium nitrogen concentrations in the aeration reactor and the active power consumed by blowers for the aeration process were presented. Further the ASP modeling procedure, which uses the Hammerstein-Wiener structure and example verification results were presented. Based on the achieved results it was stated that the developed set of methodologies may be used to improve and expand the overriding control system for system for wastewater treatment plant.