INTEGRATION OF WASTE-WATER TREATMENT-PLANT DESIGN AND OPERATION - A SYSTEMATIC-APPROACH USING COST-FUNCTIONS

A general framework for the formulation and analysis of an overall dec ision support index is discussed. It is indicated that such an index a llow evaluation of the combined effects of both design and operation ( i) during the planning phase of new WWTPs, as well as (ii) for the eva luation of new operational strategies versus traditional expansions of plants already in operation. Attention is drawn to the problems of in corporating such factors as plant flexibility and robustness against f ailures in the index. These factors become especially relevant when de cisions are to be made that affect the life span of a WWTP. Spatial an d temporal separation of the optimisation problem are proposed to make the approach operational. It is not the intention of the authors to p rovide an exhaustive list of objective criterion functions, but rather to give the reader some examples illustrating the approach. Copyright (C) 1996 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.