AUTOMATED AERATION MANAGEMENT IN WASTE-WATER TREATMENT - INTEREST OF THE APPLICATION TO SERIAL BASINS CONFIGURATION

In order to extend the range of application of an existing aeration ma nagement logic combining carbon and nitrogen removal, an advanced vers ion was developed. This automated System is devoted to WWTP with a ser ial configuration of the aeration tanks. The operating strategy gives a priority to the carbon elimination in upstream aeration volumes, whe reas downstream elements complete the treatment and optimize the nitro gen removal. The control and command functions of this automated manag ement are based on the analysis of both instant value and time evoluti on of the oxide-reduction potential. Some setting modifications are sp ecified for the aeration management on upstream cells. Application of this system to full-scale operating plants reveals the total adaptatio n of the strategy to the serial configuration units. Long-term experie nces show that aeration supply is adapted to the required level of tre atment, following the load variations. Removal yields are optimized an d conformity of the outflows is achieved on the three presented exampl es. The application of this advanced version of the automated aeration management will help operators in obtaining quality and reliability o f the wastewater treatment. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.