Four control strategies for N-removal in alternating activated sludge plants (ASP's) are compared: 1. timer-based, 2. switching the aeration on/off when depletion of nitrate/ammonium is detected, 3. switching the aeration on/off when ammonium crosses an upper/lower-bound, 4. the newly developed adaptive receding horizon optimal controller (ARHOC) as presented in Lukasse et al. (1997). The comparison is made by simulating the controllers' application to an alternating continuously-mixed activated sludge reactor preceded by a small anoxic reactor for predenitrification. The biological processes in the reactors are modelled by the activated sludge model no. 1. Realistic influent patterns, measured at a full-scale wastewater treatment plant, are used. The results show that three totally different controllers (timer-based, NH4-bounds based and ARHOC) can achieve a more or less equal effluent quality, if tuned optimally. The difference mainly occurs in the sensitivity to suboptimal tunings. The timer-based strategy has a higher aeration demand. The sensitivity of the ARHOC controller to sub-optimal tuning, known measurement time delays and changing plant loads is significantly less than that of the other controllers. Also its tuning is more natural and explicit.
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Research Article|
February 01 1999
A comparison of NH4/NO3 control strategies for alternating activated sludge processes Available to Purchase
L. J. S. Lukasse;
L. J. S. Lukasse
*Systems & Control group, Wag. Agr. Univ., Bomenweg 4, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands
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K. J. Keesman;
K. J. Keesman
*Systems & Control group, Wag. Agr. Univ., Bomenweg 4, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands
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A. Klapwijk;
A. Klapwijk
**Environmental Engineering group, Wageningen Agricultural University, Bomenweg 2, The Netherlands
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G. van Straten
G. van Straten
*Systems & Control group, Wag. Agr. Univ., Bomenweg 4, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Water Sci Technol (1999) 39 (4): 93–102.
Citation
L. J. S. Lukasse, K. J. Keesman, A. Klapwijk, G. van Straten; A comparison of NH4/NO3 control strategies for alternating activated sludge processes. Water Sci Technol 1 February 1999; 39 (4): 93–102. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1999.0194
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