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Activated sludge model 2d calibration with full-scale WWTP data: comparing model parameter identifiability with influent and operational uncertainty

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Abstract

The present work developed a model for the description of a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) (Manresa, Catalonia, Spain) for further plant upgrades based on the systematic parameter calibration of the activated sludge model 2d (ASM2d) using a methodology based on the Fisher information matrix. The influent was characterized for the application of the ASM2d and the confidence interval of the calibrated parameters was also assessed. No expert knowledge was necessary for model calibration and a huge available plant database was converted into more useful information. The effect of the influent and operating variables on the model fit was also studied using these variables as calibrating parameters and keeping the ASM2d kinetic and stoichiometric parameters, which traditionally are the calibration parameters, at their default values. Such an “inversion” of the traditional way of model fitting allowed evaluating the sensitivity of the main model outputs regarding the influent and the operating variables changes. This new approach is able to evaluate the capacity of the operational variables used by the WWTP feedback control loops to overcome external disturbances in the influent and kinetic/stoichiometric model parameters uncertainties. In addition, the study of the influence of operating variables on the model outputs provides useful information to select input and output variables in decentralized control structures.

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Abbreviations

A2/O:

Anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic (WWTP configuration)

ASM:

Activated sludge models

BOD5:

Biological oxygen demand (5 days)

CCF:

Calibration cost function

COD:

Chemical oxygen demand

DO:

Dissolved oxygen

EBPR:

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal

FIM:

Fisher information matrix

GAO:

Glycogen accumulating organisms

IWA:

International Water Association

PAO:

Phosphorus accumulating organisms

PCCF:

Preliminary calibration cost function

PID:

Proportional-integral-derivative controller

RDE:

Ratio of normalized D to modified E criteria from FIM

SRT:

Sludge retention time

TKN:

Total Kjeldahl nitrogen

TN:

Total nitrogen

TSS:

Total suspended solids

VCF:

Validation cost function

WWTP:

Wastewater treatment plant

WERF:

Water Environment Research Foundation

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Acknowledgments

The authors greatly acknowledge to Ricard Tomas and Ana Lupón (Aigües de Manresa S.A.) all the support provided in conducting this work. Vinicius Cunha Machado has received a Pre-doctoral scholarship of the AGAUR (Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i Recerca, Catalonia, Spain), inside programs of the European Community Social Fund. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CTM2010-20384). The authors are members of the GENOCOV research group (Grup de Recerca Consolidat de la Generalitat de Catalunya, 2009 SGR 815).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain

    Vinicius Cunha Machado, Javier Lafuente & Juan Antonio Baeza

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  1. Vinicius Cunha Machado
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  2. Javier Lafuente
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  3. Juan Antonio Baeza
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Correspondence to Juan Antonio Baeza.

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Machado, V.C., Lafuente, J. & Baeza, J.A. Activated sludge model 2d calibration with full-scale WWTP data: comparing model parameter identifiability with influent and operational uncertainty. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 37, 1271–1287 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-013-1099-8

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