ISR research accomplishments

Optimization/Control of Wastewater Processes

Research team

Thomas J. McAvoy (ChE/ISR)
Oliver Hao (CEE)

Accomplishment

• Optimization/model predictive control applied to wastewater processes
• Simulation and experimental verification
• Nitrogen and phosphorous removal studied

Transient Responses
--Random Forcing

Schematic Diagram of AAA System

Operating Danish Wastewater Plant

Impact

• Wastewater systems are critically important to the environment, e.g. Chesapeake Bay
• Model-based control has rarely been used in wastewater applications
• Effluent permit levels have been achieved while simultaneously minimizing energy use in a novel reactor

For more information

Anderson, JS, Kim, H, McAvoy, TJ, and Hao, OJ, “Control of an alternating aerobic_anoxic activated sludge system _ Part 1: Development of a linearization_based modeling approach,” Control Eng. Practice

Kim, H, McAvoy, TJ, Anderson, JS, and Hao, OJ, “Control of an alternating aerobic_anoxic activated sludge system _ Part 2: Optimization using a linear model," Control Eng. Practice