AI Techniques for Waste Water Treatment Plant Control Case Study: Denitrification in a Pilot-Scale SBR

We propose to show how different AI techniques might be used in the development of a modular expert system, acting as a manager and advisor for the operation of a pilot-scale SBR urban wastewater treatment plant, fed with real sewage. The plant’s depurative effectiveness and global biomass’ health depend on the reactions of nitrification and denitrification, with the former taking place as soon as the latter is complete. Since the duration of the reaction cannot be predicted, we have trained an intelligent software to recognize the event analyzing the profiles of some available signals, namely pH, orp and dissolved oxygen, thus allowing us to optimize the process’ yield and detect possible failures. Using a SOM neural network, the system has been trained to remember an adequate set of reference signals, which have been given meaning using Bayesian belief techniques. Eventually, using the formalism provided by logical languages, reasoning capabilities have been imparted to the system, allowing the real-time, online deduction of new pieces of needed information. Thanks to the integration of these techniques the system is able to assess the status of the plant and act according to the adequate known policies.