Full-scale implementation of an advanced control system on a biological wastewater treatment plant

The implementation of a multivariable control package for the real-time control and supervision of a biological wastewater treatment plant is reported and discussed. The goal is to improve the plant operation in terms of effluent quality and operational costs. A dynamic matrix control algorithm is put into operation for controlling the ammonia concentration at the end the biological reactor in the activated sludge process. The status of the plant instrumentation is continuously monitored by multivariate statistical technology based on moving windows principal component analysis. Results of the first six months of continuous operation show the ability of the designed predictive control in reducing the aeration energy consumption whilst keeping the ammonia concentration in the effluent within the limits.