Author(s): J. W. Wouters; J. S. Seelam; K. J. Agema
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Data analytics; Moving bed biofilters; Real-time monitoring; Remote control; RFID; Sand-Cycle
Abstract: The legislative norms for treated wastewater discharge in terms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations are becoming increasingly stringent in the EU region. Compliance with the consent values compelled the water authorities to implement moving bed biofilters (MBFs) for tertiary stage effluent polishing. However, on-site and field surveys reveal that numerous MBF units suffer from non-optimal operational conditions, logistical challenges and irregular monitoring. This makes meeting the consents quite a challenging and expensive affair. It is therefore important to optimize day-to-day operations, facilitate access to reliable and real-time status updates, and troubleshoot the failures. In this direction, an"internet-of-things", radio frequency ID (RFID) and cloud based monitoring and control tool, Sand-Cycle, was successfully developed, tested and implemented to monitor MBFs. The current study presents full-scale application of the developed remote control and mote technology at two wastewater treatment works. Sand-Cycle illustrated realtime dashboards indicating performance grading factors viz. in-situ average sand circulation rate, active bed volume and filter homogeneity. This presented clear instructions for detected malfunctions and enabled the operators to optimize the MBF output with limited effort. Further technical and technological advancements of such IoT based setups can actively assist in tackling long-term sustainability and wastewater management issues.
Year: 2018