Reducing Wastewater Treatment Operational Expenditure, Carbon and Sensor Drift through Digital Innovation

Abstract

Reducing Wastewater Treatment Operational Expenditure, Carbon and Sensor Drift through Digital InnovationAbstractWater utilities are under increasing pressure to maintain plant performance while reducing operational cost and carbon, due to population density, ageing infrastructure and climate change. Digital technology can address these challenges through the application of data science and advanced analytics. The Rosedale Wastewater Treatment Plant in Auckland, New Zealand, consists of primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment and serves a population equivalent of 240,000. After creating a digital twin to support commissioning of a fourth reactor in 2020, it was identified that the digital twin could provide new insights into operational cost and greenhouse gas and support decisionsmaking, to help Watercare achieve their objective to reduce operational greenhouse gas by 50%. Live dashboards were developed to provide new insights into operational greenhouse gas emissions and cost which leveraged real-time biological modelling and emissions monitoring data. Soft sensors were developed to improve the instrumentation data quality through early identification of sensor drift.The Rosedale Wastewater Treatment Plant in New Zealand serves a population equivalent of 240,000. It was identified that a digital twin could reduce operational cost and carbon, helping Watercare meet their 50% operational greenhouse gas reduction objective. Live dashboards provided new insights into daily emissions and cost, leveraging real-time biological modelling and emissions monitoring data. Soft sensors were developed to improve data quality through early identification of sensor drift.SpeakerWhitmore, AnnaPresentation time14:30:0014:50:00Session time13:30:0015:00:00SessionPlanning and Process Improvement Case Studies: Winning with TwinningSession locationRoom S505b - Level 5TopicAdvanced Level, Energy Production, Conservation, and Management, Municipal Wastewater Treatment Design, Nutrients, Research and InnovationTopicAdvanced Level, Energy Production, Conservation, and Management, Municipal Wastewater Treatment Design, Nutrients, Research and InnovationAuthor(s)Whitmore, AnnaAuthor(s)A. Whitmore ¹; E. Harwin ¹ ; K. Williamson ¹; A. Whitmore ¹; G. Rule ²; T. Joseph ²;Author affiliation(s)Mott MacDonald ¹; Watercare Services Ltd ¹ ; Mott MacDonald UK, Watercare Services Ltd. ¹; Mott MacDonald ¹; Mott MacDonald, Watercare Services Ltd. ²; Mott MacDonald, Watercare Services Ltd. ²;SourceProceedings of the Water Environment FederationDocument typeConference PaperPublisherWater Environment FederationPrint publication date Oct 2023DOI10.2175/193864718825159228Volume / Issue Content sourceWEFTECCopyright2023Word count13