Data-Driven Process Control for Maximizing Resource Efficiency

Improvements in process monitoring and control at water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) could result in reductions in electricity consumption, chemical inputs, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as improved energy recovery. Many current WRRF data collection, monitoring, and control approaches use 20th century process monitoring and control systems, which require large design safety factors to ensure reliability in the absence of more advanced, precise controls. Implementation of more modern data-driven control tools could lead to more efficient operations that provide intrinsic reliability with better overall process performance at full-scale. This project will (1) develop and demonstrate data-driven process controls at full-scale facilities for five promising WRRF process technologies that provide whole-plant approaches and offer substantial energy and resource recovery benefits, and (2) create a toolbox of new process control approaches and an implementation guide including five examples for application at utilities.

This $2.27 million project, Crossing the Finish Line: Integration of Data-Driven Process Control for Maximization of Energy and Resource Efficiency in Advanced Water Resource Recovery Facilities, is a collaboration of work being conducted by DC Water, Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Metro Water Recovery, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, US Military Academy - West Point, Black & Veatch, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Research partner: U.S. Department of Energy.