The IntelliPro process management system from Aqua-Aerobic Systems Inc. combines the process monitoring power of a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system with integrated comparative analysis and operator guidance.
“Instead of mechanical functions, you will look at DO, TSS, pH and everything related to the process and automatic control of that process,” says Manuel de los Santos, senior applications engineer, biological processes and membrane systems.
Designed to link operations, equipment and treatment objectives, the monitoring system actively influences the treatment process by proactively responding to changes as they occur.
Process information is gathered from field instruments and sent to the main system programmable logic controller (PLC), which ultimately controls all equipment operation based on instrument feedback and instructions provided by the IntelliPro system.
Operating data is scanned from the process PLC into the IntelliPro database every six seconds. Data is analyzed and evaluated through algorithms in the IntelliPro system and preset parameters for optimum process management. In addition to seeing what is currently happening in the treatment plant, trending enables operators to access historical data. For example, they can look back six months ago to view the effects of a large storm.
System features include automatic calculation of influent flow, mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) adjusted to low water level (LWL), solids retention time (SRT), sludge volume index (SVI), food to mass ratio (F/M), current mass loading compared to design loading, oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and sludge yield (Yn).
Other features include active (automatic) or passive (monitor) system adjustment to enhance energy efficiency and process control, including dissolved oxygen concentration, reaction time adjustment, operation based on F/M, SRT or MLSS set-points, settling adjustment based on effluent TSS monitoring, recommended optimum cycle structure, real-time and historical process trending and on-line nutrient removal optimization.
“One of the main features is the automatic process optimization,” says de los Santos. “If you want to target the mixed liquor concentration, you put in a number and the system will target it automatically by changing the pump time or pump rate for sludge.
“Another important focus is troubleshooting. There are automatic troubleshooting features instead of alarms that we call BioAlert.” The alerts let the operator know if the system is running within the present limits and what corrective measures should be taken. The system also can be remotely accessed by Aqua-Aerobic for further troubleshooting.
The base package includes level indication, DO control, pH and temperature monitoring, effluent TSS, and reactor MLSS. Optional processes include ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, phosphate, oxidation/reduction-potential, sludge interface level and total organic carbon monitoring and control. For information: 815/654-2501; www.aqua-aerobic.com.
