Optimization, Modeling, and Automation of Wastewater Treatment Facilities

During the past year, the literature has added a new dimension to its reporting of research efforts to improve the performance of wastewater treatment plants and the processes and operations of which they are comprised. Historically, efforts have centered on optimizing processes through applied research on the mechanics and constraint that dictate performance. Over the past decade, these efforts have also expanded in an ever-increasing fashion into the area of process automation. Bridging the gap between mechanics and automation is process modeling. As such, a significant number of attempts at model development, calibration, and verification have been reported.