An empirical observer for wastewater treatment plants

Recent results of the development and application of an observer for municipal or industrial wastewater treatment plants are presented. The observer is based on the Activated Sludge Model ASM 1 and realistic assumptions of the measurement situation at the plant. The design principles of the process observer, which include some empirical straightforward elements, are outlined and applied to a complex full scale example plant. Results based on measurements at a large scale municipal treatment plant show a good performance of the observer and indicate the merits of using on-line models for process control and operation.