Biogas Manager Control AQUAVISTA

To increase the ease, reliability and effectiveness of the operation of an anaerobic treatment plant, Biothane, together with Kruger have developed BM Control AQUAVISTA technology for anaerobic wastewater treatment. This technology consists of a carefully designed instrumentation and control package which provides the basis for real time, continuous process control and process optimization. The system is provided with automated 24/7 backup service - 365 days per year.

BM Control AQUAVISTA technology is superimposed on to regular PLC or SCADA control systems in order to provide dynamic control based on real time plant performance. For this purpose BM Control AQUAVISTA measures continuously essential quality parameters for water, biogas and biomass (sludge).

ADVANTAGES :

24/7 real time process control and optimization

Essential operating process parameters are continuously analysed and processed through advanced control logic. Operating performance data are trended and provide continuous feedback process settings.

Enhanced calamity control

The system will provide early warning signals when certain parameters exceed preset limits; this allows the operator to investigate the root cause for the incident at an early stage.

Improved system stability
Controlled load conditions and systematic system feedback allow active and dynamic load control which results in more stable conditions contributing to better performance.

Increased COD removal efficiency and biogas production
The use of BM Control AQUAVISTA technology proves to achieve a 10-15% increase in COD removal efficiency and biogas production on yearly average conditions.

Decrease of operating costs

• Aiming for lower caustic consumption (10-25% saving)
• Aiming for lower nutrient dosing requirements;
• Aiming for lower cost for heating/cooling

Increase in plant capacity

• Reduced hydraulic buffer volume requirement
• Smaller reactor volume requirement (or 10-20% capacity increase for existing reactors)

Quality improvement

• Improved effluent quality
• Reduced Carbon Footprint

Ease of operation, piece of mind

• All plant data are available through Web browser application anytime - anywhere
• User friendly interface
• Software System maintenance and updates are available and remotely installed
• Proven system safety and security protocols in place

HOW IT WORKS TODAY

Scheme

• Process parameters are monitored by collecting and processing of analyses data obtained through regular spot sampling and off-site laboratory testing (e.g. COD; N; P; TSS; VFA; etc).
• No or little knowledge on reactor biomass capacity.
• Generating quality process data, interpretation of such data and assessing the overall process performance requires excessive analytical work and operator skills
   

Due to absence of some or many parameters operators have difficulty taking the right decision.

HOW IT WORKS WITH BM CONTROL AQUAVISTA

Scheme

BM Control AQUAVISTA adds the following instrumentation and control parameters:

1. COD/TOC on inlet conditioning tank. In-line measurement of Methane content of biogas (Biogas CH4 content provides direct information if the treatment plant is loaded correctly or (slightly) overloaded)
2. In-situ measurement of sludge bed height (to calculate the inventory of the biomass in the reactor required to calculate system capacity)
3. pH of anaerobic effluent
4. Feed control to conditioning tank by BM Control AQUAVISTA

The figure shows the typical process outline using the BM Control AQUAVISTA concept.

In case the system has more capacity than necessary, the operator may choose to run the plant at suboptimal conditions. For example it can be decided to run the plant at a lower temperature in order to safe on heating costs. Or it can chosen to:

• run the system at a lower pH to save on caustic consumption;
• apply a lower nutrient dosing ratio to save nutrient consumption;
• run at a lower recirculation flow in order to save energy.

Overall, this will allow the system to run at lower operating costs still meeting the overall performance objectives.