A novel integrated approach for designing, testing and implementing WRRF process control solutions. Proceedings WEFTEC.15

Abstract: This paper describes an integrated approach for designing, testing and implementing process control solutions for Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs) using a novel simulation platform. The user-friendly modeling and simulation environment encapsulates expert knowledge and standardizes typical tasks and goes far beyond classic simulators in terms of the level of detail of modeling control solutions. The suite of available models ranges from various controller types, sensor and actuator models up to pipe networks. In this way it enables even inexperienced users to design state-of-the-art process control solutions. Proper designs are supported by the ability to test realistic solutions in simulation before they are implemented at a real plant. The implementation process is facilitated by an option to automatically translate control solutions (in form of graphical function blocks) into PLC code. A special solution is provided for sequential control (e.g. SBRs) using a graphical Petri-net approach.