Name

N₂O mitigation insights and the importance of an effective data management system

Speakers

Dave Rutowski

Authors

Matthew Gray and Dave Rutowski, Hach AQI

Description

With growing awareness of wastewater process emissions, water utilities are increasingly focussed on their mitigation. The presentation will discuss a decision support tool that provides operations with the understanding of the how, where, and when nitrous oxide (N2O) is generated within the activated sludge process. In addition, this allows effective operational changes to take place to mitigate emissions. The N2O mitigation system consists of a combination of the use of online sensors, process simulation and process control to predict N2O generation and emissions within the aeration tanks.
The presentation will discuss the implementation and results of a N2O mitigation system installed in wastewater treatment plants in Germany, Denmark, and UK(in progress).

The activated sludge model was able to simulate N2O concentrations, allowing for process insight and mitigation at all sites.  The use of the system reduced both the number of N2O sensors needed for calculating emissions and importantly N2O emissions themselves with the use of forecasting and guidance.  

Lessons learned included that model results do not need to be perfect to allow good decision making, however the importance of sensor maintenance, and having SCADA, lab, and simulated data in one data management system is key to validation of data.

Time

5:05 PM - 5:17 PM

Location Name

Room 1

Track

10:05 - 17:30 Process Emissions