Control and Optimization of Unit Operations: 8.1 Aeration and Do Controls 1484
Control and Optimization of Unit Operations: 8.1 Aeration and Do Controls 1484
Control and Optimization of Unit Operations: 8.1 Aeration and Do Controls 1484
of Unit Operations
8
Aeration is mostly used in wastewater treatment facilities to Mechanical aeration is accomplished by transferring atmo-
introduce oxygen into the wastewater. Oxygen is necessary spheric oxygen to the liquid by surface agitation. Mechanical
for biological treatment of carbonaceous matter (secondary aerators are classified as plate, updraft, downdraft, and brush
treatment) and for oxidation of ammonia into nitrite and types.
nitrate (nitrification). The transfer of oxygen is accomplished The plate-type aerator employs a circular plate equipped
using two basic aeration methods. One method is the use of with radial blades and creates a large amount of turbulence
mechanical aerators (mechanical mixing), and the other by causing a peripheral hydraulic jump.
method is the delivery of air through a network of pipes and The updraft-type aerator employs a surface impeller,
diffusers located at the bottom of treatment basins (diffused which draws liquid upward and violently outward at the
aeration). surface. The surface turbulence causes oxygen transfer. The
Aeration control is a very important part of any wastewa- updraft-type aerators are popular because of their low cost,
ter plant control system design. The volume of air required high oxygen transfer efficiency, and good mixing. The dis-
depends upon the biomass oxygen demand of the wastewater, advantages include high maintenance and operational costs
which is continuously changing. An inadequate supply of air due to large number of units, frequent icing in cold weather,
(oxygen) can inhibit secondary treatment and nitrification pro- uneven DO distribution, and not enough oxygenation for
cesses, causing major process problems. Excessive air supply nitrification. The updraft-type aerators are particularly suit-
wastes energy and can dramatically increase plant-operating able for smaller plants in warmer climates that do not require
costs. It is estimated that aeration energy consumption can be nitrification.
50–90% of the total energy demand of an activated sludge The downdraft-type aerator employs an impeller in a
process. vertical tube to force liquid from the surface, down through
A well-thought-out aeration control scheme could opti- the tube to the bottom of the tank. Air is entrained in the
mize the overall process and significantly reduce energy cost. liquid as it is forced down into the tube.
Aeration control schemes include two basic building blocks, The brush-type aerator rotates around a horizontal shaft
namely the measurement of the process variable, which in equipped with a series of projections. Oxygen transfer is
this case is dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in the accomplished by surface turbulence. The brush-type aerator
wastewater, and implementation of control adjustments using is used extensively in oxidation ditch application. Typical
control algorithms and final control elements, like control advantages are high oxygen transfer efficiency, low capital
valves on air lines or surface aerator speeds via variable- cost, and low operational cost. However, this type of aerator
frequency drives (VFDs). The control strategies can be as is not suitable for cold climates (due to icing problems),
simple as manual control of final control elements based on requires critical level controls, and does not provide enough
DO concentrations or advanced control algorithms utilizing oxygenation capacity for nitrification.
feedback/feedforward and cascade control.
Process Configurations
Success of any control strategy depends upon careful
evaluation of all elements of the control loop, including the Two basic types of process configurations are used for
field instrument measuring the process variable (DO), the mechanical aeration systems.
algorithm, the final control element, and other related
mechanical process equipment utilized in the process (e.g., Plug Flow Configuration Figure 8.1a shows the plug flow
blowers, diffusers, and surface aerators). configuration. Rectangular tanks with large length-to-width
The following paragraphs in this section will discuss the ratios and containing several aerators approach plug flow
process equipment, field instrumentation, control strategies, conditions. In this configuration the tank essentially operates
and current trends in implementation of aeration and DO like several smaller tanks connected in series, and the result
control. is more like plug flow rather than complete mixing.
1484
Effluent
Influent Effluent
Aerator
(typ.)
Aeration basin
Aerator
FIG. 8.1a (typ.)
Plug flow configuration of a mechanical aeration system.
PLC logic
Start
next
Compare
Stop Hi-limit
Seq. < >
next Low-limit
Motor starter
(typ.) I I I I Sequencer
A A
DO
M M M M AIT
Single-speed
DO
aerator (typ.)
AE
FIG. 8.1c
On/Off aerator control system.
PLC logic
DT
KC
Time interval
A
Two-speed HS
motor starter I I I I
A
(typ.)
A
Manual DO
M M M M start/stop AIT
high or low
Single-speed
DO
aerator (typ.)
AE
Oxidation tank
FIG. 8.1d
Dual-speed aerator control system.
started or stopped based on DO level is loaded in a sequence DO signal against the preset high and low DO limits. If at
table part of the PLC logic. The operator can change the the end of each time interval the measured DO level is less
sequence via operator interface. than preset, start the next aerator at low speed in accordance
A DO sensor/analyzer sends a 4–20 mA signal to the PLC. with the sequence loaded in the sequencer.
The DO signal is linearized and is compared against the high When all aerators in the zone are running at low speed
and low DO set points. If the DO is below the low limit set and the DO level is still below preset, switch the first aerator
point for an adjustable time period, the sequence logic sends to high speed.
a start command to the “next” aerator to start. As long as the On subsequent time intervals, if the DO level remains
DO level is below the set point, the sequencer will start the next below the low limit, continue switching the next aerator to
aerator until either all aerators have been started or the DO high speed as determined by the sequencer. If the DO level
level is within the high and low DO set points. continues to be below the low limit, eventually all aerators
If the DO signal is above the high set point for an adjust- will be running at high speed and the DO level will be at the
able time period, the sequencer issues a stop command to the maximum achievable limit. On the other hand, during any
next aerator. No aerator is stopped or started by the sequencer time interval, if the DO level is above the preset high limits
as long as the DO level is within the band set by the high during subsequent time intervals, the sequencer will switch
and low DO set points. Excessive cycling of the aerators can the next aerator to low speed one at a time. The aerators can
be avoided by increasing the DO control band or by adjusting be manually started at high or low speeds or stopped via
the time delay before a start or stop command is issued to commands from the operator interface.
the aerators. Figure 8.1e shows a hypothetical graph of typical aeration
capacity variation vs. time that can be expected using dual-
Dual-Speed Control Dual-speed aerators are used to achieve speed control. The aeration capacity is at minimum when all
a better control on aeration and save energy. Figure 8.1d shows aerators are running at low speed. The aeration capacity is
a typical dual-speed aerator control system. Dual-speed motor increased by a step of DA during a time interval DT when an
starters are used to run the motors at two different speeds. As aerator is switched from low to high speed. Maximum aeration
discussed before, a DO sensor/analyzer is used to measure DO capacity is reached when all aerators are running at high
in the wastewater and transmit a 4–20 mA signal to PLC. speed.
PLC logic performs the following functions:
At the end of each adjustable preset time interval of DT, Variable-Speed Control Variable-speed drives can be used
as determined by an interval timer logic, check the measured to continuously vary the speed of the aerator based on DO
capacity
DA
Time
FIG. 8.1e
The above relationship can be expected between aeration capacity and time, when using dual-speed aeration controls.
measurement. The speed can be either manually adjusted from Variable-Impeller Depth Control Aeration transfer capacity
the operator interface based on the DO readings or controlled of a turbine-type aerator can be controlled by varying the
automatically using a PID algorithm part of the PLC logic. submergence depth of the impeller. Figure 8.1g shows a
The DO measured variable is compared against the desired typical variable-impeller depth control system. Two cascaded
set point to generate an error signal, and the controller output control loops are used for this control system. A faster inter-
and speed of the aerator is modulated to minimize the error. nal control loop is used to adjust the vertical position of the
Manual speed control is accomplished by putting the con- impeller to maintain the position set point.
troller in manual and adjusting controller output to desired Position transmitter ZT provides the measured variable
value. and PID controller ZIC compares the actual position with the
Figure 8.1f shows a typical variable-speed aerator control position set point and adjusts the vertical position to minimize
loop. It should be noted that the aerators are constant torque the error. The position set point is modulated proportional to
machines, and the kW power requirement varies linearly with the output of PID controller AIC (external slower control
the speed; therefore, energy savings at reduced speeds are not loop), whose output is based on error between the measured
as dramatic as in case of centrifugal blowers. DO and the desired DO set point.
PLC logic
VFD A
A
AIT
M
AE
FIG. 8.1f
Variable-speed aerator control system.
PLC logic
Start/stop
HS Position DO
Position set point
controller
set point
A ZIC AIC A
A
A
A
I
M
A
A
Starter
Depth AIT
ZT M
adjustment
AE
FIG. 8.1g
Variable-impeller depth control system.
Variable-Level Control Another method to control the oxy- diffusers. Three factors are important in selection and appli-
gen transfer rate of a turbine-type aerator is by controlling cation of diffusers, namely the head loss through the diffusers,
the level of wastewater in the oxidation tank, thereby con- the oxygen transfer efficiency, and the layout and arrangement
trolling the submergence of the turbine impeller. The liquid of diffusers. Excellent discussion of diffusers and their appli-
level is controlled by raising or lowering a weir. The cascaded cation is available in the literature referenced at the end of
control loops, similar to the variable impeller depth control this section. A brief discussion is provided here as an
loop described above, are used. overview.
The faster inner loop (ZIC) controls the position of the weir,
and the position set point is modulated by the external slow DO Coarse Bubble Diffusers These diffusers release large air bub-
control loop (AIC). Adjusting the weir position adjusts the bles into the wastewater. These diffusers are further divided
liquid level, thus adjusting the submerged impeller depth. into four general categories: orifice, valve, shear, and shallow
submergence diffusers. The selection of the type of diffuser
Diffused Aeration Diffused aeration is accomplished by depends upon application, head loss characteristics, and oxy-
injecting air from an external source into the aeration basin gen transfer efficiency of the diffuser. The main advantage
through a diffuser. A diffuser can be as simple as a perforated of the valve-type orifice diffuser is that it prevents backflow
pipe or a complex device. Air is pushed through the diffuser of liquid in the air header on loss of air pressure.
using air blowers. Shear-type diffusers are difficult to attach to removable
Several types of configurations and aeration control strat- pipe headers, and therefore these types of diffusers are used
egies are used for diffused aeration of wastewater. Proper only in applications where they can be attached to the bottom
application of blowers, blower capacity control, and control of the tank. The shallow submergence diffusers are installed
valve selection can lead to an energy-efficient aeration sys- at shallow depths of about 3 ft below the liquid surface. The
tem. This subsection provides general background on types main advantage of shallow submergence-type diffusers is the
of diffusers and blowers used, methods of blower capacity low air pressure required, which allows the use of low-pressure
control, blower surge control, and the types of control valves blowers, reducing blower capital cost. In general, the coarse
used for air distribution. Measurement of DO and typical bubble diffusers are less efficient compared to fine bubble
control strategies are discussed in later subsections of this diffusers.
section.
Fine Bubble Diffusers The fine bubble diffusers produce
Aeration Diffusers fine air bubbles, which produce less turbulence in the waste-
water, as compared to the coarse bubble diffusers. Diffuser
There are two basic types of diffusers used in diffused aera- devices are generally made from porous ceramic materials or
tion, namely the coarse bubble diffusers and the fine bubble elastometric membranes. Fine bubble diffusers are available in
flat tubes, hollow plates, or dome-type construction. The head drive. The first method of blowing off the excess air during
loss characteristics for different types of fine bubble diffusers low air demand period wastes energy and is not recommended.
are not much different but their oxygen transfer efficiencies Reducing air flow by reducing the blower speed is a better
may differ significantly. way of controlling air flow of a PD blower, because it con-
The fine bubbles created by porous ceramic and elasto- serves energy by reducing blower horsepower requirement.
metric membrane-type diffusers mounted on a piping grid at However, it should be noted that the blower efficiency drops
the bottom of the aeration basin provide the best oxygen trans- significantly at lower speed and the energy savings are not
fer efficiency. as dramatic, as in the case of the centrifugal blower, because
the horsepower vs. speed relationship is linear. A turndown
Aeration Blowers of 100–50% capacity is possible by using variable-frequency
drives to vary the speed of a PD blower.
There are two types of blowers commonly used in aeration The PD blower is used typically in small aeration systems
applications, namely the positive displacement (PD) blowers requiring aeration flows of 1000 SCFM or less. PD blowers
and the centrifugal blowers. There is plenty of literature were used extensively before 1960; however, the develop-
available on the subjects of blowers and their applications in ment of high-efficiency centrifugal machines with single- and
the references listed at the end of this section. Only a brief dual-vane capacity control has limited the use of PD blowers
overview is included in this paragraph. Selection of an appro- to smaller systems with variable head requirements.
priate blower type should be based on capital cost, operating
cost, efficiency, and the flow/capacity turndown capability. Centrifugal Blowers Figure 8.1i shows a typical operating
Complete life-cycle costs should be analyzed for various characteristic of a centrifugal blower. The curve B1-B2 is the
blower types/configuration before a final selection is made. blower-operating curve. Curve S1-S2 represents the system
curve that includes the static head and the frictional resis-
Positive Displacement Blower The rotary, two-impeller, PD tance. The intersection of the two curves (point “O”) is
blower is a constant volume, variable-pressure machine. At the operating point of the blower. At the operating point, the
the rated speed, this type of blower provides constant flow blower is running at rated speed to deliver the flow at the
at widely varying discharge pressures. Figure 8.1h shows the pressure dictated by the system curve, without any speed
typical operating characteristics of a PD blower. Low capital control or valve throttling.
costs and its ability to operate at widely varying pressures It should be noted that the blower curve is almost hori-
are the advantages of a PD blower. The disadvantages include zontal at point B1 and shown as a dotted line to the left of
the difficulty of throttling the air flow rates to meet the vary- point B1. “B1” is the “surge condition” point of the blower,
ing demands, high maintenance cost, and noisy operation. which indicates unstable blower operating point; the blower
The capacity control of a PD blower can be achieved either should not be operated at or to the left of the point B1. In all
by blowing off excess air through a blow-off valve or by practical applications, blower capacity control is required to
varying the speed of the blower using a variable-frequency meet the varying demands of the aeration process. The blower
discharge flow can be controlled by using one of the three
methods: (1) discharge throttling by using a control valve in
the discharge line, (2) changing the speed of the blower, and
60% 80% 100%
speed speed speed
B1 S2
Discharge pressure
O Operating
Discharge pressure
point
B2
S1
Static
head
Air flow rate
Air flow rate
FIG. 8.1h
Characteristic curves of a typical rotary positive displacement FIG. 8.1i
blower. Characteristic curves of a typical centrifugal blower.
S 2′′ B1 S2
B1 S 2′ B1′
Discharge pressure
O′′ S2 O
B1′′
P1 O′ O′ System
Discharge pressure
P2 O′′ curve
O System
P3 curve (typ.)
B2
100%
B2' speed
B2 S1 B2''
S1 90%
Static 80% speed
Static
head speed
head
F1 F2 F3 Air flow
Air flow
FIG. 8.1k
FIG. 8.1j The effect of suction valve throttling on the outlet pressure and flow
The effect of discharge valve throttling on the outlet pressure and of a centrifugal blower.
flow of a centrifugal blower.
points Constant
pressure of $0.035 per kWh and higher, single-stage dual vane blowers
P1 F1 F2 F3 F5 F 6 line have the lowest life cycle cost. The surge points and related
F4 control strategies are discussed in the following paragraphs
of this section.
Discharge pressure
Isentropic efficency-percent
70
Surge line
Note 1 Blower
operating
60
curves (typ.)
Positive
displacement Air flow
FIG. 8.1o
The characteristic curves and surge points of a variable-speed
50 blower at various speed settings.
40 50 60 70 80 90 100
surge line represents a parabolic pressure flow relationship.
Capacity-percent
The purpose of a surge control algorithm is to keep the blower
Note: operating to the right of the surge line at all times. The dotted
1. Dashed multistage curve indicates limited turndown line in Figure 8.1o shows the minimum flow blower operating
FIG. 8.1n points maintained by the surge control algorithm. Figure 8.1.l
The isentropic efficiencies of four blower designs. also shows the surge points and the operating point limit set
by the surge control algorithm for a single-stage blower using
inlet guide vanes. Blower manufacturers generally provide
displacement blowers are used in smaller applications of up the data for the surge line as part of their package to ensure
to 3000 SCFM (100 hp). As seen in Figure 8.1n, PD blowers that the blower will never be allowed to go into surge.
have very poor efficiency at 100% capacity, and the efficiency Several different control strategies are used to prevent
drops rapidly as speed control is used to reduce capacity. surge. Figure 8.1p shows a typical surge control strategy for
Although lowest in efficiency, PD blowers remain popular in a variable-speed centrifugal blower. Blower discharge pres-
small applications due to their low cost. sure, flow, and aeration cell valve positions are measured and
It is important to note that both capital cost and opera- transmitted to the PLC as analog inputs. Based on aeration
tional cost must be considered during the blower selection valve position signals, the most-open valve (MOV) algorithm
process. A present-worth analysis based on life-cycle costs computes the header pressure set point.
should be performed to select the best type of blower for a The header pressure algorithm maintains the pressure
given application. set point by controlling the blower speeds. Both the MOV
and header pressure algorithms will be discussed in the
Surge Control of Blowers Centrifugal blowers have a mini- Aeration System Control subsection. The “PY” block in
mum flow point below which the blower performance becomes Figure 8.1p receives the pressure value from the header pres-
unstable. This unstable operating point is called surge condition, sure algorithm and computes the minimum permissible flow
and when this condition is reached, wide oscillations in pressure set point using either a look-up table or an equation (dotted
and flow conditions can occur, causing damage to the blower. line in Figure 8.1o). The flow set point computed by the
The surge condition is prevented by always maintaining flow “PY” block is used by the surge controller (FIC) to control
greater than the safe minimum required. This is accomplished the blow-off valve to maintain the flow set point that avoids
by providing a blow-off valve on the discharge line and blowing surge conditions.
off excess flow through this valve during low-flow conditions. Figure 8.1q shows another control strategy that can be
Figure 8.1o shows typical characteristic curves for a variable- used for surge control of the centrifugal blower that uses
speed centrifugal blower and the function of a surge control inlet guide vane throttling for control of blower capacity. In
algorithm. this example, the blower motor current and the inlet vane
The graph of minimum flow surge points for various position are continuously measured and transmitted to the
pressure and speed conditions is called the surge line. The PLC.
PLC logic
Aeration
Header press S.P. A valve
MOV
A position
algorithm
A signals
Note 2
Header pressure (note 2)
control algorithm Pressure
value
Flow S.P. Surge Blow-off
(note 1) controller valve
A
A
A
Speed
Speed
ind.
Run
Fail
PY FIC A E
On
Note 1
A
VFD FCV
A
P
PT FIT
M
To process
Centrifugal
FE
blower
Notes:
1. Minimum permissible flow S.P. corresponding to a pressure
value to prevent surge is computed using either a look-up
table or an equation, part of “PY” block.
2. Detailed strategies for most-open valve (MOV) algorithm
and header pressure control are described in
Figure 8.1w and the subsection Aeration System Control.
FIG. 8.1p
Surge protection control strategy for a variable-speed centrifugal blower, which prevents the blower flow from dropping below an allowable
limit.
When inlet vanes are modulated by the header pressure are very important for a properly operating aeration control
algorithm, to reduce blower output, the motor current draw system. An oversized control valve can reduce the effective
corresponding to surge point also reduces. The relationship air flow turndown capability, create flow oscillations and
between the inlet vane position and the surge point current difficulty in maintaining flow or pressure set points. However,
draw is nonlinear. This nonlinear relationship can be pro- an undersized control valve can cause excessive pressure
grammed in the PLC either as a look-up table or an equation. drops, energy losses, and increased noise levels. The subject
For a measured inlet vane position, the desirable minimum of control valves, their selection, and sizing is discussed in
motor current draw is computed (“ZY” block) and used as a detail in Chapter 6 of this handbook; however, a brief dis-
set point for the current control algorithm, part of the surge cussion is included here for the sake of continuity.
controller (IIC). Typical valve-sizing calculations should include check-
The error between the set point and the actual motor ing for choked flow, determination of the expansion and
current measurement is used by the PID algorithm (IIC) to compressibility factors, and the calculation of valve capacity
open the air blow-off valve to increase the motor ampere draw coefficient Cv. The valve-size selection should also include
to avoid the surge point. As was noted earlier, the header air velocity and noise considerations.
pressure and MOV control algorithms will be described in the Selection of valve flow characteristics is an important con-
Aeration System Control subsection. In both Figures 8.1p and sideration in designing a stable control system. The most com-
8.1q, the blow-off valve is a modulating-type control valve. mon flow characteristics are linear, equal percentage, and quick
opening. For aeration flow application, the equal-percentage
Air Distribution Control Valves characteristics are the most suitable. As the name suggests, the
equal-percentage characteristic increases the valve flow capac-
Air distribution control valves are important building blocks ity by the same percentage for each equal increment of travel.
of any aeration control system. Selection, sizing, and appli- Equal-percentage butterfly valves are commonly used in the
cation of the correct type of control valves for air distribution aeration flow and pressure control applications.
PLC logic
Surge Blow-off
controller valve
Amp S.P.
ZY IIC A A A E
Note 1
Note 2 Note 2
FCV
A
A
Header pressure MOV
control algorithm algorithm
Press
S.P.
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
Run
Fail
On
Vane
A
A
A
A
A
position
A
control Motor
Guide vane
position
A
starter
A
I
A
A
IT A Aeration valve
ZT E position signals
Vane AMP
PT
position P TRA To process
Inlet
guide Centrifugal
vanes blower
Notes:
1. Minimum permissible blower amp set point corresponding
to a guide vane position to prevent surge is computed
either using a look-up table or an equation, part of ZY block.
2. Detailed strategies for most-open valve (MOV) algorithm
and header pressure control are described in Figure 8.1w and
the subsection Aeration System Control.
FIG. 8.1q
Surge protection control strategy for an inlet vane controlled centrifugal blower, using the inlet guide vane position and the motor current
drawn to detect the approach of a surge condition.
Automatic valve actuators serve to position the valve in Electric Actuators The electric motor-driven actuators can
accordance with the control signal received. The commonly be on/off or modulating. The actuator consists of an electric
used actuators in aeration applications include the pneumatic motor and a reversing starter/contactor that allows the motor
spring and diaphragm and the electric motor-driven designs. to run in forward or reverse direction, thus opening or closing
the valve. Modulating valves can be throttled by a 4–20 mA
Pneumatic Actuators A pneumatic actuator in conjunction electronic signal.
with a three-way solenoid valve is used in an on/off applica- The actuators for smaller valves operate on 120 V, single-
tion, whereas an actuator with a positioner allows modulation phase AC power, utilizing single-phase “capacitor start” motors,
of the valve in response to a control signal. The electronic and for the larger valves, the actuators operate on 480 V, three-
4–20 mA control signal is converted to 3–15 psi pneumatic phase, AC power supply using three-phase motors. The valve
signal applied as input to the positioner. operational torque requirements determine the type of motor
Figure 8.1r shows typical control and instrumentation and power supply.
devices associated with pneumatic diaphragm-type valve, actu- Typically a modulating valve with electric actuator con-
ator, and positioner. For applications where fail open- or fail sists of the following devices:
close-type operation is desired, the pneumatic spring-and- A local-off-remote switch. When this switch is in local posi-
diaphragm-type actuator has a distinct advantage because the tion, the valve can be manually controlled using either actuator-
failure modes are easily implemented. mounted open–close pushbuttons or a local potentiometer to
Position
modulation
control
A
A
Close status
Open status
A
Switch in
Position
remote
Valve
Position
I/P
20 PSI feed back
F/R FY
A
LOR
A
3−15 PSI
HS
AS Z ZSO ZT E
ZT OC
80 PSI HS
80 PSI P ZSC
From To aeration
blowers basin
From To aeration
blowers basin LOR: Local-off-remote FCV
HS: Hand switch
OC: Open-close
FCV ZT: Position transmitter
AS: Air supply
F/R: Air filter/pressure regulator ZSO: Limit switch-valve open
FY: Current to pressure converter ZSC: Limit switch-valve closed
ZT: Position transmitter E: Electric actuator
Z: Pneumatic positioner FCV: Flow control valve
P: Pneumatic actuator
FIG. 8.1s
FCV: Flow control valve
The components of a control loop consisting of a PLC that is
FIG. 8.1r controlling an electrically actuated control valve, which is provided
The components of a control loop consisting of a PLC that is with stem position feedback.
controlling a pneumatic control valve with positioner and stem
position feedback.
enclosure. The control logic, part of the analyzer, holds the turers provide mechanisms like air-blast cleaning for
analog output during the cleaning cycle to avoid interruption periodic automatic cleaning, these mechanisms also
of the signal to the control system. need additional maintenance.
In the second type of design, the galvanic electrodes are 6. The sensors are subject to interference from anything
directly immersed in the process fluid without any membrane. that produces small voltages.
The cleaning of electrodes is accomplished by a motor-driven
diamond grindstone to provide a continuous cleaning action Luminescent DO Sensors
on the metal electrodes. This self-cleaning action on the
electrodes addresses the maintenance problem. The elec- Luminescent DO sensors are relatively new in the DO sensor
trodes are protected from large suspended solids using a technology. These types of sensors have been developed to
sample chamber. The sample chamber continuously oscillates minimize the maintenance problems associated with the gal-
to pump fresh sample to the measuring electrodes. vanic- or polarographic-type sensors. Figure 8.1t shows the
basic operating principle of a luminescent-type DO sensor.
Polarographic Cell The luminescent sensor is coated with a luminescent
material. Blue light from a light-emitting diode (LED) is
These types of sensors use oxygen current measurement tech- transmitted to the sensor surface. The blue light excites the
nique, wherein a “polarizing voltage” is applied across a luminescent material. As the material relaxes, it emits red
selected electrode, where the oxygen reduction occurs via an light. The time from when the blue light was sent and the red
electrical reaction called polarographic. The polarographic cur- light is emitted is measured by the photo diode. The more
rent is proportional to the oxygen concentration in the process oxygen that is present, the shorter the time it takes for the
fluid. red light to be emitted. This time is measured and correlated
The sensor is a three-electrode polarographic sensor con- to the oxygen concentration. Between the flashes of blue
sisting of a silver reference, silver anode, and a gold cathode. light, a red LED is flashed on the sensor and used as a
The electrodes are covered by a 50µ hydrophobic membrane, reference.
which is preinstalled in a membrane head assembly. The Although not enough actual operational data is available
membrane and membrane head assembly are constructed of at the time of this writing, the limited experience indicates
fluorinated ethylene propylene and polyoxymethylene, that this type of sensor has a good potential for success. The
respectively. The sensor body is constructed of stainless steel luminescent-type DO sensor has the following advantages
and polyoxymethylene. The sensor includes automatic tem- over the traditional sensors:
perature compensation to compensate for changes in process
temperature. 1. Membrane cleaning and replacement is eliminated
Again, the presence of membrane requires extra care in because the technique does not use membranes.
maintenance and the need for electrolyte solutions. Because membranes are not used, there is no need for
electrolytes.
Galvanic and Polarographic Cell Limitations 2. There are no anodes or cathodes, and this eliminates
the need for their replacement.
The galvanic and polarographic DO sensing techniques have
been used for the last 50 years. As discussed before, the key
components used in these types of sensors are anodes, cath-
odes, membranes, membrane cleaning devices, and electro-
lyte solutions. Although these types of sensors have a long
Probe
track record of successful applications, they pose the follow-
ing challenges related to operation and maintenance.
Some of the limitations and concerns include:
Differential pressure-PSIG
depth. 13
Surge line
12 of IGV unit
10
Other important measurements required in any aeration control
system are air flow, header pressure, and air temperature mea- 9
surements. Air flow to each aeration cell, part of the aeration
basin, is measured to be used as a process variable in the air 8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
flow control algorithm discussed later in this section. The X1000 SCFM air flow
newer thermal dispersion-type flow meter is successfully used
FIG. 8.1u
in air flow measurement applications.
The surge and operating lines of blowers whose capacity is con-
A pitot tube or a venturi tube can also be used for air flow
trolled by inlet guide vanes.
measurements, but the pitot tube is less accurate than the
thermal dispersion-type flow meter. The venturi tube gives
satisfactory results, but is expensive and requires long straight Single-Stage IGV Blowers in Parallel Capacity control of
pipe runs upstream and downstream of the meter. Orifice single IGV blowers is accomplished by modulating the inlet
plates are not suitable for flow measurement on low-pressure guide vanes to throttle the inlet airflow. Closing the IGVs to
systems. Pressure transmitters are required for measurement reduce the capacity increases pressure drop across the IGVs
of header air pressure to be used for control of blower capacity. and thus reduces both the discharge pressure and the surge
Both air temperature measurement and differential pres- pressure point of the unit.
sure measurement across the blower are used by blower man- Figure 8.1u shows the air flow vs. differential pressure
ufacturers to develop algorithms for precise control of dual curves for the IGV blower with the characteristic curves
vane single-stage centrifugal blowers. corresponding to the various positions of the inlet guide
vanes. As shown in the figure, as the capacity is reduced by
the closure of the vanes, the surge pressure is also reduced.
CONTROL OF DIFFUSED AERATION This results in a drooping surge line, which is the reason why
these blowers must operate in parallel.
Parallel and Cascade Control of Blowers To explain the limitations of parallel operation, assume
as shown in Figure 8.1u that the design pressure is 13.7 PSIG,
All major aeration applications require multiple blower units and the maximum flow is 8700 SCFM. Let us further assume
connected to a common header. Blowers are turned ON or the unit is designed to turndown to a minimum of 45%
OFF and the capacities controlled to suit the aeration cells. capacity or 3400 SCFM, which is below the surge limit.
Today, many of the high-volume aeration processes use single- Hence, at high ambient temperature conditions (100°F), the
stage blowers because of their efficiency and ease of control unit may go into surge before maximum turndown is reached.
by modulating inlet guide vanes. Two types of single-stage This is illustrated in Figure 8.1u, where the surge point
blowers are generally used, namely single stage with IGV 1 is at 4400 SCFM or at 51% of maximum capacity. Thus,
only and single stage with dual vanes (IGVs and variable in case of an operation where a single blower was meeting
diffuser vanes). Depending on the type of blower used, two the process load until its full capacity (100%) is reached and
types of capacity control strategies are used: at that point a parallel blower is started, the resulting total
In Parallel capacity control, multiple blower capacities loading would be 50%, while the surge limit is 51%, hence
are simultaneously modulated to suit the air demand. As the system would go into surge. On the other hand, if the on-
explained in the next paragraphs, due to the drooping “surge line unit(s) were reduced in capacity and the off-line unit
line,” the single IGV blowers are restricted to use only par- brought on-line at this same reduced capacity, all units would
allel capacity control, which allows capacity control without thereby have equal surge pressures, and one unit would not
the possibility of approaching surge conditions. go into surge before the others.
Cascade capacity control is defined as varying the capac- The parallel capacity control has the following limitations:
ity of one on-line blower while capacities of other blowers
are held at either maximum or minimum. Because of the flat All on-line units vary capacity at the same time, which
“surge line” of the dual vane blowers, the cascade control means small changes in vane setting creates large
can be used for these blowers without the possibility of flow changes and finer airflow variation cannot be
reaching surge conditions. accomplished.
A A MCP DO S.P.
LCP-1/PLC-1 DO DO
FV FIC AIC AT
A A A A
1 Flow S.P. 1 1
A
A E FCV 1-2
E
A
A
A a 1-1
A
A IGV FT
A
TT
1 Run 1
1 Cell #1 AE DO
A
A
ZT FCV
On A A A 1
ZT 1-3 1-3
A
I IT E
1 M
∗ 1
B-1
FE
A
A A 1
LCP-2/PLC-2 MCP DO S.P.
FV DO DO
FIC AIC AT
A
A A A A
A
A E FCV 2-2 2
E 2 Flow S.P. 2
A
b 2-1
A
A
TT A IGV
FT
A
2 Run
2
A
A
A
b 2 Cell #2 AE DO
On ZT FCV
ZT I IT A A A 2
M 2-3 2-3
A
2 2 E
B-2 ∗
PT
4
A
FE
A A MCP
LCP-3/PLC-3 A 2 DO S.P.
A
DO
FV FIC AIC AT
A A A A
A
A
A
3-1
A
TT A IGV FT
A
3 Run
Cell #3
A
c
A
ZT FCV
On A A A 3
ZT I IT 3-3 3-3
A
A
3 M E
A
3
A
B-3 ∗
A
A
Guide vane
position Press FE
PIC B.P. 3
MOV Aeration cells
Data link (typ.) 4 C
Blower
start/stop Sequencer ∗ Motor starter
Blowers LCP - Local control panel
MCP (PLC-Main) MCP - Main control panel
MOVC - Most-open valve control algorithm
FIG. 8.1w
1499
The overall control system of an aeration process.
system gets dirty, diffusers clog, or an abnormal obstruction natural equilibrium. Generally slight changes in the most-
occurs in the piping to one of the cells. open valve position will cause all other valves to slightly open
Another method to relate the header pressure set point or close as a result of the algorithm using Equation 8.1(2).
to the aeration flow is to define a relationship between the Referring to Figure 8.1w, the most-open valve algorithm
header pressure set point and the most-open air flow control (MOV-C) is resident in the main PLC. It receives the valve
valve position for the aeration cells. Equation 8.1(2) shows position signals from all the valves, determines the most-open
a typical relationship: valve position, and generates a header pressure set point value
using Equation 8.1(2). A dead band can be provided on the
SP = K1 + K2 (VP) 8.1(2)
pressure set point that will not allow change in pressure set
where point unless the required change exceeds the dead band.
SP = header pressure set point The header pressure PID control algorithm is also resi-
VP = most-open valve position dent in the main PLC and generates output to control the
K1, K2 = constants blower capacities to maintain the pressure set point. The
blower control is described in the next paragraph.
Equation 8.1(2) is a linear equation that is a reasonable
approximation to the actual relationship, which should follow Control of Blowers to Maintain the Header Pressure Figure 8.1w
Bernoulli’s equation. shows three blowers (B-1, B-2, and B-3) connected to the com-
The constants K1 and K2 can be determined theoretically mon header part of the aeration system. The blowers shown in
during aeration system design and further refined during this example are single-stage centrifugal blowers. These blow-
start-up by conducting tests. During the design phase, the ers can be either multistage with inlet throttling valve or
pressure drop to each aeration cell is characterized for min- single-stage single vane (IGV) or dual vane blowers. Each
imum and maximum design flows. The flow control valve to blower has a PLC-based local control panel (LCP-1, -2, or -
each aeration cell (FCV-1-3, -2-3, and -3-3) should be chosen 3) that controls the blower operation.
to provide pressure control between 30 and 80% open. The local control panel receives air temperature and
During process start-up, a test is conducted to determine inlet vane position analog signals and generates analog out-
header pressure at minimum and maximum flows. The values puts for controlling the inlet guide vanes and the blow-off
of header pressure and most-open valve position (VP) for valve. The local panel also generates digital outputs (dry
minimum and maximum flow are substituted in Equation contacts) to start/stop the blower, interfaced with motor
8.1(2), resulting in two equations (one corresponding to min- starter and open/close outputs for control of blower dis-
imum flow and the other corresponding to maximum flow) charge valve (FV-1-2, -2-2, -3-2). Each panel receives digital
and two unknowns (constants K1 and K2). These equations inputs (contact closure) from the motor starter for ON status
are solved to determine the values of the two constants K1 and the open/close status from discharge valve. All safety
and K2. control logic including surge control is part of the local
During operation, when the position of the most-open panel controls.
valve is changed either to adjust the air flow to maintain the As discussed in the previous paragraph the algorithm for
DO set point or to maintain the flow under increased frictional header pressure control using the most-open valve algorithm
or diffuser head loss, the header pressure set point is adjusted is programmed in the main control panel PLC. The blower
using Equation 8.1(2). In other words, the header pressure sequencer is also programmed in the main PLC. The local
set point is continuously adjusted based on the position of panel PLCs (PLC-1, PLC-2, or PLC-3) receive blower start/
the most-open valve. stop commands, IGV position commands, and header pres-
For a review of the operation of the most-open valve sure values from the main PLC via data link.
algorithm refer to Figure 8.1w. Let us assume that cell #1 The sequencer logic decides when to start or stop the
diffuser is clogged, restricting flow. Controller FIC-1 next blower, and the start/stop commands are relayed to the
will cause the valve FCV-1-3 to fully open, trying to maintain local panels via the data link. As described in the earlier
the required flow set point. Equation 8.1(2) will increase the section Parallel and Cascade Control of Blowers, either par-
header pressure set point due to increased most-open valve allel or cascade control strategy is programmed in the main
(FCV-1-3) position VP. The increased header pressure will PLC, depending on whether the blowers are multistage or
clear out the obstruction in the cell #1 diffuser and as soon single or dual vane single-stage blowers.
as the diffuser is unclogged, FIC-1 will bring FCV-1-3 to its Using the parallel or cascade control strategy, the
normal position, bringing the header pressure set point back sequencer issues commands for starting or stopping the next
to normal value. blower, and the header pressure control algorithm either mod-
The most-open valve algorithm is allowed to quickly and ulates multiple blower IGVs (parallel control) simultaneously
automatically fix the clogged diffuser situation, which other- or single blower IGV one at a time (cascade control), depend-
wise would have remained unnoticed for a long period leading ing upon the type of blower system selected. Both parallel
to process upset. A properly designed and tuned most-open and cascade control strategies have been described in the
valve algorithm allows all air flow control valves to find a earlier section Parallel and Cascade Control of Blowers.
To blower
nos. 1 & 2
To other
local
panels
To aeration
Blow basin #1
Local panel off
Amp LCP-3/PLC-3 Motor
S.P. AMPS
IC A A
2
Blower
start/stop
A
To aeration
PT basin #2
A
A
A E
A
FCV
A
3-1 A A Valve
A
FV
A
C position
3-2
A
A
TT E signals
A
from
A
3 A A
A
IGV
aeration
A
3 Run
A
valves
A
A
C A A (Fig. 8.1w)
A
On
A
A
A
ZT I IT
A
M To aeration
3 ∗ 3
basin #3
A
B-3
AMP Press
S.P. S.P.
IY PIC MOV
Data link 4 4 C
(typ.)
Blower Sequencer
start/stop
MCP (PLC-main)
IC Amp control algorithm
FIG. 8.1y
Controlling the header pressure by throttling the current to the blower motor.
The surge control strategy for each blower is programmed Throttling Motor Current to Maintain Header Pressure In some
in the local PLC, part of the dedicated local control panel for applications, the inlet guide vanes for the single-stage blowers,
each blower. The control strategies for surge control for dif- or the inlet valve in the case of multistage blowers, is modulated
ferent types of blowers were discussed in the earlier subsection to maintain a blower motor current set point. Referring to
Surge Control of Blowers. The local PLC logic includes a Figure 8.1y, the output of the pressure controller PIC-4 is con-
look-up table that provides the desired blower ampere draw verted into a blower current (amperes) set point using a linear
set point that is required to avoid surge conditions for a given equation, using the computation block IY-4. The computed
inlet guide vane position. The ampere controller algorithm ampere set point is transmitted to the local PLC panel (LCP-3),
looks at the measured blower current and compares this value via the data link. The amp controller (IC-3) is programmed in
with the desirable set point. the local individual blower panel PLC.
If the measured current is less than the desired set point, The current (amp) controller receives the measured value of
the algorithm generates an output to open the blow-off valve motor current, compares it to the desired amp set point, and
to bring the motor current draw to the desired value that is generates an output to modulate the inlet guide vane or valve to
within the safe operating region. Thus, in this example, bring the motor current to the set point. The other control loops
blower ampere draw is controlled to prevent the blower from for aeration basin flow control, DO control, and most-open valve
going into surge condition. control strategies remain the same as shown in Figure 8.1w.
NITROGEN PROFILE ANALYZERS FOR WASTEWATER controls the sample collection and analysis of each sample.
Either analog 4–20 mA signals or digital data via Modbus
The classical method of aeration control has been to maintain communication link are available, corresponding to each
a desired DO concentration set point using DO measurement parameter. Figure 8.1z shows a simplified block diagram of a
and control algorithms discussed before in this section. One typical nitrogen profile analyzer.
problem with this approach is that the DO set point is usually
set very conservatively to ensure excess of DO in the waste- Mechanical Aerator Control Application
water. Maintaining surplus DO in the aeration basin effluent
to an arbitrary high set point is a convenient way to ensure Figure 8.1aa shows a typical installation of mechanical aer-
that all ammonia has been converted to oxidized nitrogen, ators in the aeration basin. The influent flow is split into the
i.e., the wastewater has been fully “nitrified.” East and West basins. Each basin is divided into four cells.
The difference between the oxygen required to achieve Cell #1, #3, #5, and #7 include dual-speed 125/81 hp aerators.
process objectives (full nitrification) and the actual oxygen Cell #2 and #6 include 200 hp adjustable-speed aerators, and
delivered to meet a DO set point represents the potential cell #4 and #8 have 75 hp adjustable-speed aerators.
energy savings that can be realized by measuring ammonia, A single nitrogen profile analyzer is used for on-line
nitrate, and nitrite concentrations on-line and using these measurement/display of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate concen-
values to control the aeration process. The nitrification pro- trations at two locations in each basin (East and West). The
cess is a two-step process involving two types of microor- nitrogen profile data is transmitted to the plant SCADA sys-
ganisms. The first type converts ammonia into nitrite (NO2), tem and displayed on the graphic screens. Plant operators
and the second type converts the nitrites into nitrates (NO3). look at the nitrogen profiles to make adjustments to the aer-
Complete nitrification is achieved when all ammonia is con- ator operation. For example, at minimum ammonia and max-
verted into nitrates. imum nitrate levels, all aerators are running at low speeds.
If the objective of the aeration process is full nitrification, As the ammonia levels rise and nitrate levels fall, the two
the aeration energy costs can be optimized by direct mea- dual-speed aerators #1 and #5 are switched to 100% speed.
surement of ammonia and nitrates at several points and using If the ammonia levels still keep rising, the speeds of 200 hp
this data to control the aeration process. Higher ammonia and aerators #2 and #6 are gradually increased to meet the oxygen
lower nitrate concentrations indicate greater oxygen demand, demand. The last two aerators #4 and #8 are ramped up if, in
and lower ammonia and higher nitrate concentrations indicate a highly unlikely event, the South sampling point (located
lower aeration demand. close to aerators #4 and #8) shows higher ammonia concen-
The aeration process can be either manually or automat- trations. Most of the time the North sampling point is used to
ically controlled using on-line ammonia/nitrate concentration validate the results of the control actions. The aerators are
monitoring to achieve complete nitrification. This approach, ramped down in reverse sequence on falling ammonia levels.
in some cases, can lead to optimum aeration and reduced As an additional check, DO levels are measured in aera-
energy costs as compared to classical strategies based on DO tion cells #4 and #8 to ensure adequate DO level. The plant
measurement and control. DO measurement can still be used operators indicate that before installation of the nitrogen pro-
as a check on the overall success of the aeration process. The file analyzer, their target DO levels in the basin effluent were
technique of measurement of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate 1.0 mg/l. However, following the installation of nitrogen pro-
concentrations at various sample points is called “nitrogen file analyzer and using the nitrogen profile for aeration control,
profiling.” the DO levels dropped to 0.3 mg/l, translating in energy sav-
ings while ensuring complete nitrification.
Nitrogen Profile Analyzers
Diffused Aeration Control Application
The nitrogen profile analyzers receive filtered wastewater sam-
ples from multiple sampling points in a sequential manner and A nitrogen profile analyzer can also be used for diffused
perform UV spectrum analysis to determine ammonia, nitrite, aeration control. Referring to Figure 8.1w, the DO control
and nitrate concentrations in each sample. Typically, a single loop can be replaced with an ammonia or nitrate control loop.
high-capacity pump is used to draw samples from multiple Operator could select either ammonia or nitrate control mode.
sampling points. Each sample point is controlled by a motor- The DO controllers (AIC-1, -2, -3) are replaced with ammo-
operated ball valve on the suction side of the pump, controlled nia or nitrate controllers. The output of ammonia/nitrate con-
via signals from the sequencer, part of the analyzer. Sample troller is used to adjust the set point of the flow control loop
obtained from each sampling point is filtered and placed in an that modulates the air control valve to each aeration cell. A
accumulator. single analyzer can be used to analyze samples from different
Sample from the accumulator is transferred to a flow cell aeration cells.
using a small pump part of the analyzer. The analyzer uses When ammonia concentration is chosen for control,
reagents and UV spectrum analysis to determine the ammonia, the controller compares ammonia concentration in the sam-
nitrite, and nitrate concentrations. The sequencer automatically ple with the set point and increases the air flow controller
Aeration basin #1
E E
Aeration basin #2
E E
Valve
control
signals (4)
Return flow
to process Filter Sampling pump
Network communications
To drain E Ammonia, Nitrite,
Nitrate
Nitrogen profile
Zeroing
process analyzer
solution
(Di water)
Cleaning
solution
Analyzer Flow cell
Calibration pump
FIG. 8.1z
A simplified block diagram of a nitrogen profile analyzer.
(FIC-1, -2,- 3) set point as the ammonia concentration nitrate concentration is below the desired set point. It is
increases above set point, and reduces the air flow set point as possible that ammonia control mode may work better in
the ammonia concentration starts dropping below the set point. one cell while nitrate control mode may work better in
If nitrate concentration is chosen for control then the another cell (Figure 8.1aa).
action of the nitrogen controller is opposite to that of ammo- The most-open valve control strategy for header pressure
nia control, i.e., the set point of air flow controller is reduced control and the individual blower control is similar to that
when the nitrogen concentration is above the set point and described in the earlier subsection Aeration System Control
the set point of the air flow controller is increased when the and shown in Figures 8.1w and 8.1y. Although nitrogen profile
Influent
N
West basin East basin
Mixer Mixer
Aerator
DS DS
(typ.)
AS - Adjustable speed
#5 #1 To plant computer
DS - Dual speed
system
Plant PLC
AS AS
A
A
A
#6 #2 Ammonia
nitrite
nitrate
North sample SA SA
A
A
A
point
DS DS
Nitrogen
profile
analyzer
#7 #3
South sample SA
point SA
AS Drain to
AS
process
DO DO
AE AE
1 #8 #4 2
FIG. 8.1aa
Aeration basin with mechanical aerators, provided with a nitrogen profile analyzer.
Allesandro Lequio, Turblex Inc. 5. “Advantages of Cascade vs. Parallel Control,” Turblex Publication
Bernie Beemster, President, Applied Spectrometry Associates No. 44.
6. Mace, G. R., “High Efficiency Single-Stage Air Compressors and
Systems Instrumentation Reduce Power in the Biological Wastewater
Aeration Process,” Energy Efficiency Forum, Denver, CO,
References
August–September 1998.
7. Pelletier, R. A. and Sloan, D. S., “Orlando’s Nitrogen Profile Program:
1. Flanagan, M. J., and Bracken, B. D., EPA –600/2-77-032, “Design A New Approach to Activated Sludge Process Control,” 72nd Annual
Procedures for Dissolved Oxygen Control of Activated Sludge Pro- Water Environment Federation Conference and Exposition, New
cesses,” Cincinnati, OH: U.S. EPA, 1977. Orleans, LA, October 1999.
2. Hill, R., et al., Automated Process Control Strategies, Alexandria, 8. “Project Report and Data Summary, Evaluation of On-Line
VA: Water Environment Federation, 1997. Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate Analysis for Process Control and
3. Mace, G. R., and Mathews, S., “Upgrade of Aeration Diffusers, Blow- Energy Management,” Applied Spectrometry Associates, April
ers, and Instrumentation Saves upwards of 50% Power: Case Study 1998.
of two wastewater Treatment Plants,” South Carolina Environmental 9. Application Summary No. 96, Nitrification Process Control, Applied
Conference, 1999. Spectrometry Associates, Inc.
4. Vinton, R. H., and Mace, G. R., “Most-Open Valve Control and Cascade 10. Application Summary No. 114, Aeration Control, Applied Spectrom-
Control of Multiple Compressors Improve Aeration Efficiently and Cut etry Associates, Inc.
Costs,” Water Environment Federation, National Meeting, October 1997.