Keywords
uncertainty analysis, wastewater modelling, global sensitivity analysis
Start Date
1-7-2012 12:00 AM
Abstract
In the recent literature, the uncertainty of wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) modelling has had relevant interest both for designers and operators.Indeed, the frequent data lacking and the need to improve process knowledge, incase of innovative technologies, make the use of mathematical models moreuncertain. Therefore, the need to make model uncertainty more explicit is warmlyrecommended. However, only few applications of uncertainty analysis in thewastewater field have been carried out. In this work, the combination of the globalsensitivity analysis (GSA) and the Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation(GLUE) is applied for the uncertainty assessment of a WWTP model, in order todiscuss and verify its applicability. In particular, the GSA-GLUE approach is appliedto an integrated membrane bioreactor (MBR) model able to simulate the biologicalnutrient removal processes occurring in a University Cape Town (UCT)-MBRsystem. The model under study is also able to simulate the physical processes ofcake layer formation on membrane surface and the particle retention inside thecake layer. The GSA-GLUE approach has been applied by using quantity-qualitydata acquired in a UCT-MBR pilot plant. The results have demonstrated that theGSA-GLUE approach can be a valuable tool for designing and managing WWTP
The GSA-GLUE approach for uncertainty assessment of an integrated MBR model
In the recent literature, the uncertainty of wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) modelling has had relevant interest both for designers and operators.Indeed, the frequent data lacking and the need to improve process knowledge, incase of innovative technologies, make the use of mathematical models moreuncertain. Therefore, the need to make model uncertainty more explicit is warmlyrecommended. However, only few applications of uncertainty analysis in thewastewater field have been carried out. In this work, the combination of the globalsensitivity analysis (GSA) and the Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation(GLUE) is applied for the uncertainty assessment of a WWTP model, in order todiscuss and verify its applicability. In particular, the GSA-GLUE approach is appliedto an integrated membrane bioreactor (MBR) model able to simulate the biologicalnutrient removal processes occurring in a University Cape Town (UCT)-MBRsystem. The model under study is also able to simulate the physical processes ofcake layer formation on membrane surface and the particle retention inside thecake layer. The GSA-GLUE approach has been applied by using quantity-qualitydata acquired in a UCT-MBR pilot plant. The results have demonstrated that theGSA-GLUE approach can be a valuable tool for designing and managing WWTP
