Process Control - Water Software Systems:

1

• Process Control - Water Software Systems
• Research Open Day
• Bogumil Ulanicki

2
History to present

• Founded in 1979
• Pioneered water network modelling in UK
• Conducted modelling/design studies for London
  Ring Main
• Introduced information integration enterprise
  modelling in water companies
• Developed fast optimisation methods for optimal
  scheduling design of water distribution systems
• Introduced pressure control burst detection
  methods
• Working on optimal control of wastewater
  treatment plants

3
WSS team

• Prof. Bogumil Ulanicki Director of Research
  Control Engineer
• Engineering systems
• Prof. Bryan Coulbeck (Emeritus) Group Founder
  Water Network Specialist
• Dr Peter Bounds Senior Lecturer ICT Specialist
• Industrial IT, modelling and optimisation
• Mr Parneet Paul Research Fellow Civil Engineer
• Wastewater systems
• Mr Tomasz Janus Research Fellow Civil Engineer
• Wastewater systems
• Dr Stuart Kerrigan Research Fellow ICT
  specialist
• Industrial IT, programming

4
Main competences

• Modelling complex engineering systems
• Numerical optimisation applied to engineering
  systems
• Optimal design/control of clean water systems
• Optimal design/control of wastewater treatment
  systems
• Software development for engineering applications
• Information integration in engineering systems

5
Saving energy - optimal scheduling

• Water companies annually spend millions of pounds
  on energy (pumping water, operating treatment
  plants).
• WSS has developed a modelling/optimisation
  package Finesse which includes optimal pump
  scheduling.
• Uses fast, accurate robust optimal scheduling
  methods to reduce energy use and therefore cost.
• WSS performs commercial work in this area.

6

• Case studies Sheringham and Spalding systems
• energy savings - 5

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Saving capital costs - optimal design

• Existing methods for optimal water network design
  focus mainly on pipe sizing
• They also require significant computational
  resources.
• WSS has developed design methods based on hybrid
  algorithms by integrating discrete methods with
  dynamic optimisation.
• These methods facilitate holistic design and have
  a significantly reduced calculation time.

8
London Ring Main design of pump schafts
9
Saving water - leakage management

• Leakage is one of the major problems facing water
  companies today.
• Leakage reduction can be achieved by
  identification of hidden leakage and pressure
  control.
• WSS has developed very efficient pressure control
  methods and software.
• WSS has developed burst identification
  methods/software
• WSS is involved in contract research in this
  area.

10
Case study Surbitonleakage reduction by 20
11
Finesse commercial software
12
Wastewater treatment - process control

• Use of membrane bioreactors (MBRs) for industrial
  and domestic wastewater treatment is becoming
  more widespread.
• Factors which dictate the performance of these
  plant are not well understood to date.
• WSS is working on a DTI funded initiative which
  aims to understand biomass filterability changes
  and its subsequent effect on membrane fouling and
  associated flux.
• Project outcomes shall thereby improve upon
  current design and operation of MBR systems.

13
MBR plant site visits Kane Foods
Case study DTI project
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Case study DTI project