The Savings are in the Details: Fundamentals of ABAC Design

The use of advanced aeration controls in WRRFs, particularly ammonia-based aeration control (ABAC), is becoming more widespread in North America. Compared to conventional dissolved oxygen (DO) control, ABAC utilizes all the available aeration tank capacity more efficiently by only nitrifying the influent ammonia necessary to obtain a desired effluent ammonia concentration. However, existing aeration systems are rarely capable of meeting equipment turndown requirements of ABAC since they were not originally designed to do so. This means that certain design parameters must be considered not only for existing systems but also for new facilities and aeration systems. The objective of this paper is to cover the fundamentals of designing around and implementing ABAC.