Promoting On-Site Use of Wastewater Process Models with Customized Simulators

Customized process simulators were constructed for the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. The objective of the customized interfaces was to facilitate the implementation of process models on-site for operator decision-support and training. Each project was initiated by a site visit, a presentation of potential prototypes, and a brainstorming session where operations staff provided input on the design of the customized simulation tool. The projects were significant because the simplified interfaces help ensure access of the underlying complex plant models to operations staff. Despite the benefits achieved, certain obstacles for the use of models by operations staff remain. The most significant have been the lack of time available for modeling by operations staff and the need to have dedicated personnel responsible for the implementation of modeling within the organizations. An important requirement is managing client expectations in terms of model predictive accuracy.