Control of a Biological Nitrogen Removal Process in an Intensified Single Reactor Configuration

The nitrogen removing granular sludge process is a novel and intensified process. However, its stable operation and control remains a challenging problem. In this contribution, a new process oriented approach is used to develop, evaluate and benchmark control strategies to ensure stable operation and rejection of disturbances. Three control strategies were developed: a feedforward control (case 1), a rule-based feedback control (case 2), and a feedforward-feedback controller, in which the feedback loop updates the set point of the feedforward loop (case 3). The case 1 controller, based on influent measurements, showed the best performance against disturbances in the ammonium concentration, whereas case 2 was providing the best performance against disturbances in the organic carbon concentration. The case 3 controller rejected both disturbances satisfactorily. Thus, this controller provided versatility towards disturbance rejection, however through a less tight control, which meant a larger offset from the desired removal efficiency.