Process Control Systems For Wastewater Treatment

When people hear the word ‘wastewater,’ most think of sewage, stormwater drain run-off, or water contaminated by household or business use. This is not the only wastewater that needs to be dealt with though. ‘Wastewater’ merely means used water, including water used in industrial processes.

But whatever the source of the wastewater, it must be purified before it can reach an aquifer or natural bodies of water like lakes or rivers. This requires thorough treatment at a water treatment facility, including a series of advanced process controls.

Read on to learn more about the automated process control systems for wastewater treatment.

How Advanced Process Controls Improve Wastewater Treatment

If you own or manage a wastewater treatment facility, you are constantly aware of the need for precision and control. Any breakdown in the system can lead to negative consequences. These consequences apply not only to your operations and business reputation but also impact the entire water supply.

Fortunately, there are advanced process controls to improve all of your wastewater treatment operations. These automated control systems can help you in the following ways:

Plant-Wide Automation

Plant-wide automation allows your business to operate smoothly, even with a reduced workforce. It ensures greater accuracy and efficiency, all the while with control at your fingertips. You can achieve this through PLC automation controllers.

PLC programming is a proven and effective means of automated control with multi-industry applications – including water treatment facilities. Should you decide to upgrade your facility, PLCs are easy to reprogram.

Remote Monitoring & Operation

Running a wastewater treatment facility keeps you busy all the time and often away from the main site. There are meetings with industrial clients, environmental committees, government bodies, and ecology groups. The list is endless, and you can’t always be present at the facility to oversee processes.

Thanks to the advanced automation that custom control panels offer, you’re able to keep an eye on operations from a distance. Remote monitoring and operation over a wireless network don’t just allow management to stay on top of things. It frees up workers for other essential duties, too.

Customized dashboards reliant on cloud-based technology let you stay informed and in control at all times. And all operators can access critical information that’s easy to read and understand on HMI display screens.

Precision And Accuracy

With automation, comes improved accuracy. That leads to a higher level of productivity with less error. If there’s an industry where there is no room for error, it’s wastewater treatment. The need for transparency and accountability is more than enough reason to invest in advanced process controls.

There’s another very positive spinoff of this greater precision – you’ll boost your reputation as a reputable and reliable wastewater treatment plant. This is an industry where you can’t leave anything to chance, with regulatory bodies like the EPA constantly watching.

Improved Diagnostics And Early Detection Of Problems

If, at any stage, your facility’s water filters, softeners, demineralized, or deionized fail, the resulting water will remain contaminated, imbalanced, or otherwise unsuitable for use. Fortunately, advanced control processes for water treatment facilities offer top-notch predictive analytics.

These analytics allow you to detect any potential problems before they have a chance to occur. This makes maintenance a breeze. Essentially, it allows you to shift from reactive maintenance to predictive maintenance. This reduces the expense and inconvenience that equipment breakdown will cause.

You can also program data sensors to trigger alarm systems to alert you if anything is malfunctioning. In this way, advanced controls let you pinpoint issues and make adjustments before any disaster can happen.

Opportunities For Expansion

Wastewater treatment is a critical function of local municipalities and in time will likely need to expand capabilities. This is yet another area of the operations where advanced process control systems will help you.

A distributed control system (DCS) consists of sensors, controllers, and computers and is ideal for large and complicated processes. It can be connected to one centralized control station, allowing comprehensive automated control over all water treatment processes.

DCS systems can be integrated with existing PLCs and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. They also offer the scalability needed for large-scale water treatment plant expansion.

Conclusion

Wastewater treatment is crucial for the continued health of the entire ecosystem. By ensuring that the treated wastewater source doesn’t contain pollutants and contaminants, you protect water sources that plants, animals, fishes, and the human population rely on

This is such an important mission that it deserves the extra care and attention to detail that advanced process control systems provide. But to implement these advanced controls, you need the right control panels. And at AEC, we know all about the importance of robust, certified control panels.

Contact us today for the best in automation and controls for your wastewater treatment facility’s needs.