WASDA as a decision support system for membrane process : the case of MBR and RO

Abstract

This paper describes the capability of WASDA as a decision support system for membrane process, which is mainly used to treat industrial and domestic wastewater treatment. The objective of this study was to provide support system that narrowly served efficient knowledge and design procedures for Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) applications. WASDA was developed to provide available information to make appropriate decisions on wastewater treatment plant design. WASDA mainly focused on the municipal and industrial applications to produce conceptual and process design for secondary and advanced treatments. WASDA consists of multiple modules such as equalization, conventional activated sludge, extended aeration, sequencing batch reactor, oxidation ditch, rotating biological contactor and membrane system. Expert knowledge in the information base was assembled from design textbooks, manuals and other design requirements such as Department of Environment (DOE) and Department of Sewerage Services (DSS) and converted into Artificial Intelligence (AI) rules. The study provides a user-friendly approach to access essential knowledge about MBR and RO and the procedures to design MBR and RO, including design requirements, analysis of process performance and cost estimation. The performance of the WASDA for MBR system was verified based on case studies of an actual design of Kubota MBR process for industrial wastewater treatment plant in Malaysia and sewage treatment plant in Singapore by Chiyoda Kohan Co. Ltd.