• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.403-413
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• 2020

A mathematical model comprised with eight simultaneous quasi-linear partial differential equations was suggested to provide optimal chlorination strategy. Upstream weighted finite element method was employed to construct multidimensional numerical code. The code was verified against measured concentrations in three type of reactors. Boundary conditions and reaction rate were calibrated for the sixteen cases of experimental results to regenerate the measured values. Eight reaction rate coefficients were estimated from the modeling result. The reaction rate coefficients were expressed in terms of pH and temperature. Automatic optimal algorithm was invented to estimate the reaction rate coefficients by minimizing the sum of squares of the numerical errors and combined with the model. In order to minimize the concentration of chlorine and pollutants at the final usage sites, a real-time predictive control system is imperative which can predict the water quality variables from the chlorine disinfection process at the water purification plant to the customer by means of a model and operate the disinfection process according to the influent water quality. This model can be used to build such a system in water treatment plants.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.151-164
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• 2024

In water treatment plants supplying potable water, the management of chlorine concentration in water treatment processes involving pre-chlorination or intermediate chlorination requires process control. To address this, research has been conducted on water quality prediction techniques utilizing AI technology. This study developed an AI-based predictive model for automating the process control of chlorine disinfection, targeting the prediction of residual chlorine concentration downstream of sedimentation basins in water treatment processes. The AI-based model, which learns from past water quality observation data to predict future water quality, offers a simpler and more efficient approach compared to complex physicochemical and biological water quality models. The model was tested by predicting the residual chlorine concentration downstream of the sedimentation basins at Plant, using multiple regression models and AI-based models like Random Forest and LSTM, and the results were compared. For optimal prediction of residual chlorine concentration, the input-output structure of the AI model included the residual chlorine concentration upstream of the sedimentation basin, turbidity, pH, water temperature, electrical conductivity, inflow of raw water, alkalinity, NH₃, etc. as independent variables, and the desired residual chlorine concentration of the effluent from the sedimentation basin as the dependent variable. The independent variables were selected from observable data at the water treatment plant, which are influential on the residual chlorine concentration downstream of the sedimentation basin. The analysis showed that, for Plant, the model based on Random Forest had the lowest error compared to multiple regression models, neural network models, model trees, and other Random Forest models. The optimal predicted residual chlorine concentration downstream of the sedimentation basin presented in this study is expected to enable real-time control of chlorine dosing in previous treatment stages, thereby enhancing water treatment efficiency and reducing chemical costs.