Existing wastewater treatment plants face mounting pressure from growing urban populations. Digital Twins represent a solution to help operators manage these challenges more efficiently.
What is a Digital Twin
A Digital Twin is much more than just a remote control system or calculation software — it represents a "digital replica" of the physical treatment plant. This technology enables operators to reduce operational expenses (OPEX), including energy and chemical consumption, while continuously maintaining effluent quality standards.
The Functional Perimeter
The core concept involves establishing an "Operational Perimeter", described as "the set of operating parameters identifying an area where the treatment process can deliver performances meeting preset discharge limits."
Key Benefits
- Provides greater operational awareness by integrating physical-chemical and biological processes with performance metrics and optimal conditions
- Supplies software tools for verification and functional simulation supporting continuous compliance with discharge limits
- Enables energy consumption optimization and reduction of sludge production
The Digital Twin approach requires an integrated, real-time perspective across all interacting processes to achieve optimal plant performance while managing environmental compliance.