Prediction of total suspended solids present in effluent of primary clarifier of industrial common effluent treatment plant: Mechanistic and fuzzy approach

Primary clarifier plays vital role in removal of pollutants present as total suspended solids (TSS) in wastewater. In this research work prediction of effluent TSS present in the sedimentation tank of clariflocculator is reported. The data of common effluent treatment plant (CETP), Ahmedabad, India has been used in the development of soft sensor. The mechanistic and fuzzy inference system (FIS) soft sensor models have been developed. The models predict the effluent total suspended solids (TSSe) of clariflocculator process based on the measurement of influent flow rate (Qf) and influent total suspended solids (TSSin). The root mean square error (RMSE) of mechanistic model and fuzzy inference system were 30 and 48 respectively for the data samples Qf ranging from 800 to 900 m3/h and TSSin from 300–600 mg/L. These ranges are typically observed throughout the year at CETP, Ahmedabad, India. The percentage mean accuracy for mechanistic model was 88 %. The difference between predicted and actual measured values of RMSE and percentage mean accuracy of mechanistic model is acceptable as system is highly sensitive. Mechanistic model gives information of total suspended solids present in retentate as well as TSS present at different height of the sedimentation tank in addition to TSS present in effluent.