Process models and mobility data for more sustainable treatment plants
Designing and building resource-efficient wastewater treatment plants has long been a challenge due to variations in load. Researchers at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute have studied how process models combined with mobility data from mobile networks can improve design.
Mobility data gives a much better picture of the population's natural seasonal variations, which ultimately also affect the load on the treatment plant. By analyzing the load variations in a process model, we can balance safety margin requirements with sustainable operation
, says Erik U. Lindblom, modelling expert and senior researcher at IVL.
The study was conducted as part of the Smart Built Environment research programme in collaboration with, among others, Telia and Uppsala Vatten och Avfall, who also contributed data and expertise to the project.
Our Telia Crowd Insights data provides a better understanding of how people move throughout the day with high time resolution – right down to the hour. It is a clear example of how data insights can support the development of a more sustainable society, and we are proud to contribute to this important work
, says Christian Lewenhaupt, Business Developer at Telia Crowd Insights.
Wastewater treatment is important to prevent eutrophication and the spread of disease, but it is also very energy- and resource-intensive. Many treatment plants now need to be expanded as a result of new EU emission requirements and a growing population. This expansion provides an opportunity to enhance the flexibility of treatment plants, to ensure efficient treatment – both now and in the future.
To minimize environmental impact, we need to design treatment plants that are flexible and that can handle local variations in load. Here, process models can be a real help
, says Oscar Samuelsson, project manager at IVL.
As part of the same research programme, IVL has recently initiated the Digital Capacity innovation project, which aims to push the boundaries of what process models can be used for. This project is developing practical methods for model-based capacity and operational optimization. But as the name suggests, the goal is also to expand the water and wastewater industry's digital capacity, specifically in the area of process modelling.
Read the article on mobility data and model-based design in the journal Water Research X External link, opens in new window.
For more information, contact:
Oscar Samuelsson, oscar.samuelsson@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 66 64
Christian Lewenhaupt, christian.lewenhaupt@teliacompany.com
Increased digital capacity in the water and wastewater industry
- Digital Capacity will run for two years with support from the Smart Built Environment innovation programme, which is part of the initiative Strategic Innovation Areas, which is funded by Vinnova (a Swedish agency for innovation), the Swedish Energy Agency and Formas (a Swedish research council for sustainable development). The project partners are Stockholm Vatten och Avfall, Kungsbacka Municipality, Syvab, Envidan, Uppsala University, Käppala Association, Gryaab, Uppsala Vatten och Avfall, and IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Read more about the project (in Swedish). External link, opens in new window.
- The annual investment requirement for Swedish wastewater treatment plants is estimated at SEK 9 billion to 2040.
- Mobility data is an estimate of population within a geographical area. By analysing anonymized and aggregated mobile network data at different times, population variations within the water and wastewater area can be estimated with hourly resolution.
Sources: Svenskt Vatten, Telia and IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.