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Case

Digital water solutions

Drinking water treatment

Energy efficiency in industry

+8

Cutting costs, chemicals, and carbon emissions with AI-enhanced dosing

27. January 2025

Solution provider

Bionic System Solutions

Bionic System Solutions (BSS) develops AI-driven automation systems for wastewater treatment, remote asset monitoring, and advanced signal processing applications. Our cost-effective and reliable solutions empower data-driven decisions aimed at optimising operational efficiencies.

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Challenge

Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in Denmark operate under strict phosphorus effluent regulations. Coupled with sustainable obligations to progressively optimise operations, Danish WWTPs face pressure to reduce their environmental footprint while maintaining cost-effective yet compliant treatment processes. 

In this light, phosphorus removal emerges as a critical process from both a financial as well as a regulatory perspective. However, due to budgetary constraints, WWTPs are often prevented from investing in advanced solutions and frequently rely on fixed chemical dosing strategies to meet discharge targets.

This approach leads to excessive chemical consumption which increases operating costs, elevates CO2 emissions, and heightens the threat of ecological harm.

At Otterup WWTP, a mid-sized facility managing both residential and industrial wastewater, phosphorus removal was previously achieved through a fixed, manually controlled chemical dosing strategy. While effective in maintaining compliances, the approach did not account for fluctuations in phosphorus levels leading to excessive chemical dosing. This consequently inflated operational costs and surged the facility’s CO₂ emissions.

Solution

In comes the BSS Soft-Sensor. A digital solution developed by Bionic System Solutions in collaboration with Vandcenter Syd (VCS), and adapted to address Otterup WWTP’s challenges and constraints. In contrast to conventional physical sensors, which are associated with substantial installation and maintenance costs, the BSS Soft-Sensor leverages pre-existing data streams and converts these into actionable insights through advanced mathematical models and machine learning – thereby eliminating the need for costly investments in lavish hardware, while providing a cost-effective, digital alternative.

At Otterup WWTP, the Soft-Sensor was purposefully engineered to predict the optimal dosage of iron sulfate for the phosphorus removal. This process necessitated empirical testing and systematic validation.

By dynamically predicting phosphorus concentration levels, the Soft-Sensor facilitated real-time adjustments to chemical dosing, thereby optimising resource utilisation, realising significant cost reductions, and minimising the facility’s environmental footprint. The system’s algorithms were continuously refined through monitoring and data analysis, further enhancing its performance. Regular feedback and adjustments ensured the solution met both regulatory requirements and the plant’s operational needs, paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient phosphorus removal process.

Result

Addressing Otterup WWTP’s challenges with a digital and cost-effective solution, the BSS Soft-Sensor yielded transformative results, delivering improvements across key performance areas. 

By implementing the BSS Soft-Sensor, the facility reduced chemical consumption by more than 20%, which significantly decreased chemical expenditures. This consequently contributed  to a reduction in carbon emissions,  thereby aligning with the prevalent sustainability initiatives within the water management sector. Furthermore, the Soft-Sensor facilitated consistent compliance of phosphorus discharge levels with stringent regulatory thresholds, thereby safeguarding the integrity of water quality.

As wastewater treatment plants across Denmark strive to balance regulatory compliance and environmental goals with budgetary constraints, Bionic System Solutions provides a validated and readily deployable digital solution. Our Soft Sensor allows for continuous adaptation to unique requirements and evolving functionalities, and guarantees a return on investment in less than two years.

To read more about the BSS Soft sensor, visit our page here.

Products in this solution

BSS Soft Sensor

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