The problem
Andrea Aliscioni COO Milan Water Service, Metropolitana Milanese SpA, reveals ’The main characteristics of Nosedo Plant is the big volume of water treated that is reused for agriculture; Nosedo WWTP is one of the best examples of water reuse in Europe. Our challenge is to guarantee every time the best condition for the water reuse.‘  That is why wastewater is treated ‘not only according to environmental directives, but also for the possibility to have a circular use of the water’ explains Francesca Pizza, process manager at Nosedo WWTP.

The action
Hubgrade Performance is a holistic digital solution composed of a suite of intelligent software solutions for real-time optimization of process performance. It provides a state-of-the-art auto-pilot to optimize the whole wastewater system, including sewer network and treatment plant. Hubgrade Performance focuses on real-time automated optimization of the consumption of energy and chemicals, biological and  hydraulic capacity enhancement, stable operation and compliance of wastewater treatment plants and sewer networks.

Client benefits
Why Hubgrade Performance: Deciding factors

• Having a system that can integrate the operation of the sewer system and the WWTP.
• Obtain significant total average operational savings from reduced energy consumption, chemical consumption and sludge production.
• Better handling of the large biological load variations together with a better process overview and less manual adjustments.
•  Achieve more hydraulic capacity of the biological process, giving a better handling of wet weather situations.
• Future plans include the possibility of expanding the solution to also cover the whole Milan city sewer system

Additional client benefits
One of the most significant challenges WWTPs have to face is, according to Francesca Pizza, gaining as much control as possible of the biochemical process. With 40% of the total plant energy consumption, it is:
“the most demanding [process] from an energy point of view’. Hubgrade Performance allows ‘Operators [to] have an instrument to make real time decisions on the process” - Francesca Pizza, process manager in Nosedo WWTP says.

• Better control of processes
• OPEX savings

Key figures

• OPEX savings:
  •  Energy savings:
    • Aeration, biology
    • Mixing
    • Return Activated Sludge
    • NO3-recirculation
    • Grit Chamber Aeration
  • Chemical savings:
    • P-precipitation, Fe3C
  •  Sludge reduction
•  Increased hydraulic capacity during wet weather: 20 - 30%
• Stable operation, less manual adjustment

The Plant package for OPEX savings at Nosedo WWTP (1,250,000 PE) includes the following features:

• DO & Nitrogen Removal
•  Mixer (denitrification tank)
• Air Supply, Blower Pressure
• Return Activated Sludge
• Solids Retention Time
• Standby (biological lines)
• P-precipitation
• Grit Chamber Aeration
• NO3-recirculation

The following additional features will further support the enhancement of the hydraulic capacity:

• Stormwater Mode (Aeration Tank Settling) with Rain Gauge / Sewer Measurements
• Max. Flow, Inlet Biology