Abstract

HERNANDEZ-SUAREZ, R.; ZAMORA-MATA, J.M.; MURRIETA-GUEVARA, F.  and  LUGO-LEYTE, R.. Analysis and optimal retrofit of effluent lines entering a multicontaminant treatment unit. Rev. Mex. Ing. Quím [online]. 2008, vol.7, n.2, pp.151-162. ISSN 1665-2738.

The investment costs involved in the construction of a new treatment system, and the fact that standards for the discharge of contaminants to the environment may vary during the life of an industrial plant, foster the development of methodologies for the analysis, and development of cost effective retrofit designs for wastewater treatment systems. This paper presents an efficient methodology for the analysis and retrofit of multi-contaminant wastewater treatment systems which involve a single treatment unit. The developed methodology is based on a non linear programming model that captures the topological and operational features of a treatment superstructure, which contains all possible layouts for the treatment system, and incorporates a recycle stream that strengthens the system's contaminant removal capabilities. The developed nonconvex mathematical model is accompanied by a non deterministic, but very reliable solution strategy that conducts a systematical exploration of the search space, in the pursuit for global optimal solutions. A case study that includes both, the analysis, and the retrofit of an existing wastewater treatment system, under current and foreseeable contaminant concentration limits, is utilized to illustrate the proposed methodology.

Keywords : design of wastewater treatment system; analysis and retrofit design; nonconvex optimization; network superstructure; environmental regulations.

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