Knowledge Management: Using A

“Flight Simulator” Concept To Support Succession Planning

and Operator TrainingMalcolm Fabiyi (PhD, MBA), Rajeev Goel (PhD, P.E, P. Eng.),

Spencer Snowling (PhD, P. Eng.)Hydromantis

Eric Nelson, Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department

Thomas Kutcher, Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati

Outline• Overview• Drivers of knowledge management• The succession planning problem• Role of simulators in wastewater treatment• Case studies• Demonstration

The last 100 years of wastewater treatment

1914Adern & Locket invent Activated Sludge Process

1972Clean Water Act

COD removal

1969Cuyahoga River Fire

1970EPA Established

Removal of solids and large organic matter

1990s Growing concern about Nutrients

(N,P)

2001 Regulations for N, P

added to NPDES permits

MBR

Multistage, varying Dissolved Oxygen

Biogas

Nutrient recovery

CEC

Removal of soluble organics Removal / Recovery of N,P

Toilet to Tap

Increasing Complexity, Cost

Ageing Operator Population >60% aged +50 years

Pennsylvania Wastewater Operator Demographics -- October 12, 2012 (Source: PA DEP eFACTS)

Increasing career transitions

• Loss of institutional knowledge • Heavy reliance on on-the-job training

(OJT) rather than on formal training and development • Weak or non-existent Leadership

Development Programs • Complications in bargaining agreements • Issues of employee retention, such as

compensation and lack of advancement

Succession PlanningThe Emerging Concern

Succession Planning White Paper. NYWEA, 2012

Complexity, Cost, Career transitions

Simulators – Complexity, Cost & Risk

Real Plant Virtual Plant

Use of Simulators in wastewater treatment

• Predicting and Assessment of Water Quality• Technology Evaluation (process, aeration, etc.)• Limit of Technology• Assessment of Compliance

Why Use Modeling?

• Cheaper than building/modifying the real system

• Easier than carrying out testing on existing systems

• Risk-free - see the consequences before implementation

• Get results quickly

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

0 50 100 150 200 250 300Time (days)

WA

S TS

S C

once

ntra

tion

(mg/

L)

Simulated Measured

How Is It Used?

Create Model

Calibrate to Known

Performance

Simulate Different Scenarios

Simulate “Base Case”

Compare and Evaluate

Models can be used to support training

• High fidelity – true to the actual process• Replicate reality – start-up, shutdown, dynamic ops, etc.• Support optimization and enhancement

Simulation Based LearningThe Future is Now

Source: Vesel, 2013

2D

3D

3D simulators offer High fidelity experience

Wastewater “Flight Simulator”

• Advanced operator training and education

• Identification and validation of plant optimization and cost saving strategies

• Project and risk analysis

• Key decision making support tool for all levels of management

• Engagement with stakeholders

Case 1: MSDGCGoals for Simulator• Support wet weather & nutrient

removal upgrades planning• Operations planning –

shutdowns, schedule maintenance

• Operations tool for plant staff training

• “What – if” scenario operations• Enable plant optimization • Useable by MSD employees as

well as consultants

220,000 accounts, 850,000 residentsFlow: 1.5 to 130 MGD

Plant Overview• 8.0 MGD •NH3-N limits (1.5 mg/l)• Effluent NH3 < 0.1 mg/l• Effluent NO3 ~ 14 mg/l• 8 DO Zones

MSDGC - Polk Run WWTP

VWEA Operations Conference 2015Development of Process Models for Planning, Operations, and Training (Yi, et al.)

Goal: Optimize TN removal and reduce energy

Initial

Total Air Req’d – 2.4M CF/dayAverage Flowrate – 1680 CFMEff NH3 < 0.1 mg/l; TN ~ 14.2 mg/l

Total Air Req’d – 2.1M CF/dayAverage Flowrate – 1500 CFMEff NH3 < 0.1 mg/l; TN ~ 10.3 mg/l

Final

Operator led optimization effortVariables in model• Tanks in and out of service• Flow splits•RAS/WAS rates•Air flow – cfm vs. DO control•Decanting / dewatering operations

RASPE

ML

8 DO Zones

Total Air Req’d – 2.4M CF/dayAverage Flowrate – 1680 CFMEff NH3 < 0.1 mg/l; TN ~ 14.2 mg/l

Change DO in ABs

Initial Conditions Lower DO

Effluent NO3 = 14.2 mg/l

Effluent NO3 = 10.3 mg/l

No Change in Effluent NH3

VWEA Operations Conference 2015Development of Process Models for Planning, Operations, and Training (Yi, et al.)

Goal: Optimize TN removal and reduce energy

Total Air Req’d – 2.1M CF/dayAverage Flowrate – 1500 CFMEff NH3 < 0.1 mg/l; TN ~ 10.3 mg/l

Case 2: Pima County Tres Rios WRF

• 3 metropolitan WRFs and 8 sub-regional facilities• Extensive upgrades and retrofits over last ten years • Calibrated GPS-X™ models and SimuWorks™ to support

design, upgrades, optimization, operations & training

Beyond SCADA……Probe-X™

• Integrate SCADA and laboratory measurements

• Develop process insights, ongoing operational assessment, performance review, reporting & internal benchmarking of performance across operational periods

Case 3: Ontario Clean Water Agency

• Operate 200 water & wastewater facilities

• Largest operator of water and wastewater facilities in Ontario

• SimuWorks™ used for internal operator training & operator certification since 2012

“Hydromantis’ simulation technology is presenting our staff with an unparalleled operator training environment and the implementation of real-time links between GPS-X™ and operator control systems

provide forward looking, actionable data for improved decision making support,” – OCWA President & CEO

Operators at the Belleville (Ontario) Water Control Plant work on a troubleshooting scenario during a Sewage Simulator Solutions course (TPO Magazine, Virtual Reality, January 2014)

Case 4: WEF Operations Challenge

• Create a platform for WEF Operations Challenge• Develop realistic,

challenging scenarios • Operator friendly, and easy

to use• Tracks progress, enables

scoringWEF Operations Challenge: Simulation as a Process Skill

…..simulators are primarily designed to help operators understand their plant and try new process strategies, they can also be used as training tools. An operator can be given a set of initial conditions and shown how treatment processes react. Then the operator

can change process parameters, run a new simulation and see the results. This helps an operator understand how operating parameters affect treatment process performance, which is the basis for operating skills and process control . If an operator is

presented with a preconfigured plant that is performing poorly, he or she can demonstrate their process skills by changing operating conditions and running simulations repeatedly until the plant is performing as desired. This makes performing a plant simulation a

potential part of the Process Control event.

WEF Operations Challenge

Demonstrations

SimuWorks™

Bird’s eye view

3D representation Replicate Plant SCADA

Conclusions• Flight simulator concept can support training and

succession planning

• Simulator interface allows user to make changes to plant operation, and see prediction of performance

• Robustly handles complexity

• Effective tool for planning, facility risk assessment, emergency planning & response, optimization

• Visual tool to enhance stakeholder engagement