Monitoring, Control and Optimization of Wastewater Treatment Plants: a brief review

Wastewater treatment processes are essential components in ensuring water quality and protecting the environment. In order to obtain effective results in these installations, the monitoring, control and optimization of process-specific parameters in wastewater treatment plants are very important. In this context, this paper presents an analysis of the different methods used to monitor, control and optimize process-specific parameters in wastewater treatment plants. These methods include classical rule-based control, methods based on mathematical models and simulations, evolutionary algorithms, machine learning techniques and artificial intelligence. Each method is examined in terms of advantages, limitations and areas of application, providing a comprehensive view of the available solutions. In addition, aspects related to the practical implementation of these methods in real wastewater treatment plants are discussed, as well as future trends in their research and development. Appreciation and proper application of these methods can contribute significantly to the efficiency and sustainability of wastewater treatment processes, with a positive impact on the environment and the community as a whole. The importance of wastewater treatment and the role of optimization algorithms in improving the efficiency of these biological wastewater treatment processes in sewage treatment plants is very high today. The discharge of mechano-biologically purified wastewater into natural outfalls manifests itself on various levels, from affecting human health to complex problems of an ecological, technical and economic nature. Thus, as a new contribution to the literature, this study aims to review and analyze the history, current issues, and future directions of control of specific process parameters in wastewater treatment plants in the context of sustainable development. The study carried out in this paper will certainly lead researchers and industry partners towards the development of process optimization in sewage treatment plants.