ICT Implications for a Pilot Water Treatment Plant Using Simulation Modeling

Abstract

The current work is an illustration of an empirical investigation conducted on a pharmaceutical water treatment plant that subsequently proposes potential ICT implications for optimizing the plant’s conventional operating procedures and improving production efficiency. Typically, the pilot plant incorporates a standard infrastructure for maintaining quality and production goals. In the study, a schematic of the reverse osmosis section of the pilot treatment plant was developed. A mathematical modeling and process simulation approach was adopted to carry out the linear process investigation and validation of key performance parameters. The study’s findings reveal that the performance and lifecycle of the RO treatment unit are primarily determined via the structured pre-treatment filtering procedures, including critical parameters such as volumetric flowrate, solute concentrations, and differential pressure across the membrane. These operational parameters were also found to be instrumental in increasing plant production and improving equipment efficiency. Based on our results, the study proposes cost-effective ICT implications for plant managers through which pilot organization can substantially save on their annual water and energy consumption.