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Contemporary Engineering Sciences, Vol. 11, 2018, no. 46, 2283 - 2295

HIKARI Ltd, www.m-hikari.com

https://doi.org/10.12988/ces.2018.84195

Application and Automation of a Sequential

Biological Reactor by Means of Programmable

Logic Controller Using Petri Networks

Edisney García Perdomo1, Miguel Ángel Tovar Cardozo2,

Mairely Narváez Fernández3 and Ruthber Rodriguez Serrezuela4

1 Systems Engineer, Corporación Universitaria del Huila, CORHUILA

Republic of Colombia

2 Faculty of Business Administration, Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios

Uniminuto, Republic of Colombia

3 Department of Mathematics, Educational Institution "Los Negros", Republic of

Colombia

4 Industrial Engineer, Corporación Universitaria del Huila, CORHUILA

Republic of Colombia

Copyright © 2018 Edisney García Perdomo et al. This article is distributed under the Creative

Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any

medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Our research makes reference to the use of the application and automation of a

discontinuous reactor by means of a programmable logic controller (PLC) applying

Petri networks. It describes the need for the use of batch reactors (SBR) in the solid

waste treatment industry, its operation and applications.

After describing and giving the basic knowledge of the reactor, the process carried

out for the design and implementation of the automation of the process is identified

by means of the PLC applying Petri networks, where the characteristics in the

programming, the generalities leading such implementation, the benefits acquired

in automating industrial processes in a simple, easy way to use and great

functionalities are all captured.

Finally, it is presented an analysis of the potential of this type of processes, the

results obtained after the review of the results obtained and the conclusions found

2284 Edisney García Perdomo et al.

both in the investigations of the use of reactors that seek the treatment of waste as

well as the application and automation by means of logical controllers of the

processes in order to reduce the environmental impact of the industry.

Keywords: Bath Reactor, PLC, Automation, Waste treatment

Introduction

A chemical reaction is that action whose purpose is to distribute the atoms of certain

molecules (reactants) differently to form new ones (products). In order o carry out

this process, some equipments called chemical reactors are used [1].

Chemical reactors are units in which a chemical reaction takes place. These are a

fundamental part in many processes. Knowing and controlling these equipments is

a fundamental priority in engineering since they are expected to operate without

interruption and with the greatest perfection for long periods of time, thus avoiding

errors and damages both in the process and in the reactor [2].

Nowadays, it is known that the industry generates a large amount of wastewater

requiring the need to develop methods and technologies that promote the reduction

of the contaminants that this waste has and prioritize in the elimination of organic

material and solid material their processes. However, it has become necessary to

design and apply methodologies whch allow the elimination of nutrients that

accumulate in aquatic ecosystems affecting the balance of water bodies and

generating alarming levels of toxicity [3]. These accumulations create a process

called eutrophication, which consists of a deposit mainly of nitrogen and

phosphorus in water sources which promote the excessive growth of vegetation

causing drastic decreases in the oxygen levels of aquifers, thus, exerting ecological

imbalances important in our ecosystems [4].

Nowadays, sequential biological reactors (SBR) provide the necessary processes

that seek the treatment of wastewater in order to reduce the polluting load of

wastewater, which is easily manageable and of little complexity for their execution

[5]. The SBRs are complemented by four sequential phases. The first one is a filling

in which what is called as substrate is added (residual water); the second one is the

reaction, where ventilation occurs; then the sedimentation, in which the compounds

are separated forming a clarified supernatant and, finally, the extraction of such

clarified water [6].

In the search for the automation of processes, and within the field of industrial

engineering, it is necessary that methodologies evolve within technology [7-15]. To

achieve these purposes, there are already programmable logic controllers that allow

the automation and computerized control of activities that previously had to be

executed, supervised and controlled by operators, which provided a margin of error

that computers have been able to correct and / or minimize optimizing the processes

and taking them to large scales [15-20].

Application and automation of a sequential biological reactor 2285

Methodology

The methodology used in the elaboration of this research is based on a descriptive

approach, which allows a collection of concepts and relevant information on the

subject to be treated, allowing readers to acquire notions, teachings and content

update.

The writing is articulated in a research, choice and understanding of information in

publications, in databases such as scientific articles, virtual books and web pages

that provide scientific support for the review.

The selection of the consulted material is the result of the analysis and filter

according to the importance of the publications, reflection on its compilation and

estimation of the results found in the literary research. We established the LADDER

language as PLC programming language. We used the PetriLab application to

program the PLCs and, through the working characteristics, the conversion was

made between the Petri Network language and the LADDER.

The simulation of the BSR reactor system was carried out using the CoDeSys V2.3

program. In this way, it allowed to achieve a validation of the sources implemented

in the program.

With the selection, collection, reading and identification of conceptual needs, a file

was created allowing to record the files of interest. Then, we proceeded to the

writing of the review article which was intended to give form from general to

particular in each of the present issues in order to generate a clear and explanatory

language during the development of the document, organize the information and

have a logical order.

Finally, it was necessary to carry out a discussion in which the author provides an

analysis and gives an opinion of the process, the topics consulted and the

development found in order to provide knowledge about the technology that brings

the SBR reactor systems, which specifies the activities and methodologies of the

processes that occur inside. In addition, it was intended to provide knowledge of

the automation of industrial processes that seek to generate environmental impact

through programming with logic controllers.

Topic Development

Sequential Biological Reactor (SBR)

The SBR reactors pose options to continuous methods in wastewater treatment,

with the use of activated sludge where, stages mainly of reaction and decantation

are presented inside a single storage system called Sequential Biological Reactor

(SBR). These reactors are intended to suppress the requirements of decanters and

mud recirculation systems. These processes are carried out frequently and

methodically in stages called cycles. The diminution of nutrients is achieved by an

anaerobic, aerobic (aeration), anoxic process or their composition, with the

termination of sedimentation [21].


The main characteristics of these reactors is the flexibility by which the food

specialties (wastewater) are changed, the variations that can be found in the inflows

or outflows, the permanence time of the cycles, low costs in relation with other

similar processes and the required area for its disposal. Yet the greatest virtue is the

elimination of organic material and nutrients in a single phase [22].

As mentioned, the removal of nutrients present in these wastes benefit the balance

of aquatic ecosystems and the physicochemical characteristics of the water,

avoiding the overpopulation of plants that require food such as nitrogen and the

abundant phosphorus in wastewater. This process, called eutrophication,

potentiates the reduction of dissolved oxygen found in water bodies, causing a

harmful environment for aquatic organisms [23]. In researches aiming at removing

these nutrients with the use of SBR reactors, it has been possible to obtain a removal

of up to 69% for nitrogen and 29% phosphorus [24].

Stages of the SBR Reactor

This type of reactors have four stages in characteristic chain. The first one is called

filling, in which wastewater is introduced (substrate). The second one is the

reaction, where aeration is presented or not, depending on the requirements,

followed by the stage of sedimentation, which creates the dissociation of solids and

a supernatant as an effluent. Finally, the emptying stage, in which the clarified water

is removed from the tank [24].

Phases of the SBR Reactor

Three phases are required in the process, which together, provide a high degree of

performance inside the reactor. The first one is anaerobic in which the release of P

by the microbes is generated. Next is the aerobic phase where the nitrification takes

place and there is an expenditure of O and P. In the anoxic phase, denitrification

occurs. While the reactor is operating, it is necessary to carry out controls and

measurements that allow quantities of soluble organic substrate since this is

consumed by the microbes in the second phase, allowing correct and efficient

denitrification [25].

Application and Automation of the SBR reactor

The SBR reactors have the capacity to transform and delimit their processing with

the modification of the present phases as well as defining the necessary

circumstances such as the repetition of the cycles and the opportune moments in

which they should be operated. For these reasons the need to program these

processes looking for the automation of the system is born, allowing the operators

to have an agreed configuration to the needs of the process. This requires the

provision of hardware and software that matches the constraints of experimentation.

In some investigations it was found that four inputs are required in which there are

two level sensors, a start button and a stop button; while for the digital outputs there


are two solenoids for air inlet and material discharge, an agitator and a pump for

the entry of the material [26].

Other similar works, such as [27] where the construction and application of

automation of a sequential biological reactor was carried out through a

programming with FESTO PLC. We work with the PLC, which we have in our

Automation and Control laboratory. Stages were carried out in which the

establishment of the reactor was included. With some physical specifications, it was

supplied with devices such as sensors, controllers, and actuators, as can be seen in

Figure 1. This figure shows a peristaltic pump, an agitator, level sensors, diffusion

systems, effluent solenoid, the controller in charge of the automation which offers

the possibility of timing the inputs and outputs, showing on the screen the

capacities, requirements and large memory [25], which can be seen in figure 2.

Figure 1. Diagram of the inputs and outputs of the SBR reactor.

Figure 2. FESTO basic programming module with Siemens PLC. Source:

www.siemens.com/logo

http://www.siemens.com/logo


The programming was designed through the Petri technique since the

systematization was allowed in an easy way and it was agile and reliable in its

implementation. But the greatest of its virtues was that the Petri network allowed

to change to PLC language with the use of basic equipment [26]. In Figure 3, the

Petri net used by the authors mentioned above can be observed [27].

In figure 4, we can observe the LADDER language that generates the Petri network

designed in the PetriLab software. In Figure 5, the code developed in Python to

perform the Petri network conversion can be seen.

Figure 3. Example of the main Petri Network in SBR programming.

Figure 4. Conversion in LADDER language of the main Petri Network in SBR

programming.


Figure 5. Language in Python that performs the conversion of the Petri network

to the LADDER language.

Discussion

Research of this type of processes, in which the main goal is the elimination of

substances harmful for the environment in the elimination of industrial waste such

as wastewater, is of great importance within the student's field since it allows the

analysis, motivation and creation of knowledge on issues that influence nowadays.

Within these processes, it is necessary to implement technologies such as

programming and automation of systems in which the control of variables and

specifications that entail a high degree of precision and sequentially is guaranteed.

This automation, apart from guaranteeing the monitoring and the action in front of

the foreseen changes, facilitates the measurements for the workers, transforming

the techniques and improving the industry.

In Figure 6, we can observe the pH of the influent of the biological reactors during

a period of 192 days. It can be analyzed that with the physicochemical treatment

(from day 30 to day 117) or without it (from day 120 to day 152), the pH is

maintained at values close to neutrality.


Figure 6. PH present in biological reactors monitored.

In Figure 7, we find the results obtained from the concentration of orthophosphates

of the influent and effluent of the biological reactor during a period of 192 days. It

is observed that, over time, the concentrations of this nutrient decrease to values

close to 22 mg/L. This is probably due to the microorganisms present in both the

wastewater and the reactors take it as a nutrient for its growth.

Figure 7. Concentration of orthophosphates in the automated biological reactor.

Figure 8 shows the removal of nitrates from the influent and effluent of the

biological reactors during a period of 192 days. When the reactor is fueled without

physicochemical treatment the NO3 concentration increases and decreases when the


reactor is fueled with physicochemical treatment; this is related to the amount of

protein in the influent.

Figure 8. Concentration of nitrates in the automated biological reactor.

Conclusions

In the article, we were able to evaluate the utility that SBR reactors have in the

industry, the importance in the processes of wastewater treatment, as well as in the

reaction process.

The SBR reactors outline options for continuous techniques in wastewater

treatment, with the management of activated sludge where stages mainly of reaction

and decantation are presented.

The automation of processes provides engineering methodologies necessary for the

control of processes, in which the plans to be executed can be detailed in advance.

It also improves the supervision and control of operators, generating correction or

reduction of faults or imbalances present in the systems and the optimization of

large-scale processes.

The research attains to discover that by means of controllers and the use of software,

the restrictions of the systems are managed to be set up, minimizing costs, time and

simplifying the requirements of the hardware.


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Received: May 8, 2018; Published: June 20, 2018

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