Artificial Neural Network Modelling for Waste: Gas and Wastewater Treatment Applications

Abstract

Due to their inherent robustness, artificial neural network models have proven to be successful and have been used extensively in biological wastewater treatment applications. However, only recently, with the scientific advancements made in biological waste gas treatment systems, the application of neural networks have slowly gained the practical momentum for performance monitoring in this field. Simple neural models, after vigorous training and testing, are able to generalize the results of a wide range of operating conditions, with high prediction accuracy. This chapter gives a fundamental insight and overview of the process mechanism of different biological waste gas (biofilters, biotrickling filters, continuous stirred tank bioreactors and monolith bioreactors), and wastewater treatment systems (activated sludge process, trickling filter and sequencing batch reactors). The basic theory of artificial neural networks is explained with a clear understanding of the back propagation algorithm. A generalized neural network modelling procedure for waste treatment applications is outlined, and the role of back propagation algorithm network parameters is discussed. Anew, the application of neural networks for solving specific environmental problems is presented in the form of a literature review.