Software Used in Water Treatment Design and Modelling

Article by Rami Elias Kremesti M.Sc., CSci, CEnv, CWEM

Introduction

Various water treatment software packages are used in designing and modelling various water treatment plants, water chemistry, water networks, and water quality data. I personally have used WAVE from DuPont-DOW to design RO systems. I also used to use smart Excel sheets to calculate pressure losses in pipes in waste water networks when I used to work for ALSTOM in Switzerland as a waste water systems engineer. We also used COMOS an engineering documentation management software to draw our PID’s – Process/Pipe and Instrumentation Diagrams. Of course every water transporting system needs a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation to model the system and factor in design for water hammer, air pockets, cavitation etc. System materials are an important factor to think about. A power station I worked on in the UK forgot to take into factor that the water coming out of a clarifier that is dosed with Ferric Chloride is rich in chlorides and consequently a steel pipe carrying this water started corroding. Water treatment is a unique field in which chemistry, microbiology, mechanical, materials, instrumentation, electrical and civil engineering are tightly interconnected. That is why I love it so much.

Software Used to Design Equipment and Layouts

For drawing General Arrangement and 3D models of water treatment systems, software like AutoCAD Plant 3D/Revit are used.

Software for Checking Chemical Resistance of Pipe Materials

Georg Fischer is one of the best European manufacturers of piping/valve systems. They have a software for checking material compatibility with water chemistry/chemicals. I always like to joke with my mechanical friends and tell them the Chemical Ate the Mechanical…

Software for Calculating Pressure Loss in Pipe Networks

Several software packages are used for calculating pressure loss in pipe networks, including Pipe Flow Expert, FLUIDFLOW, and AFT Fathom, each offering different capabilities and features for modelling and analysing fluid flow systems. When I used to work for ALSTOM as a waste water treatment engineers, I used to use an Excel sheet that calculates the pressure loss of say a certain pipe run with various elbows in it and valves. This allowed me to size the pump in terms of flow and head needed.

Software Used in RO System Projection:

Several software tools are used for reverse osmosis (RO) system projection, including ROSA, WAVE, Winflows, AquaGRID, CSMPRO, and Q+, each with unique features and capabilities for designing and simulating RO systems. An RO system using a specific configuration of membranes and with a feed water of specific chemistry will require a certain about of pump pressure to overcome the osmotic pressure and membrane back pressure. The softwares also tell you if there is any scaling chemistry.

Software Used in Designing Ion Exchange Systems:

Several software tools aid in designing ion exchange systems, including Purolite’s PRSM™ (Resin System Modelling Software), LewaPlus® from LANXESS, and the Environmental Technologies Design Option Tool (ETDOT) from the EPA.

Software included in ETDOT:

Adsorption Design Software for Windows (AdDesignS) Version 1.0
Advanced Oxidation Process Software (AdOx) Version 1.0.2
Aeration System Analysis Program (ASAP) Version 1.0
Biofilter Design Software Version 1.0.27
Continuous Flow Pore Surface Diffusion Model for Modeling Powdered Activated Carbon
Adsorption Version 1.0
Dye Study Program (DyeStudy) Version 1.0.0
Predictive Software for the Fate of Volatile Organics in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants (FaVOr) Version 1.0.11
Ion Exchange Design Software (IonExDesign) Version 1.0.0
Software to Estimate Physical Properties (StEPP) Version 1.0

Software Used in Modelling Sewage Treatment Plants:

Several software tools are used for modelling sewage treatment plants, including freeware like STOAT (WRc) and commercial options like BioWin ( from EnviroSim), WEST (DHI), and GPS-X (Hydromantis), each offering varying levels of functionality and complexity. For modelling sewage treatment aerobic/anaerobic and facultative ponds, you can also used these software.

Software Used in Modelling Clarifiers:

Clarifiers have optimal flow rates to achieve maximum flows (rise rates) and best clarification (settling rates). The point of maximum efficiency is called The State Point. Quite an intetesting appellation. Sufi Masters are known as those that achieved higher States of Consciousness…

For simulating and modelling clarifiers, software like BioWin, SIMBA#, and CFD software (e.g., ANSYS Fluent) are commonly used.

Software Used to Model Catchments:

Several software options exist for modeling catchment drainage areas, including free and commercial tools like QGIS, WhiteboxTools, ArcGIS, and specialized software such as InfoWorks ICM and Flood Modeller. Flood modeling is huge business for some consultancies in the UK and a guaranteed job if you master this skill.

Software Used in Modelling Water Networks – Drinking Water and Sewers:

Several software packages are used for modelling both drinking water and sewer networks, including Autodesk InfoWater Pro, InfoWorks WS Pro, Fluidit Water, MIKE+, and Bentley’s OpenFlows, each offering specialized tools for hydraulic simulation and analysis.

Software Used in Predicting Scaling Substances:

Several software packages are used for predicting scaling substances, including FlowiT Scale, ScaleChem, Membrane Master, ScaleSoftPitzer, and ProDose XPRT, each with specific strengths for different applications in industries like oil and gas, water treatment, and pharmaceuticals.

Software Used In Modelling Water Chemistry:

Several software packages are used for modeling water chemistry, including Tetra Tech’s RTW Model, CHEMFLO-2000, EPANET, OLI Studio: ScaleChem, MIKE+ Water Distribution, and AquaChem.

Software Used in Building Information Management:

Building Information Modeling (BIM) uses software to create digital representations of buildings and infrastructure, aiding in planning, design, construction, and management throughout the project lifecycle. Popular BIM software includes Autodesk Revit, Archicad, Navisworks, Tekla Structures, and Trimble Connect.

Software for Modelling Wetlands in Sewage Effluent Polishing (removing N and P):

For modelling wetlands used in wastewater treatment polishing, consider software like WEST, STOAT, or SURFWET, which are designed for simulating wastewater treatment processes and wetland performance. If you want to know how much wetland you need to treat a certain incoming flow of effluent, you need some kind of software…

PLC’s Used in Running Water Treatment Plants

Every automated water treatment plant or water network has a PLC behind it that monitors and controls the various components of the water treatment plant or network. Two of the most prominent PLC’s that I have come across in my experience are Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 and S7-1500 and Allen-Bradley PLC ControlLogix series.

Software for Analysing Water Quality Trends and Large Data Sets

For analysing water quality trends, consider software like AquaChem (Waterloo Hydrogeologic), Aquarius (Aquatic Informatics), Time Trends (NIWA), or R-QWTREND (USGS), which offer robust data analysis, visualisation, and reporting capabilities.

For analysing large water quality datasets, consider using software like AquaChem, WISKI, or Python with libraries like Pandas, NumPy, and Matplotlib, or explore tools like ArcGIS or Tableau for visualisation and data interpretation.

Software Predicting Rainfall Flows for Sewer Design

Software like StormHarvester’s Intelligent Sewer Suite and DetecAnalytics, along with tools like the Sewer flow forecast toolbox, leverage machine learning and hyperlocal rainfall forecasting to predict sewer flows and levels, aiding in efficient sewer design and management.

Software for Nutrient Neutrality Calculations

Have a look at our Nutrient Neutrality page which has a link to UK Government NN calculators.

Software for SuDS Design Calculations

Software like InfoDrainage or the tools from UK Suds can be used.

Software Used in ElectroChemical Systems

For simulating and modeling electrochemical systems, consider using software like COMSOL Multiphysics with its Electrochemistry Module, DigiElch from ElchSoft, or MECSim (Monash Electrochemistry Simulator). DigiElch is an electrochemical simulation software developed by ElchSoft, offering features like fitting multiple data files to a mechanism, modeling termolecular charge transfer, and simulating various electrochemical techniques like cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and impedance spectroscopy.

Conclusion:

As you can see dear reader, water treatment design and modelling requires the use of a wide range of software.

About the Author:

Rami Elias Kremesti Portrait

Rami Elias Kremesti is the founder and MD of Kremesti Environmental Consulting Ltd a consultancy that specialises in water and waste water treatment as well as power station and environmental chemistry. He lives in High Wycombe, UK, has two lovely teenage girls and enjoys hiking the Chilterns AONB as well as playing guitar. The ability of plants and trees to convert inorganic chemistry to organic chemistry never ceases to amaze him. He is the author of three books on philosophical themes which is his other passion besides chemistry his first love. His second book For Love of the Sacred Awe touches on the topic of fascination and awe that he experiences when understanding the intricate, mind boggling science behind our Natural World.