Abstract
Increasing urbanization and the effects of climate change pose new challenges to our wastewater systems. One way to meet these challenges is to develop new control approaches. However, testing these approaches in real infrastructure is not easy: since wastewater systems are critical infrastructure, trouble-free operation is essential and renders the testing of new approaches as high-risk propositions.
Against this background, the idea of building a pumping station arose, allowing for operations in a laboratory environment and the testing of various control methods. At the same time, a digital twin was developed for the pumping station, creating a virtual image that is as close to reality as possible. The virtual image enables new control methods to be tested and their potential to be investigated in a time-efficient manner without the need for costly conversion measures.
Finally, coupling virtual and real pumping stations opens the possibility to test prediction-based control systems that simulate operating modes, based on a forecast and applicable quasi-simultaneously at the real pumping station.
The research results obtained in this way can be used as a basis for implementing new control methods in real infrastructure and as a demonstrator for potential interested parties (e.g. sewage network operators).
