A software nitrate sensor based on ammonium and redox signals.

We have computed the nitrate concentration in the activated sludge in real-time using a model, which is a subset of ASM1. The model is in operation at two WWTPs where oxygen, ammonium and redox are measured online in the aeration tanks. The model uses these measurements to continuously adjust its values for the influent ammonium concentration, the nitrification rate, the denitrification rate and the net hydrolysis. Then it computes the nitrate concentration. This value is updated every 10 s. The model results have been compared with the output from a Dr Lange in-situ nitrate sensor at one of these WWTPs. The systematic difference between these two measurements is less than 0.2 mgN L(-1) and 90% of the differences are between -1.1 and 1.1 mgN L(-1).