Capacitive Level Smart Sensors in the Management of Wastewater Treatment Processes

Abstract

Collecting information on wastewater treatment processes is critical to the efficiency of the treatment system. Detecting the water level inside of a macrophyte constructed wetlands, using a capacitive sensing element, allows knowing the operating state and efficiency of this infrastructure. The energy independence of the smart sensor is achieved through a microbial fuel cell that, by using the wastewater’s organic matter, allows it to operate indefinitely, avoiding a battery element and the associated replacement tasks. At the same time, integration of the smart sensor into a transducer network, observing the IEEE1451 standard, contributes to improve interoperability promoting cooperation among wastewater treatment subsystems.