Evaluating real time control strategies for UV water treatment pump systems

Abstract

The purpose of water treatment using ultraviolet radiation is to disrupt the development and multiplication of microorganisms byinhibiting their growth and reproduction. Ultraviolet treatment has emerged as a cost-effective solution for producing clean and potable water of optimal quality, especially in regions where access is challenging and critical. UV water treatment is a sophisticated process that necessitates the collaboration of multidisciplinary teams to address scientific aspects. The implementation of control systems faces challenges, including non-linearity, uncertainty, and latency. Given the significance of water treatment through UV radiation and the imperative to ensure water quality, it is crucial to control both the lamp intensity (UVDose) and the water flow. The main objective of this article is to implement a sliding mode control law and state feedback for the motor of the centrifugal pump using the Bond Graph approach. The aim is to regulate the motor speed and, consequently, the water flow rate. This enables the influencing of the bacteriological attack time of the water, where the exposure time of water to the UV lamp determines the treatment result. The experimental results obtained, along with a comparative study, have allowed us to emphasize the robustness of sliding mode control in comparison to state feedback control. These studies were conducted following parametric variations applied to the different parameters of the motor pump. Design of the UV water treatment system powered by a photovoltaic source