Adaptive network fuzzy inference system modeling for the input selection and prediction of anaerobic digestion effluent quality

This paper presents the development and evaluation of three adaptive network fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) models for a laboratory scale anaerobic digestion system outputs with varied input selection approaches. The aim was the investigation of feasibility of the approach-based-control system for the prediction of effluent quality from a sequential upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor (UASBR) system that produced a strong nonlinearship between its inputs and outputs. As ANFIS demonstrated its ability to construct any nonlinear function with multiple inputs and outputs in many applications, its estimating performance was investigated for a complex wastewater treatment process at increasing organic loading rates from 1.1 to 5.5 g COD/L d. Approximation of the ANFIS models was validated using correlation coefficient, MAPE and RMSE. ANFIS was successful to model unsteady data for pH and acceptable for COD within anaerobic digestion limits with multiple input structure. The prediction performance showed a high feasibility of the model-based-control system on the anaerobic digester system to produce an effluent amenable for a consecutive aerobic treatment unit.