title: Optimal Wastewater Loading under Conflicting Goals and Technology Limitations in a Riverine System.
abstract: This paper investigates a novel simulation-optimization (S-O) framework for identifying optimal treatment levels and treatment processes for multiple wastewater dischargers to rivers. A commonly used water quality simulation model, Qual2K, was linked to a Genetic Algorithm optimization model for exploration of relevant fuzzy objective-function formulations for addressing imprecision and conflicting goals of pollution control agencies and various dischargers. Results showed a dynamic flow dependence of optimal wastewater loading with good convergence to near global optimum. Explicit considerations of real-world technological limitations, which were developed here in a new S-O framework, led to better compromise solutions between conflicting goals than those identified within traditional S-O frameworks. The newly developed framework, in addition to being more technologically realistic, is also less complicated and converges on solutions more rapidly than traditional frameworks. This technique marks a significant step forward for development of holistic, riverscape-based approaches that balance the conflicting needs of the stakeholders.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rafiee
authors.forename: Steve W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lyon
authors.forename: Banafsheh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zahraie
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Destouni
authors.forename: Nemat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jaafarzadeh
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D017143:Fuzzy Logic; D007492:Iran; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D045483:Rivers; D018505:Waste Management; D062065:Wastewater
chemical_list: D062065:Wastewater