Your First Simulation

Complete your first wastewater treatment simulation in ErgoPlanner from start to finish.

Overview

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to:

• Create a new project from a template
• Navigate the interface and locate key components
• Configure a simple activated sludge process
• Run a steady-state simulation
• View and interpret results

Estimated Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Prerequisites

• ErgoPlanner installation complete (see Installation)
• Basic understanding of wastewater treatment processes
• No prior simulation experience needed

Step 1: Create a New Project

Let's start by creating your first project using a template.

1.1 Open the Project Dashboard

1. Navigate to ErgoPlanner in your web browser
2. You'll see the Projects page with a list of available projects
3. Click the "New Project" button in the top right corner

Tip: If this is your first time, the project list will be empty. That's expected!

Screenshot placeholder: Projects dashboard showing "New Project" button highlighted in the top right, with an empty project list below.

1.2 Select a Template

1. In the "New Project" dialog, you'll see several options:

   • Blank Project - Start from scratch
   • Basic AS - Basic Activated Sludge template
   • Extended AS - Extended aeration template
   • SBR - Sequencing Batch Reactor template

2. Select "Basic AS" template

3. Enter a project name: "My First Simulation"

4. Click "Create"

Tip: Templates come pre-configured with common process configurations, making it easier to get started.

Screenshot placeholder: New Project dialog showing template selection grid with "Basic AS" template highlighted. Project name field shows "My First Simulation".

1.3 Project Creation Confirmation

After clicking "Create", you'll be automatically taken to the Draw page where you can see your process diagram.

The template includes:

• Primary clarifier
• Aeration tank (bioreactor)
• Secondary clarifier
• Return activated sludge (RAS) line
• Waste activated sludge (WAS) line

Step 2: Explore the Interface

Before running the simulation, let's familiarize ourselves with the interface layout.

2.1 Main Interface Sections

The Draw page has four main areas:

1. Left Sidebar - Process units library
2. Canvas - Process diagram workspace (center)
3. Right Panel - Properties and parameters
4. Top Toolbar - Actions (Run, Save, Export, etc.)

Note: The interface uses a responsive layout. On smaller screens, some panels may collapse or stack vertically.

Screenshot placeholder: Draw page with labeled areas: Left sidebar highlighted in blue, Canvas in green, Right panel in orange, Top toolbar in purple.

2.2 The Process Diagram

Your template diagram shows the following flow:

Influent → Primary Clarifier → Aeration Tank → Secondary Clarifier → Effluent
                                      ↑                    ↓
                                      └──── RAS ←──────────┘
                                      ↓
                                     WAS

2.3 Selecting Process Units

1. Click on the Aeration Tank in the diagram
2. The right panel will update to show its properties:
   • Volume (m³)
   • Dissolved Oxygen setpoint (mg/L)
   • Temperature (°C)
   • Biokinetic model selection

Tip: Double-click any unit to open detailed configuration.

Screenshot placeholder: Aeration tank selected on canvas (highlighted with blue border). Right panel shows properties with Volume: 2000 m³, DO: 2.0 mg/L, Temp: 20°C.

Step 3: Configure Influent Conditions

Let's set up the incoming wastewater characteristics.

3.1 Open Influent Configuration

1. Click on the Influent stream (the arrow entering the primary clarifier)
2. In the right panel, click "Edit Composition"

3.2 Set Influent Parameters

Configure the following typical municipal wastewater values:

Parameter	Value	Unit
Flow rate	10,000	m³/day
COD	500	mg/L
BOD₅	250	mg/L
TSS	300	mg/L
TKN	40	mg/L
NH₄-N	25	mg/L
TP	8	mg/L
Temperature	20	°C

Tip: These are typical values for municipal wastewater. Your actual plant may have different characteristics.

Screenshot placeholder: Influent stream composition dialog showing the parameter table above filled in. Flow rate field highlighted.

3.3 Save Configuration

1. Review your entries
2. Click "Apply" at the bottom of the dialog
3. The dialog will close and return you to the diagram

Warning: Forgetting to click "Apply" will discard your changes!

Step 4: Configure the Bioreactor

Now let's configure the biological treatment parameters.

4.1 Select Biokinetic Model

1. Click on the Aeration Tank in the diagram
2. In the right panel, find "Biokinetic Model" dropdown
3. Select "ASM1" (Activated Sludge Model No. 1)

ASM1 is the most widely used model for conventional activated sludge systems.

4.2 Set Operating Parameters

Configure the reactor operating conditions:

Parameter	Value	Unit	Description
Volume	2,000	m³	Reactor liquid volume
DO Setpoint	2.0	mg/L	Dissolved oxygen target
Temperature	20	°C	Operating temperature
SRT	10	days	Solids retention time

Tip: SRT (Solids Retention Time) is controlled by adjusting the WAS flow rate. The simulation will calculate the required WAS flow automatically.

Screenshot placeholder: Aeration tank properties panel showing biokinetic model dropdown set to "ASM1" and parameter table filled with values above.

4.3 Review ASM1 Parameters

1. Click "Advanced" to expand ASM1 kinetic parameters
2. You'll see parameters like:
   • Maximum growth rate (μ_max)
   • Half-saturation coefficient (K_s)
   • Yield coefficient (Y)
   • Decay rate (b)

Note: Default values are appropriate for typical municipal wastewater. Leave them as-is for your first simulation.

Step 5: Configure Clarifiers

Both clarifiers need flow and settling parameters.

5.1 Primary Clarifier

1. Click on the Primary Clarifier
2. Set the following parameters:

Parameter	Value	Unit
Surface Area	400	m²
Depth	3	m
TSS Removal	60	%
BOD Removal	30	%

Screenshot placeholder: Primary clarifier properties showing parameters table above.

5.2 Secondary Clarifier

1. Click on the Secondary Clarifier
2. Set the following parameters:

Parameter	Value	Unit
Surface Area	600	m²
Depth	4	m
Settling Model	Takács	-
RAS Flow Ratio	1.0	-

The RAS Flow Ratio of 1.0 means return flow equals influent flow.

Tip: The Takács settling model is widely used and works well for most applications.

Screenshot placeholder: Secondary clarifier properties showing parameters, with Settling Model dropdown showing "Takács" selected.

Step 6: Run the Simulation

Now we're ready to run our first simulation!

6.1 Save Your Project

1. Click "Save" in the top toolbar
2. Confirm the project is saved (you'll see a success message)

Warning: Always save before running simulations to avoid losing work if something goes wrong.

6.2 Start the Simulation

1. Click the "Run Simulation" button in the top toolbar
2. In the simulation dialog, select:
   • Simulation Type: Steady-State
   • Solver: Default (Newton-Raphson)
   • Tolerance: 0.001
3. Click "Start"

Screenshot placeholder: Run Simulation dialog showing options selected as described above, with "Start" button at bottom.

6.3 Monitor Progress

A progress indicator will appear showing:

• Iteration number
• Convergence status
• Elapsed time

Steady-state simulations typically complete in 5-30 seconds.

Tip: If convergence takes longer than 2 minutes, click "Stop" and check your parameters for unrealistic values.

Screenshot placeholder: Simulation progress dialog showing progress bar at 75%, "Iteration 127", "Converging...", elapsed time 12.3 seconds.

6.4 Simulation Complete

When the simulation finishes, you'll see:

• Success message: "Simulation converged successfully"
• Iterations: Number of iterations required (typically 100-300)
• Accuracy: Final residual error (should be < tolerance)

Click "View Results" to proceed.

Step 7: View Results

Let's explore the simulation results.

7.1 Results Dashboard

After clicking "View Results", you'll be taken to the Results page which shows:

1. Process Flow Diagram - Annotated with calculated values
2. Effluent Quality - Key performance metrics
3. Mass Balance - System-wide material balance
4. Unit Performance - Individual equipment results

Screenshot placeholder: Results page showing process diagram with values annotated on each stream and unit.

7.2 Effluent Quality

The Effluent Quality panel shows treated water characteristics:

Parameter	Value	Unit	Regulatory Limit	Status
BOD₅	8.2	mg/L	10	✓ Pass
TSS	12.5	mg/L	15	✓ Pass
NH₄-N	0.8	mg/L	2	✓ Pass
TN	18.3	mg/L	20	✓ Pass
TP	1.2	mg/L	2	✓ Pass

Tip: Green checkmarks indicate compliance with typical regulations. Your regulatory limits may differ.

Screenshot placeholder: Effluent quality table showing parameters with green checkmarks in Status column.

7.3 Mass Balance

The Mass Balance table verifies conservation of mass:

Component	Influent	Effluent	WAS	Accumulation	Balance
COD	5,000	123	4,850	0	✓ 0.0%
TN	400	183	215	0	✓ 0.0%
TP	80	12	67	0	✓ 0.1%

All balances should be close to 0% (< 1%) in steady-state.

Note: Mass balance errors > 5% may indicate configuration issues.

7.4 Unit Performance Details

Click on individual units to see detailed performance:

Aeration Tank:

• MLSS: 3,500 mg/L
• MLVSS: 2,800 mg/L
• SVI: 120 mL/g
• Oxygen consumption: 1,850 kg O₂/day
• Nitrification rate: 95%

Secondary Clarifier:

• Underflow concentration: 10,500 mg/L
• Overflow rate: 24 m³/m²/day
• Solids loading: 120 kg/m²/day

Tip: Click the "Chart" icon next to any value to see its profile across the process.

Screenshot placeholder: Unit performance panel for aeration tank showing metrics listed above in a card layout.

Step 8: Analyze Results

Let's interpret what these results mean.

8.1 Process Performance Assessment

Good indicators:

• ✓ All effluent parameters meet regulatory limits
• ✓ Mass balance closure < 1%
• ✓ MLSS concentration in typical range (2,000-4,000 mg/L)
• ✓ SVI indicates good settling (100-150 mL/g)

Potential concerns:

• Oxygen consumption is moderate at 1,850 kg/day
• No denitrification configured (TN removal limited)

8.2 Process Efficiency Metrics

The Results page calculates key efficiency metrics automatically:

Metric	Value	Unit	Typical Range
BOD Removal	96.7%	%	90-98%
COD Removal	97.5%	%	85-95%
TSS Removal	95.8%	%	90-98%
NH₄-N Removal	96.8%	%	85-95%
F/M Ratio	0.18	kg BOD/kg MLVSS/day	0.1-0.4
SRT	10.0	days	5-15 (municipal)

All values are within typical ranges for a well-operating conventional activated sludge plant.

Tip: F/M ratio (Food-to-Microorganism) is a key operational parameter. Lower values promote nitrification but require more tank volume.

8.3 Identify Optimization Opportunities

Based on these results, you could:

1. Reduce energy: DO setpoint might be lowered to 1.5 mg/L
2. Improve TN removal: Add anoxic zone for denitrification
3. Enhance P removal: Add chemical dosing or bio-P configuration
4. Optimize costs: Adjust SRT to balance treatment and sludge production

Note: These optimizations are covered in advanced tutorials. See Biokinetic-Models and Model-Calibration.

Step 9: Export Results

Let's save the results for later reference.

9.1 Export to PDF

1. Click "Export" in the top toolbar
2. Select "PDF Report"
3. Choose report sections to include:
   • ☑ Process Diagram
   • ☑ Effluent Quality
   • ☑ Mass Balance
   • ☑ Unit Performance
   • ☑ Efficiency Metrics
4. Click "Generate PDF"

The PDF will download with a filename: My_First_Simulation_Results_2025-12-29.pdf

Screenshot placeholder: Export dialog showing PDF Report option selected with checkboxes for report sections.

9.2 Export Data to CSV

For detailed analysis in Excel or Python:

1. Click "Export" → "CSV Data"
2. Select data tables:
   • ☑ Stream Compositions
   • ☑ Unit Performance
   • ☑ Mass Balance
3. Click "Export"

This creates a ZIP file with separate CSV files for each table.

9.3 Save Project Template

To reuse this configuration:

1. Click "File" → "Save as Template"
2. Enter template name: "Basic AS - Configured"
3. Add description: "Pre-configured basic activated sludge with typical municipal parameters"
4. Click "Save"

Your template will now appear in the template library for future projects.

Tip: Templates are great for standardizing configurations across multiple scenarios.

Step 10: Next Steps

Congratulations! You've completed your first simulation. 🎉

What You Learned

• ✓ Creating projects from templates
• ✓ Navigating the ErgoPlanner interface
• ✓ Configuring influent conditions
• ✓ Setting up biokinetic models
• ✓ Running steady-state simulations
• ✓ Interpreting results and mass balances
• ✓ Exporting data and reports

Continue Your Learning

Now that you understand the basics, explore these topics:

Immediate Next Steps:

1. Interface-Overview - Learn more interface features
2. Building-Process-Diagrams - Build custom diagrams from scratch
3. Running-Simulations - Advanced simulation options

Advanced Topics: 4. Biokinetic-Models - Configure ASM2d and ASM3 models 5. Dynamic-Simulation - Run time-varying simulations 6. Controller-Setup - Implement automated control

Optimization: 7. Model-Calibration - Calibrate models to plant data 8. Multi-Scenario - Compare design alternatives 9. Performance-Tips - Optimize large models

Try This Exercise

Build on what you've learned:

1. Create a new project from the "Basic AS" template
2. Change the influent flow to 15,000 m³/day
3. Increase the aeration tank volume to maintain the same SRT
4. Run the simulation and compare results

Hint: You'll need to increase the volume to 3,000 m³ to maintain SRT = 10 days.

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue	Possible Cause	Solution
Simulation doesn't converge	Unrealistic parameters	Check all values are within typical ranges
Mass balance errors > 5%	Missing streams or incorrect connections	Verify all inputs/outputs are connected
Effluent quality poor	Insufficient treatment capacity	Increase reactor volume or SRT
Clarifier overflow	High solids loading	Increase clarifier area or reduce MLSS

For more troubleshooting help, see Common-Issues.

Summary

In this tutorial, you:

• Created a project from a template in < 2 minutes
• Configured a complete activated sludge system in < 5 minutes
• Ran your first steady-state simulation successfully
• Analyzed results and verified mass balance
• Exported professional reports

Total time: ~15 minutes

You now have the foundation to create and simulate wastewater treatment processes in ErgoPlanner!

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What's Next?

• Interface-Overview - Deep dive into all interface features
• Creating-Projects - Advanced project setup
• Keyboard-Shortcuts - Boost your productivity

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Last updated: December 2025Tutorial difficulty: BeginnerEstimated completion time: 15 minutes