Wastewater treatment plant design simplified

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 18, 2001

CapdetWorks is a planning level design and costing tool that allows the user to drag-and-drop unit processes to build a wastewater treatment plant schematic, calculate a design and estimate costs

Hydromantis has announced the release of software named CapdetWorks for the design and costing of wastewater treatment plants.

CapdetWorks is a planning level design and costing tool that allows the user to drag-and-drop unit processes to build a wastewater treatment plant schematic, automatically calculate a design and then estimate the cost to build, operate and maintain the facility.

At the planning level, current engineering practices primarily use empirical modeling techniques in combination with cost databases.

This involves the gathering of historical capital and operating costs of similar size plants with similar wastewater and treatment characteristics.

These techniques often estimate the cost based on only a single wastewater parameter such as wastewater flow rate.

CapdetWorks is a more comprehensive system since the design is based on all the characteristics of the wastewater being treated.

"CapdetWorks designs treatment processes using commonly accepted techniques," says Mark Yendt, Product Manager.

"Empirical costing models are used in only a few areas of the program.

Instead the software uses design algorithms to derive, for example, the volume of concrete required for the aeration tank or the number, type and capacity of the mechanical equipment required," he adds.

About sixty treatment processes are provided including physical/chemical, biological, biosolids stabilization, handling and de-watering technologies.

From the user's plant layout, the software automatically calculates the required unit process dimensions and equipment.

It also allows the engineer to override any of the calculated designs.

There is a sophisticated scenario management feature that encourages the user to layout many treatment alternatives and rapidly calculate and compare costs between them.

Capital and operational costs for each process technology can be localized or the user can create their own cost index or apply published industry cost indices to the default values.

"Wastewater treatment facilities are expensive to build and operate," says Laurence Smith, Marketing Manager.

"There are numerous wastewater challenges around the globe, but limited government budgets to address these challenges mean there is a growing need for productivity tools to help engineers design plants cost effectively.

CapdetWorks was developed to fulfill this need.

It appeals to those planning or reviewing new facilities and to water authorities, governments, engineering consultants and contractors who are costing the delivery of them." CapdetWorks version 1.0 is available for most Microsoft Windows operating systems costs US$ 2,450 per license.

Free evaluations can be downloaded from the company web site.