Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832

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Applied Mathematical Modelling

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/apm

Adaptive network fuzzy inference system modeling for the input

selection and prediction of anaerobic digestion effluent quality
Dilek Erdirencelebi a,⇑, Sukran Yalpir b
a
Selcuk University, Environmental Engineering Department, 42031 Konya, Turkey
b
Selcuk University, Geomatics Engineering Department, 42031 Konya, Turkey

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: This paper presents the development and evaluation of three adaptive network fuzzy infer-
Received 12 June 2010 ence system (ANFIS) models for a laboratory scale anaerobic digestion system outputs with
Received in revised form 19 January 2011 varied input selection approaches. The aim was the investigation of feasibility of the
Accepted 2 February 2011
approach-based-control system for the prediction of effluent quality from a sequential
Available online 8 April 2011
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 nonlin-
Keywords:
ear function with multiple inputs and outputs in many applications, its estimating perfor-
Modeling
Anaerobic treatment
mance was investigated for a complex wastewater treatment process at increasing organic
Dairy wastewater loading rates from 1.1 to 5.5 g COD/L d. Approximation of the ANFIS models was validated
ANFIS using correlation coefficient, MAPE and RMSE. ANFIS was successful to model unsteady
UASBR 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-con-
trol system on the anaerobic digester system to produce an effluent amenable for a consec-
utive aerobic treatment unit.
Ó 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

Anaerobic digestion is a biological treatment process that converts high loads of complex organic matter in the wastewa-
ters into methane gas and carbon dioxide [1]. It has been applied widely to medium to high-strength industrial wastewaters
such as food industry [2], as well as low-strength domestic wastewater [3]. Intensive research and applications on its usage
in the domestic wastewater treatment renders the process world-wide popular urging the city planners to reconsider the
infrastructure and land use planning as to enable the production of an increased-strength domestic wastewater via decen-
tralization [4,5]. Low energy and area requirement, low sludge production as well as applicability of high organic loading
rates (OLR) render it advantageous over other biological processes, whereas, it is highly sensitive to changes in the influent
organic matter as the chemical oxygen demand (COD) being the most influential operational factor that affects the treatment
process and effluent quality. The process consists of several sequential reactions that produce acidity consisting of volatile
fatty acids (VFA) and CO2 that are converted to methane eventually at a lower rate than they are produced [1]. Any alteration

Abbreviations: ANFIS, adaptive network fuzzy inference system; VFA, volatile fatty acids; UASBR, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor; HRT,
hydraulic retention time; COD, chemical oxygen demand; WW, wastewater; OLR, organic loading rate; PA, pre-acidification; SD, standard deviation; TE,
training error; MAPE, mean absolute percentage error; RMSE, root mean square error.
⇑ Corresponding author. Address: Selcuk University, Engineering and Architectural Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Konya 42031,
Turkey. Tel.: +90 332 223 2067; fax: +90 332 241 0635.
E-mail addresses: dbaktil@hotmail.com (D. Erdirencelebi), sarici@hotmail.com (S. Yalpir).

0307-904X/$ - see front matter Ó 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.apm.2011.02.015
3822 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832

to the sensitive methanization step can be crucial for the reactor’s stability where organic acids in the form of VFA accumu-
late in the reactor resulting in excessive acidity decreasing pH to detrimental levels for anaerobic biomass and treatment
performance. Monitoring of the digester with input and output parameters in a frequent base is mandatory to ensure stable
performance [6,7]. Input and output pH, organic matter as COD (or organic loading rate) and VFA concentrations as well as
methane production are the most frequently monitored parameters to establish reactor performance.
Estimation of the anaerobic reactors’ effluent quality is crucial for the success of anaerobic process applications. Dairy
industry produces medium to high-strength wastewaters (WW) rich in complex organic matter such as carbohydrate, lipid
and protein at highly variable concentrations [7]. Rapid acidification of the dairy wastewater raises VFA concentration and
necessitates high alkali provision, a strict pH and organic load control [8–10]. The lipid content is the load limiting factor due
to its hindrance on the process [8,11–13]. Advanced models based on complex knowledge on WW character and kinetics
require extensive analytical solving of sequential reactions and intermediate products where environmental factors are
effective on, therefore, fast response producing models are needed for ideal control strategies. Fuzzy and neural models have
been applied in the prediction and controlling of the biological treatment systems [14–17].
Adaptive network fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is based on the first-order Sugeno fuzzy model using either a back prop-
agation algorithm alone or a hybrid learning algorithm where neural network adaptive capabilities and the fuzzy logic qual-
itative nature are integrated [18,19]. It has reached a wide application area such as WW engineering [14,20–23], geomatics
engineering [24,25], civil engineering [26,27], biomedical sciences [28] and power engineering [29,30] enabling useful appli-
cations demonstrating the good performance of ANFIS in prediction and approximation of nonlinear relationship with multi
input and outputs. Tay and Zhang were first to apply ANFIS to anaerobic wastewater treatment systems to predict the efflu-
ent quality under unsteady state conditions [20,21]. They used ANFIS approach to predict the off-line effluent parameters
from appropriate on-line input variables which are not available for the essential parameters in biological processes (e.g.,
COD). Knowledge-based fuzzy inference systems (FIS) are more frequently adopted to describe the biological behavior de-
spite their complex and time consuming structure development, [31–35] but in that case, adapting or updating of the model
to changes in the environmental factors (e.g., temperature, feed character, operational changes or toxicity) requires a new
rule adopting process. Consequently, ANFIS networks use in anaerobic treatment systems for control and estimation pur-
poses has been limited [20–23] and needs further applications. ANFIS models are simpler to construct compared to FIS
for the rules are adopted based on the available database which exists widely for anaerobic treatment systems and they
can be trained with new data or seasonal changes providing flexibility to the user to adapt or update the model continuously.
In this study, both on-line (pH) and off-line parameters (COD and VFA) from a lab-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket
reactor (UASBR) system were modeled using three ANFIS structures developed for appropriate input selection. The UASBR
system treating a highly complex wastewater from dairy industry had a constant four day hydraulic retention time (HRT)
and its raw input and output database were used to train and compose the membership functions (MF) and rules in the AN-
FIS structure. The aim was to investigate the feasibility of the ANFIS-based-model for influent control and regulation pur-
poses with a four day ahead prediction to meet a desired effluent quality. The ANFIS structures were investigated with
varied input combinations for each output parameter. Performance of the ANFIS models were evaluated using correlation
coefficient (R), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean square error (RMSE).

2. Materials and methods

2.1. Process configuration

Experimental data were obtained on a 3 day/week basis for a period of 193 days from a 20 L lab-scale sequential system
consisting of two stage UASB reactors at steady state conditions treating a high-strength dairy wastewater (yoghurt whey)

First Second
stage stage
UASBR UASBR

Pre-acidification
tank Effluent

Influent Aerobic Unit

WW

Control and Input parameters: Recycle flow Output parameters:

adjustment -pH (influent) -pH (effluent)
of recycle -COD (influent) -COD (effluent)
-VFA (influent) -VFA (effluent)

Fig. 1. Experimental setup.

 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832 3823

Table 1
Influent characteristics (g/L except pH).

Parameter Concentration range Mean value SD

pH 3.9–8.2 5.9 1.19
COD 10.4–28.8 17.4 4.91
VFA 0.6–15.6 5.6 2.44

acidified in the pre-acidification (PA) tank that produced large fluctuations in essential parameters as pH, COD and VFA (Fig. 1).
The HRT in the PA tank was adjusted to 1 day for maximum conversion of the fatty matter to VFA. Further process information
can be found in Erdirencelebi [36]. The organic loading rate (OLR) was applied at an increasing pattern between 1.1 and 5.5 g
COD/L d with monthly increments. The range applied was kept limited due to WW’s high fat content. The reactor system had a
relatively high and constant HRT of 4 days and achieved a treatment degree of 80–85% for COD producing an effluent amenable
for further aerobic treatment process necessary to lower the effluent quality down to discharge standards.
The influent characteristics presented in Table 1 showed a high level and fluctuating character in polluting level where
fatty matter constituted 60–70% of the raw WW COD concentration. The WW coming to the PA tank received alkali source
for buffering purpose and was diluted at some degree with the effluent to regulate the influent COD (OLR) and economize the
alkali need. During the retention in the tank, WW underwent acidification reaction where organic matter as COD was acid-
ified to produce VFA consuming alkalinity and decreasing pH in the influent to the UASBR system. These parameters were
needed to be predicted in four day advance in the effluent of the system with an appropriate approximation to regulate the
recycling ratio to the PA tank to meet the required level in the effluent for the subsequent aerobic treatment unit. For this
purpose, one, two and three input correlations between the input and output parameters of pH, COD and VFA were inves-
tigated with developing three ANFIS structures to evaluate the relationship and sensitivity level of the input variables for
each output.
Two anaerobic sludge inoculum from a Sugar Beet Factory anaerobic methane reactor and a single-stage UASB reactor
treating alkaloid wastewaters in the form of large flocks were mixed and filled into the UASB reactors. An initial concentra-
tion of 33,500 mg/L of volatile solids was provided in the reactors. The wastewater was fed to the reactors during an 8 week
adaptation period at a range of 0.8–1.0 g COD/L d. Increase in OLR was applied in 5 monthly periods with recycle/feed flow-
rate ratios from 2.33 to 0.43.

Original Data (85)

Normalization

Test Data (34) Training Data (51)

ANFIS Guide

Load Training Data

Membership
(Gauss/Triangle) Membership Number (2-8)

Training with hybrid algorithm

Epoch number
(30-100)

Load Test Data

Denormalization

Validation

No Yes
Results
satisfactory ? Application

Fig. 2. Computing flowchart of the ANFIS model.

3824 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832

2.2. Analytical methods

Organic matter as dissolved COD was determined according to Standard Methods [37]. VFA was determined according to
Anderson and Yang as equivalent of CaCO3 [6]. pH was measured with a WTW 315i Model pH meter and a Sen Tix 20 electrode.

2.3. Model structure and components

A model in Sugeno structure was built with ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System) editor of Fuzzy toolbox in
MATLAB (R2006 version, The MathWorks Inc., USA).

(a) Input Variables MODELS Output Variables

pH ANFIS 1

COD ANFIS 2 pH

VFA ANFIS 3

pH ANFIS 1

COD
COD ANFIS 2

VFA ANFIS 3

pH ANFIS 1

COD ANFIS 2 VFA

VFA ANFIS 3

input input mf r ul e outputmf outp u t

(b)
ANFIS 1

ANFIS 2

ANFIS 3

Fig. 3. Schematic diagram of (a) ANFIS models with all input variables and (b) input–output mapping structure of ANFIS models with input variables.
 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832 3825

The computing flowchart of the model structure was constructed as shown in Fig. 2. The membership functions were ob-
tained from the data set (85) of the UASBR system which was first normalized and then divided as 51 for training and 34 for
testing. Separation of the training and test data set was performed as three and two, respectively, in five consecutive group-
ing. The parameter estimation was obtained by applying hybrid learning algorithm and the validation of the model was car-
ried out using experimental data of the UASBR system’s effluent parameters, as output pH, COD and VFA. No pretreatment to
the raw data or elimination of the model results was applied.
The topology of the ANFIS network used is presented in Fig. 3a and b. Three ANFIS structures were developed with varied
input correlation (Fig. 3a) and composed of five layers in the development of a fuzzy system (Fig. 3b).
Meanings of each layer in Fig. 3b and their correspondence in the ANFIS structures are explained as follows:

Input layer: State variables are nodes in ANFIS inputs layer:

A total of three input variables: pH, COD and VFA (from the influent)
Membership function layer: Term sets of each state variable are nodes in ANFIS values layer, computing the membership
value:
For each input variable:
Membership: triangle mf or gauss mf
Membership number: two in ANFIS1, three in ANFIS2 and ANFIS3.
Rules layer: Each rule in fuzzy class is a node in ANFIS rules layer using soft-min or product to compute the rule matching
factor xi
Numbers of rules were: two in ANFIS1; nine in ANFIS2 and 27 in ANFIS3.
Output membership function layer: Each weighs the result of its linear regression fi in the function layer, generating the
rule output.
Normalization layer: Each xi is scaled into in the normalization layer
Normalization is performed with the equation:

X norm ¼ ðX value  X min Þ=ðX max  X min Þ: ð1Þ

Output layer: Each rule output is added in the output layer.
Outputs: pH, COD, VFA (effluent)

Fig. 4. Training curves for ANFIS1, ANFIS2 and ANFIS3.

Table 2
Correlation coefficients between the input and output parameters. Bold numbers indicate the highest two values for
each output parameter.

Input/output pH COD VFA

pH 0.278 0.005 0.197
COD 0.463 0.396 0.187
VFA 0.079 0.409 0.107
3826 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832

Training curves obtained in the fuzzy toolbox of Matlab were presented in the Fig. 4. It was observed that training error
(TE) was minimized at epoch numbers between 20 and 100 in ANFIS3.

2.4. Model implementation

Three ANFIS models were developed with the raw database based on varied input correlations as (Fig. 3a):

 Each output parameter was modeled with each single input variable in ANFIS1,
 Each output parameter was modeled with all three input variables in ANFIS2,
 Each output parameter was modeled with two input variables that gave higher correlation coefficients (as outlined in the
Table 2) in ANFIS3.

The variation of the input variables in each ANFIS model indicated the sensitivity level of each input on the output param-
eter (as pH, COD and VFA).

(a) 10
9
8
7
pH

6
5
4
3 Influent pH
Effluent pH
2
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85

(b) 35000 Influent COD

Effluent COD
30000

25000
C OD (mg /L)

20000

15000

10000
5000

0
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85

(c) 18000
16000 Influent VFA
14000 Effluent VFA
12000
VFA (mg /L)

10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85

Fig. 5. Influent (input) and effluent (output) parameters of the UASBR system (a) pH, (b) COD and (c) VFA.
 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832 3827

Input selection in ANFIS3 for each output was conducted using correlation coefficients determined between the input var-
iable and output using SPSS 15.0 with bivariate correlation. The highest linear correlation level was observed as 0.40–0.46
(Table 2). Input COD influenced all three parameters’ output values indicating that organic loading was the operational
parameter that affected most the anaerobic system’s effluent quality. Low correlation levels indicated a weak linear interre-
lationship between the input and output parameters reflecting a heavily loaded anaerobic system which produced a highly
stable and lower output values compared to highly fluctuating influent concentrations as presented in Fig. 5.
Performance of the ANFIS models was validated with graphical fitness and statistical analysis using standard deviation
(SD), mean, correlation coefficient (R), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean square error (RMSE). The sen-
sitivity level of the inputs on the model’s output was evaluated with comparison between three ANFIS Model results for each
output.

3. Results and discussion

The ANFIS models applied to the sequential UASBR system produced outputs for the effluent pH, COD and VFA which
were monitored on the system as indicators of treatment performance and stability. As the system had a 4 day retention
time, the predictability of the output parameters would serve as a beneficial tool for control and regulation of the influent

10
(a) MAPE: 0.04
R: 0.19
9

8
pH

pH Measured
6
pH Model
5
0 10 20 30 40
Test Data

(b) 10 MAPE: 0.084

R: 0.08
9

8
pH

pH Measured
6
pH Model
5
0 10 20 30 40
Test Data

(c) 10
MAPE: 0.031
9 R: 0.64

8
pH

6 pH Measured
pH Model
5
0 10 20 30 40
Test Data

Fig. 6. Prediction of the ANFIS models for output pH in (a) ANFIS1, (b) ANFIS2 and (c) ANFIS3.
3828 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832

via recycling flow. As dairy plants produce highly variable wastewaters at various and intermittent production and washing
activities, control and regulation of the influent pH and COD are essential for the sensitive anaerobic digestion performance.
As the organic load on the system was increased from 1.1 to 5.5 g COD/L d, the database of the system was utilized to develop
and validate the ANFIS models.
Time profiles of the influent and effluent parameters were presented in Fig. 5. Although the input parameters exhibited a
high degree of variance due to dense acidification and dilution in the PA tank, obtaining the modeling performance with the
whole dataset was targeted, therefore, no pretreatment to the raw data was implemented.
As anaerobic systems convert organic matter to organic acids as intermediate products, pH is the most frequently mon-
itored parameter in the influent, reactor and effluent as an indirect indicator of acidity. An optimum range of 6.8–8.2 is tar-
geted in the reactors. As dairy wastewater underwent dense acidification reactions in this application, output pH was
predicted poorly in ANFIS1 and ANFIS2 with R values of 0.19 and 0.08 and MAPE of 4.0% and 8.4%, respectively (Fig. 6a
and b). ANFIS2 produced a widely scattered output indicating that three input structure described poorly the output pH. AN-
FIS3 structure produced a best approximation level with increasing R value to 0.64 and reducing MAPE to 3.1% (Fig. 6c). As a
reasonably high correlation existed between the input COD-pH and output pH, the combined effect provided a higher degree
of proximity to the raw data. RMSE produced was obtained also as the lowest in this structure (Table 3).
The application of ANFIS models indicated that output pH was not sensitive to input VFA, but strongly sensitive to both
input pH and COD. Elimination of the input COD in ANFIS1 resulted in a considerable decrease in R and an increase in MAPE.
As COD is a measure of the organic matter in the WW, its substantial removal is the main target via anaerobic process
down to acceptable levels for a subsequent aerobic polishing unit. ANFIS1 (with input COD) and ANFIS3 produced a similar
prediction level for output COD, at R values of 0.65 and 0.62, respectively (Fig. 7a and d). Likewise, MAPE values were ob-
tained as 0.302 and 0.286 and RMSE around 1600 mg/L. ANFIS1 with input VFA tended to linearize its output around the
mean value (Fig. 7b). ANFIS2 produced predictions at the highest scattering level with an increased MAPE (Fig. 7c). The mod-
el’s approximation to the output COD was slightly at the highest level with input COD and VFA in ANFIS3.
Output COD did not exhibit a sensitivity to input pH as the low performance of ANFIS2 was improved with the elimina-
tion of input pH in ANFIS3. The highest sensitivity was correlated to input COD, as its elimination in ANFIS1 (Fig. 7b) reduced
the approximation level.
The significantly high fluctuation pattern of the output VFA was generally approximated at a low level at MAPE values
above 1.5 (Fig. 8a–d). Single input model with input VFA produced an approximation at a comparably higher fitting to other
models where the model tended to approximate the fluctuation pattern around the mean value (Fig. 8a). As the models’ re-
sults indicated, the output VFA was only sensitive to its input where increasing of monitoring frequency to obtain a larger
database is required to improve the predictability of the model of the sudden changes in the measured output. As monitoring
the formation and removal of VFA provides a useful tool in the controlling of anaerobic digesters [6–8], other system dynam-
ics such as methane production need to be investigated to model output VFA.
The ANFIS1 and ANFIS3 models produced a lower mean and SD values for all parameters, indicating a tendency to give a
linearized and underfitting fluctuation pattern which was highly pronounced in the prediction of VFA output. This indicated
that the model had some limitation to learn the sudden changes. As daily data collection can produce a wide concentration
range of output data in anaerobic treatment of high-strength wastewaters, fluctuations in the influent and effluent param-
eter values may be recorded in smaller increments on an hourly-sampling basis. Also, the relatively stable output data com-
pared to the highly fluctuating input seemed to influence the models’ prediction ability.
ANFIS2 with three input structure produced the closest mean values with the highest level of MAPE and a highly over-
fitting fluctuation level compared to other structures. This model structure would approximate its mean value to the real

Table 3
Statistical results of the ANFIS models for output parameters. Bold numbers indicate the lowest RMSE
values obtained.

Outputs
pH COD VFA
SDa 0.42 2000 398
Meana 7.79 5157 570
ANFIS1–Mean 7.82 5046 460b–475c
ANFIS2–Mean 7.51 5472 475
ANFIS3–Mean 7.75 5029 413
ANFIS1–SD 0.12 1693 172b–187c
ANFIS2–SD 1.08 3691 515
ANFIS3–SD 0.23 1880 185
ANFIS1–RMSE 0.405 1691b, 1549d 410b, 448c, 411d
ANFIS2–RMSE 1.193 2933 675
ANFIS3–RMSE 0.319 1672 454
a
Measured data.
b
Input VFA correlation.
c
Input pH correlation.
d
Input COD correlation.
 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832 3829

(a) 12000 COD Measured

10000 COD Model

8000

COD mg/L
6000

4000

MAPE: 0.302
2000
R: 0.65

0
0 10 20 30 40
Test Data
12000 COD Measured
(b) COD Model
10000

8000
COD mg/L

6000

4000
MAPE: 0.322
2000 R: 0.59

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Test Data

(c) 16000 COD Measured

14000 COD Model
12000
10000
CODmg/L

8000
6000
4000
2000 MAPE: 0.45
R: 0.60
0
0 10 20 30 40
Test Data

(d) 12000 COD Measured

COD Model
10000

8000
COD mg/L

6000

4000
MAPE: 0.286
2000 R: 0.62

0
0 10 20 30 40
Test Data

Fig. 7. Prediction of the ANFIS models for output COD in (a) ANFIS1 with input COD, (b) ANFIS1 with input VFA (c) ANFIS2 and (d) ANFIS3 with inputs COD
and VFA.

data but would create an unnecessary warning for the UASBR system. This indicated that all three input parameters were not
sensitive on the outputs at the same level as different degree of correlation existed between them. In previous applications of
3830 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832

(a) 2000 VFA-Measured

VFA-Model
1500 MAPE: 1.505
R:0.20

VFA (mg/L)
1000

500

0
0 10 20 30 40
-500
Test Data
1800
(b) VFA-Measured
1600 VFA-Model
1400
MAPE: 1.851
VFA (mg/L)

1200 R:-0.023
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0 10 20 30 40
Test Data
2000 VFA-Measured
(c) VFA-Model MAPE:2.208
1500 R:-0.087
VFA (mg/L)

1000

500

0
0 10 20 30 40
-500

-1000
Test Data
1800
(d) 1600 VFA-Measured
VFA-Model
1400 MAPE: 1.704
R: 0.04
VFA (mg/L)

1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0 10 20 30 40
Test Data

Fig. 8. Prediction of the ANFIS models for output VFA in (a) ANFIS1 with input VFA, (b) ANFIS1 with input pH (c) ANFIS2 and (d) ANFIS3 with inputs pH and
COD.

ANFIS approach on anaerobic systems, it was emphasized that unsteady state data could be predicted with only appropriate
input variables [20,21].

4. Conclusions

As the adaptive capability of the neural network and reasoning ability of the fuzzy logic are combined in ANFIS modeling,
it was implemented in need of a fast responding and flexible model to a highly complex anaerobic treatment process. The
 D. Erdirencelebi, S. Yalpir / Applied Mathematical Modelling 35 (2011) 3821–3832 3831

ANFIS models developed were successful in predicting the effluent parameters of pH and COD within anaerobic digestion
limits at an OLR range of 1.1–5.5 g COD/L d. The efficient performance of the UASBR system to stabilize pH and reduce
VFA caused the model to linearize its outputs compared to the fluctuations in the raw effluent data. For COD reduction,
the sequential UASBR system had a rate-limiting performance level. Its stable increase in the input values resulted in a par-
allel behavior in the effluent and the model was successful to reflect it in its output.
ANFIS approach proved in the present study that steady conditions at a large OLR range can be modeled with its structure
and used in the controlling of an anaerobic reactor’s influent pH and COD in high-strength dairy wastewaters where input
parameters usually occur at a highly fluctuating level due to dense acidification reactions in the influent. Enlarging of the
database and/or frequency of monitoring will serve reducing the error level and improve the predicting capability of the
model. On-line and off-line monitoring of the influent pH and COD, respectively, will enable the regulation of the COD con-
centration in the influent using the proposed ANFIS3 model. As ANFIS can be trained with new data or seasonal changes, the
control system based on the model can be adapted or updated continuously by the user, providing a great potential for appli-
cation in the controlling of anaerobic digesters.

Acknowledgements

This study was carried out at the Environmental Engineering Department of Selcuk University with the data obtained in
the scope of the Project No.107Y245 ‘‘Determination of the Anaerobic Treatability, Kinetics and Performance of Cheese and
Yoghurt Production Wastewaters‘‘ supported by Tubitak, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey which
has no involvement in the mathematical modeling study presented here.

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