Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol.129, No.1-3, 113-122, 2007
ARSEPPA: A Visual Basic software tool for arsenic separation plant performance analysis
A Visual Basic software ('ARSEPPA') in Microsoft Excel environment has been developed for the first time for performance analysis of arsenic separation plants in the backdrop of absence of such a software. The user-friendly, menu-driven add-in in Excel is based on dynamic mathematical model developed for the systematically integrated physico-chemical processes involved in removal of arsenic from drinking water. The software has been validated by carrying out extensive investigation in a laboratory- scale experimental set up and by comparing the experimental findings with the software-predicted values. An overall correlation coefficient of the order of 0.98890 has been obtained indicating the capability of the software in analyzing plant performance with reasonable accuracy. The software does not require familiarity with any new environment and through visual graphics, it permits very quick performance analysis of the individual units as well as the overall process. Flexibility in input data manipulation and capability of optimization of the major operating variables are the other advantages of the software. The simulation package is expected to be extremely useful in raising the level of confidence in designing and operating arsenic separation plants. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.