Mass and energy balance software for wastewater treatment plants
The Mass Balance (CBVC) and Energy Balance (CBNL) programs were developed by the Institute of Information Technology in Civil Engineering (IIC) with the Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering (IESE), Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, under research project TNMT.2023.05.06. You draw the process train and enter the influent quality; the software calculates each unit in turn, then draws the balance diagram for each parameter and the energy flows of the whole plant.
From the process train to a balance diagram for each parameter
You drag unit processes from the library onto the diagram, connect the flows between them and enter the influent flow rate and pollutant concentrations. The software calculates along the flow path, gives the results for each unit and redraws the diagram with line thickness showing the load.
- Draw wastewater and sludge treatment trains by drag and drop, connecting outlets to inlets between units
- Calculate the mass balance for flow, TSS, BOD, COD, NH₄-N, T-N and T-P; view the diagram for each parameter
- Size the units, suggest the matching equipment and warn when a unit has no equipment
- Import the mass balance results into the energy module and draw a Sankey diagram of energy consumed and produced
- Manage the library of units, equipment and input/output properties; refer to QCVN discharge limits
- Export JPG images per parameter, Excel tables per unit, a Word report and AutoCAD diagrams (DXF)
Two modules sharing one project
The energy module reads the mass module's results directly, so you draw the process train and enter the data only once.
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Mass balance (CBVC)
Draw the process train, enter the input data and choose the purpose: tank design, mass balance or energy balance; run the calculation along the flow path.
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Energy balance (CBNL)
Import data from CBVC, check it and map it to energy equipment, and build a Sankey diagram between the units.
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Unit and equipment library
Add new unit processes with an icon and connected equipment, and define the input and output properties of each unit.
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Accounts and permissions
Three roles: Admin, Reviewer and Engineer; tracks the registration date and licence period.
Calculation methods and software architecture
The formulas for preliminary, local (on-site), primary, biological and sludge treatment units were developed and verified by IESE specialists. Default parameter values are set for urban domestic wastewater; you can change them in the input form.
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Mass balance | Q, TSS, BOD, COD, NH₄-N, T-N and T-P calculated unit by unit along the flow path |
| Energy balance | Energy consumed and produced by the system, shown as a Sankey diagram |
| Reference models | The IWA activated sludge models ASM1, ASM2/ASM2d and ASM3 and the anaerobic digestion model ADM1 |
| Discharge limits | Lookup tables from the QCVN wastewater standards, used to check treated effluent quality |
The software is written in C# on Windows Forms and uses the GoDiagram library for the drag-and-drop diagrams. Accounts and the equipment library are stored in a MySQL database; each project is saved as a local JSON file, so you can share it with colleagues over Zalo or Google Drive.
The research is presented in the paper “Development of wastewater treatment plant simulation software”, submitted to Water and Environment Journal in 2025.
Mass and energy balance of a treatment plant, step by step
1. Install and sign in
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Run
Setup.exe, click Next, choose the install folder with Browse, click Install and then Finish. - Open the software from the CBVC 1.0.0 desktop icon and click Bắt đầu (Start).
- Without an account, enter a user name, phone number and email and click Register; otherwise sign in.
2. Create or open a project
On the main screen, click Tạo mới dự án (New project), fill in the project details, choose a folder and click Tạo dự án (Create project). To open an existing project (including one a colleague sent over Zalo or Drive), use the open project button on the left, choose the folder and click Select Folder. The main screen also offers sample process trains for a quick start.
3. Draw the process train
- Drag unit processes from the library on the left onto the drawing area.
- Connect the outlet of each unit to the inlet of the next to create the flow path.
- Open Gợi ý thiết bị (Equipment suggestions) to choose matching equipment; units without equipment are flagged.
4. Extend the library when needed
In the equipment manager, choose to add a new unit process, enter its name and pick an icon and the connected equipment. To add a property, select a unit process, click add property, enter the details and click Lưu (Save).
5. Enter the data and choose the purpose
Open the input form, enter the wastewater flow rate and pollutant concentrations and click Lưu (Save). Choose the treatment technology (chemical, biological…) and the purpose: tank design, mass balance or energy balance.
6. Run the calculation and view the balance
Run the calculation. The software works through each unit along the flow path and writes the results to the table below the diagram. Pick a parameter (BOD, COD, TSS, N, P…) to redraw the mass balance diagram for it.
7. Export the results
- Click Xuất báo cáo (Export report) on the toolbar, choose Word (report) or Excel (data tables), name the file and click Lưu (Save).
- Export the diagram for each parameter as JPG.
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Export the plant diagram to AutoCAD as
.DXFfor the design documents.
8. Move on to the energy balance
Open the CBNL module, create a project and choose to import the results from the mass balance software. The software checks the data and maps it to energy equipment. Arrange the unit processes on the diagram, build the Sankey links between units, adjust the display settings, then export JPG, Excel or DXF as in step 7.
Developers and ownership
- Name
- Wastewater treatment calculation software – mass balance (CBVC), and wastewater treatment software – energy balance (CBNL)
- Version
- 1.0.0
- Developed by
- Institute of Information Technology in Civil Engineering (IIC) and Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering (IESE), Hanoi University of Civil Engineering; HICAS Software Co., Ltd.
- Client
- Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering (IESE), under the research project “Developing a toolkit to support the assessment and selection of technologies for treating and reusing wastewater and sludge from centralised wastewater treatment plants of urban areas and industrial zones”, code TNMT.2023.05.06
- Ownership
- Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering (IESE), Institute of Information Technology in Civil Engineering (IIC), HICAS Software Co., Ltd.
- Platform
- Windows 10/11, .NET Windows Forms, C#, GoDiagram, MySQL
- Data exchange
- JSON projects, Excel, Word, JPG, DXF (AutoCAD)
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