Empirical Study on Failure Prediction of Rotating Biological Contactors Available for Landfill Site Operators: Scoring Analysis Based on 17-Year Daily Inspection Reports

This study proposes a practical method for the early detection of failure signs in a rotating biological contactor (RBC) system that has been in long-term operation at a municipal solid waste landfill. Seventeen years of inspection logs, recorded between 2006 and 2023, were digitized and analyzed wi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hiroyuki Ishimori, Yugo Isobe, Tomonori Ishigaki, Masato Yamada
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/6950
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850118767029256192
author Hiroyuki Ishimori
Yugo Isobe
Tomonori Ishigaki
Masato Yamada
author_facet Hiroyuki Ishimori
Yugo Isobe
Tomonori Ishigaki
Masato Yamada
author_sort Hiroyuki Ishimori
collection DOAJ
description This study proposes a practical method for the early detection of failure signs in a rotating biological contactor (RBC) system that has been in long-term operation at a municipal solid waste landfill. Seventeen years of inspection logs, recorded between 2006 and 2023, were digitized and analyzed with a focus on abnormal noise, electric current values, operational status, and failure history. The analysis revealed that frequent occurrences of abnormal noise and sudden fluctuations in current tend to precede equipment failures. Based on these findings, we developed a scoring model for the predictive maintenance of RBCs. Traditionally, determining the score required professional knowledge such as performing a sensitivity analysis. However, by utilizing AI (ChatGPT o4), we were able to obtain recommended values for these parameters. This means that operators can now build and adjust a scoring model for predictive maintenance of RBCs according to their specific on-site conditions. On the other hand, sudden increases in current and abnormal noises were previously considered strong indicators of failure prediction. These parameters will depend on factors such as the sensitivity of electrical current meters and surrounding noise. Therefore, depending on the specific environmental conditions at the site, the scoring model developed in this study may have limited predictive accuracy.
format Article
id doaj-art-bfe82ca61a504b799c9f838019052ff2
institution OA Journals
issn 2076-3417
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Applied Sciences
spelling doaj-art-bfe82ca61a504b799c9f838019052ff22025-08-20T02:35:47ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-06-011513695010.3390/app15136950Empirical Study on Failure Prediction of Rotating Biological Contactors Available for Landfill Site Operators: Scoring Analysis Based on 17-Year Daily Inspection ReportsHiroyuki Ishimori0Yugo Isobe1Tomonori Ishigaki2Masato Yamada3Material Cycles Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Ibaraki, JapanMaterial Cycles and Waste Management Group, Center for Environmental Science in Saitama (CESS), 914 Kamitanadare, Kazo 347-0115, Saitama, JapanMaterial Cycles Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Ibaraki, JapanMaterial Cycles Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Ibaraki, JapanThis study proposes a practical method for the early detection of failure signs in a rotating biological contactor (RBC) system that has been in long-term operation at a municipal solid waste landfill. Seventeen years of inspection logs, recorded between 2006 and 2023, were digitized and analyzed with a focus on abnormal noise, electric current values, operational status, and failure history. The analysis revealed that frequent occurrences of abnormal noise and sudden fluctuations in current tend to precede equipment failures. Based on these findings, we developed a scoring model for the predictive maintenance of RBCs. Traditionally, determining the score required professional knowledge such as performing a sensitivity analysis. However, by utilizing AI (ChatGPT o4), we were able to obtain recommended values for these parameters. This means that operators can now build and adjust a scoring model for predictive maintenance of RBCs according to their specific on-site conditions. On the other hand, sudden increases in current and abnormal noises were previously considered strong indicators of failure prediction. These parameters will depend on factors such as the sensitivity of electrical current meters and surrounding noise. Therefore, depending on the specific environmental conditions at the site, the scoring model developed in this study may have limited predictive accuracy.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/6950waste landfillleachate treatment facilityrotating biological contactorspreventive maintenancedaily inspection reportsartificial intelligence
spellingShingle Hiroyuki Ishimori
Yugo Isobe
Tomonori Ishigaki
Masato Yamada
Empirical Study on Failure Prediction of Rotating Biological Contactors Available for Landfill Site Operators: Scoring Analysis Based on 17-Year Daily Inspection Reports
Applied Sciences
waste landfill
leachate treatment facility
rotating biological contactors
preventive maintenance
daily inspection reports
artificial intelligence
title Empirical Study on Failure Prediction of Rotating Biological Contactors Available for Landfill Site Operators: Scoring Analysis Based on 17-Year Daily Inspection Reports
title_full Empirical Study on Failure Prediction of Rotating Biological Contactors Available for Landfill Site Operators: Scoring Analysis Based on 17-Year Daily Inspection Reports
title_fullStr Empirical Study on Failure Prediction of Rotating Biological Contactors Available for Landfill Site Operators: Scoring Analysis Based on 17-Year Daily Inspection Reports
title_full_unstemmed Empirical Study on Failure Prediction of Rotating Biological Contactors Available for Landfill Site Operators: Scoring Analysis Based on 17-Year Daily Inspection Reports
title_short Empirical Study on Failure Prediction of Rotating Biological Contactors Available for Landfill Site Operators: Scoring Analysis Based on 17-Year Daily Inspection Reports
title_sort empirical study on failure prediction of rotating biological contactors available for landfill site operators scoring analysis based on 17 year daily inspection reports
topic waste landfill
leachate treatment facility
rotating biological contactors
preventive maintenance
daily inspection reports
artificial intelligence
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/6950
work_keys_str_mv AT hiroyukiishimori empiricalstudyonfailurepredictionofrotatingbiologicalcontactorsavailableforlandfillsiteoperatorsscoringanalysisbasedon17yeardailyinspectionreports
AT yugoisobe empiricalstudyonfailurepredictionofrotatingbiologicalcontactorsavailableforlandfillsiteoperatorsscoringanalysisbasedon17yeardailyinspectionreports
AT tomonoriishigaki empiricalstudyonfailurepredictionofrotatingbiologicalcontactorsavailableforlandfillsiteoperatorsscoringanalysisbasedon17yeardailyinspectionreports
AT masatoyamada empiricalstudyonfailurepredictionofrotatingbiologicalcontactorsavailableforlandfillsiteoperatorsscoringanalysisbasedon17yeardailyinspectionreports