Evaluating the process efficiency of industrial wastewater treatment plants using data envelopment analysis approach case study: Khuzestan steel company treatment plant

Designing a mathematical model with the possibility of changing the experimental parameters and variables not only helps to evaluate the performance of the treatment plant but also predicts its behavior. In this paper, to assess the efficiency of Khuzestan steel company treatment plant, data envelopment analysis (DEA) model was used. Input and output parameters of the treatment plant (Oil, COD, TSS, pH) were determined (2009-2014). Malmquist Productivity Index was used to express the changes in total productivity and Window Analysis was employed for calculation of efficiency and performance trends over time. The results showed that the treatment plant efficiency in the removal of COD, Oil, TSS and pH from the input wastewater was 68%, 62%, 81% and 4%, respectively. Treatment plant efficiency in removing pollutants (COD, TSS, Oil) was approximately 70%, so the performance of the system is efficient and the produced wastewater matches environmental standards. On the other hand, the results showed the high power of DEA models in the calculation and classification of years in terms of efficiency.