Keep it fast for haulers, and keep it maintenance-free for operators. That’s what Lakeside Equipment set out to do with its Raptor Septage Acceptance Plant, displayed at the 2016 Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport Show in Indianapolis last February.

“We never had a display at the show,” says John Olson, regional sales manager, who attended the show many times before exhibiting. “We walked the floor and said, ‘Why don’t we display here?’ We came to this show because these tankers have to go somewhere with their waste.”

The self-contained, fully automated unit removes debris and inorganic solids that pass through a conventional bar screen. The stainless steel construction and inspection port make it easier for operators to maintain, and the optional hauler-access system means septic waste haulers can be in and out within 15 minutes. It’s that ease of use that kept show attendees flowing through the Lakeside Equipment booth.

Strong response

“We’ve had operators and haulers come by,” says Olson. An optional Lakeside Automated Data Acquisition System allows wastewater treatment plant administrators to manage haulers coming into the plant while tracking load size, sampling and more. Approved haulers can activate the acceptance plant using a PIN keypad, and then operators can print a summary of the unload that includes time and date. Volume information can be recorded with the addition of a line flowmeter.

“The PIN number or swipe card opens the pinch valve,” says Olson. “When it opens, it can discharge by flow or force. We find a pinch valve works much better for this type of purpose.” A 3,000-gallon load with 3 percent solids can be processed in 10 minutes, and advanced administrative features mean treatment plants can attract more haulers and manage data for easy billing.

The Raptor plant can be built with two valves so that two haulers can unload side by side. The unit isn’t just fast; it efficiently pretreats septage with help from the 1/4-inch Raptor Fine Screen and a rotating rake. The screenings are sent to a stainless steel central screw conveyor that leads to a transport tube.

Two stages of spray washing, over the screen basket and in the transport tube, return organics to the liquid stream while the solids move to a compaction zone and then a storage container. At that point, the material is typically over 40 percent solids and will pass the U.S. EPA paint filter test.

The septage receiving plant, installed at more than 120 locations in the U.S., is fully enclosed, reducing odors and excluding nuisance insects. Although the plant is not new to the market, Olson says the company is constantly looking to improve it. “At the show, we had operators stopping in to talk about it,” he says. “We’ve also had a lot of people who’ve said they want to buy.” 630/837-5640; www.lakeside-equipment.com.