Treatment plant finds sonde key to cost-effective optimization
Problem
Heath Plowman, chief operator at the Ed E. Love Water Treatment Plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, needed a cost-effective water-quality monitoring solution to help control costs and comply with U.S. EPA regulations.
Solution
Plowman selected the Aqua TROLL 600 multiparameter sonde from In-Situ for its capability to monitor turbidity, pH and temperature with one instrument. Another plus was ease of integration with the plant SCADA system. “The Aqua TROLL transfers data to my operators in real time, so we have a quicker response time to upsets,” Plowman says. “Before, we were monitoring on a weekly basis, increasing the risk of missing our optimization window. Now we can see and address issues right away.” Operators take calibrations every month, and drift has been nearly nonexistent. It’s also easy to unscrew the probes from communication and move them to different locations while an internal SD card captures the data.
Result
“The Aqua TROLL 600 has been a cost-effective way to deliver the results I was looking for,” Plowman says. “Regulatory windows keep getting smaller, and the real-time data and reliable accuracy help keep us where we need to be.” 800-446-7488; www.in-situ.com
Continuous testing reduces repair and replacement
Problem
At the Casitas Municipal Water District in California, 2,300-volt motors are essential to supplying water to 60,000 to 70,000 people. To avoid problems caused by dusty motor windings or dampness, frequent megohm meter testing was important. A motor failure can cost $50,000 for repair.
Solution
The district uses a MegAlert continuous testing and monitoring device in a number of pump plants. The device is installed in the high-voltage compartment of the motor control center or switchgear and directly connects to the motor or generator windings. The unit senses when a motor or generator is offline and performs a continuous dielectric insulation resistance test on the insulation until the equipment is restarted.
Result
“If there is a problem with the motor windings, like too much moisture, the MegAlert equipment will alarm, lock the unit and prevent the motor from failing on startup so we can investigate the problem,” says Tracy Medeiros, electrical mechanical technician. “If the meg reading is low on a long-term basis, we can proactively get preventive maintenance done.” 800-778-5689; www.megalert.com
Measuring media expansion throughout the filter during backwash
Problem
A drinking water filter plant in St. Louis was measuring expansion of the filter media during backwash only at the sidewall with a device built on site. Seeking more accurate data, the plant wanted to reach into the filter chamber to measure at multiple points 3 feet off the sidewall.
Solution
Raven Environmental Products created the Filter Media Manager S-60100 to allow plants to easily measure the rate of media expansion in gravity filters. The portable instrument has a digital counter and is repeatable from operator to operator. Users simply lower the stainless steel sensor to rest on the compacted media. As the media begins to expand, a red LED illuminates. The operator reels in the sensor until the media has reached its maximum elevation. The U.S. EPA and American Water Works Association recommend 25% expansion for most gravity filters.
Result
The water-quality manager has renewed confidence that the filters are operating at peak performance and the filter media is being cleaned as intended. 800-545-6953; www.ravenep.com
Plant improves efficiency with accurate wastewater monitoring
Problem
A West Coast wastewater management facility needed an accurate and reliable way to measure and control the flow of wastewater into a splitter box to two separate clarifier basins. Operators would eyeball the flow in an attempt to equalize the flow to each basin. The previous instrumentation used a pressure sensor in the splitter box that would often clog and rarely operated.
Solution
The HydroRanger 200 from Siemens Process Instrumentation uses continuous ultrasonic echo ranging technology to monitor water and wastewater of any consistency up to 50 feet deep. It is immune to problems caused by suspended solids, harsh corrosives, grease or silt in the effluent. It offers single- or dual-point monitoring with six standard relays, as well as digital communications with built-in Modbus RTU via RS-232 and RS-485.
Result
The controller provided an economical, low-maintenance solution, delivering control efficiency and productivity. Instrumenting the splitter box weirs saved the plant time and labor in ensuring the correct flow to each clarifier basin. 800-365-8766; www.usa.siemens.com/pi
