Paul Vieselmeyer's Individual Contribution Page

Spring 2014 Contributions

Paul is a senior studying Environmental Engineering and joined the Sedimentation tank Controls and Floc Probe Team. This team is working to develop tools that will aid the plant operator in removing pipes that control the water level in the sed tank, as well as creating a probe that will determine the level of the flocs in the sed tank. A slide hammer was constructed as a method of removing pipe stubs. Foam tape was added to the end of the slide in order to reduce the noise generated when the slide hammer is used. The possibility of using catwalks on the sedimentation tanks was examined. Using catwalks would allow for the removal of sed tank walls reducing the over all costs. However, catwalks were determined to be only practical in very large plants and the use of catwalks does not make economical sense currently. Aided in the construction of a sludge judge used in determining the level of the floc blanket. The apparatus consisted of a clear disk glued to the end of a 1" PVC pipe. A light was attached to the end of the pipe by a length of flat metal which could be increased or decreased to change the distance between the end of the pipe and the light.