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The main process controller states for the experiment are floc blanket formation, two flow states for high and low floc blanket heights, a floc blanket equilibrium state, two states devoted to incrementing the flow rates. Several other states, such as drain, are used for system maintience.
We expect to see failure in the lower diameter tubes with the high Vc values because the flocs have a smaller area over which they can settle. The smaller diameters are expected to with flocs more quickly, and are less likely to have flocs waste out of the tube as the flow state is running.
Results
Priminary experiments have been conducted for the purpose of determining the appropriate time interval for the flow and increment states, as well as determining which Vc and floc blanket combinations cause failure. Based on these prelimnary findings we are modifying the experiment to produce quality results in an efficient manner.
The plot below displays the effluent turbidity vs. critical velocity graphed on a semilog plot. Each flow state was run for 6 hours, however, the floc blanket was primarily at the high setting of 60 cm due to air blocking the flow through the solenoid valve. There were also error in both the initial caculations of the flow rate and the tubing size. Instead of testing at a Vc range of 5 to 20 m/day a much higher Vc range of around 39 to 131 m/day. The results are display in the graph below.
The graph clearly indicates that the first