Linear Chemical Dose Controller (LCDC/LFOM)
The linear Chemical Dose Controller (LCDC) is a critical piece of the AguaClara technology which couples the plant flow rate with the flow rate of the coagulant or disinfectant stock solution. The result is a semi-automated system in which the plant operator only needs to set a dose for the chemical and it will be administered automatically as the plant flow rate varies. The system has evolved steadily with major advances every year. The ability to accurately and predictably control the alum and chlorine dosages without electricity sets AguaClara apart from other water treatment technologies.
Spring 2013: The Spring 2013 team fabricated two new chemical dose controllers - one for use in Honduras and another for use in India. The team also made improvements to the Fall 2012 design. Improvements included application of a powder coat finish instead of anodizing the lever arm to improve chemical resistance, design and fabrication of a chemical- resistant PVC manifold system that can allow the chemical flow through each tube to be shut off if necessary, and creating a constant head tank that can be more easily adjusted during calibration and can accommodate larger flows. An entrance tank improvement to prevent excessive movement of the float at some plants in Honduras, which can introduce error in dosing rates, was also designed. A clear, concise Google SketchUp 3-D drawing of the latest LCDC system was created, which can be used in training exercises and to fabricate new chemical dose controllers in the future. The Spring 2013 team created a laboratory setup of the LCDC system and through experiments determined that the system was within ten percent error of the predicted MathCAD output. Finally, the team also presented options for manufacture of the lever arm in the US or locally in the host country. Retrofitting existing plants in Honduras was determined to not be a priority at this time.
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Challenges |
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Teach-In |
Presentation |
Final Report |
Summer 2013 |
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Spring 2013 |
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Fall 2012 |
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Spring 2012 |
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Fall 2011 |
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Summer 2011 |
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Spring 2011 |
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