Marcala Water Treatment Plant
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Currently, a new plant is under construction in Marcala, Honduras under the supervision of Fred Stottlemyer, former President of International Rural Water Association. Mr. Stottlemyer has asked for assistance from the AguaClara team to calculate some aspects of the design using AguaClara technology. The Marcala plant is being constructed as a retrofit to a failed filtration facility which requires the calculation of design parameters such as the baffle spacing in the flocculation tank, the channel dimensions to route water to sedimentation tanks, and the sludge removal system. Several programs were developed in order to optimize the design process using MathCAD. Additionally, specifications on the cement baffles concerning the strength necessary to withstand draining are outlined.
Several design parameters are necessary for the success of the plant. Firstly, the size of the channel between the flocculation and sedimentation tanks were determined. Secondly, the baffle spacing in the flocculation tank must be determined. Since the nature of this project is to retrofit an exiting plant with existing structural dimensions, determining baffle position was especially difficult. Since the baffles being used will be ferrous cement, they will be mortared to the plant, and hence must be designed correctly from the start. Lastly, the sedimentation tank had to be designed to ensure a working sludge removal system. This includes the sizing and number of orifices on each manifold, carrying water both into and out of the sedimentation tanks.
Much of the structural framework is already in place in Marcala. The objective for is to assist in calculating the dimensions needed in order to turn the Marcala plant into an AguaClara plant. The treatment plant is being designed with a flow rate of 1900 L/min.