Team Members - [Summer 2008]
The Pilot Plant team is divided into two sub-teams - The flocculation subteam and the sedimentation subteam.
The flocculation subteam is focusing on research with the pilot plant flocculator. The objective of this team is to optimize the flocculation process through research with baffle spacing and the GTheta values for the tank.
Tapered Flocculation
The Sedimentation subteam is focusing on research related to optimizing the sedimentation process. What kind of flocs settle best and what characterisitics of the lamella and sludge blankets work best.
[Sedimentation]
The Automated Flow Control Team is a related team that is working on researching the best apparatus for consisting alum dosing.
[Automated Flow Control]
Meeting Time:
Motivation & Objective
Research for the summer of 2008 will focus in three main areas. The Sedimentation Tank sub-section will focus on continuing research with sludge blanket formation and stability. Another sedimentation tank with lamella technology will also be constructed for comparison. The Tapered Flocculation sub-section will focus on continuing to analyze floc profiles, focusing on ways to create larger flocs faster. Suggested experiments with inline flow obstacles and possibly a redesign of the initial section of the flocculator are proposed. The Automated Flow Control sub-section is focusing on continued research of the linear flow measuring weir as well as the construction and testing of the float-lever chemical dosing system.
Research Goals
Goals have been made for each of the three sub-sections of the Pilot Plant group.
Overall Goals
- Consistently produce water that is under 1 NTU after sedimentation
- Determine the most efficient flocculation and sedimentation combination
- Determine the viability of the automated chemical dosing apparatus
Tapered Flocculation Tank Goals for Summer 2008
- Past Research
- [Developing Floc Profiles]
- Extend the length of the flocculator to increase Gtheta
- Add obstacles to the beginning sections to increase shear where the floc can handle it
- Redesign the initial sections of the flocculator for baffles to be closer together initially
- Add kaolin clay to the raw water to test technology at higher inlet turbidities
- Run floc profile tests on the previous uniform baffle configuration for comparison
Unknown macro: {excel}
Sedimentation Tank Goals for Summer 2008
- [Past Research]
- Complete design of the second sedimentation tank with lamella
- Construct second sedimentation tank
- Determine the optimum upflow velocity for sludge blanket formation
- Alter set-up to allow for the inline turbidity meters to sample effluent turbidity from both sedimentation tank
- Compare sedimentation technologies to determine the most efficient technology
Unknown macro: {excel}
Automated Flow Control and Chemical Dosing Goals for Summer 2008
- Past Research
- Test current set up and redesign to optimize the system
- Build a prototype and test for inefficiencies
Unknown macro: {excel}
Past Research
- The Pilot Plant - Research Log documents the research that is being done in the current semester.
- The [Pilot Plant - Research Log -- Spring 2008] documents in detail the research that was done in the Spring 2008 semester.
In the Spring '07 semester, the pilot plant was designed and constructed.
in the Summer of '07, adjustments were made to the set-up and testing of the uniformly-spaced baffle design was done.
In the Fall '07 semester, a tapered-baffle set-up was designed, constructed, and installed.
In the Spring '08 semester, the floc tank set-up was improved, floc formation profiles were developed a sludge blanket sedimentation tank was built and tested. The Automated Flow measuring weir was built and tested.
History of past research and details of current research can be found on wiki page entitled Pilot Plant - Flocculator. Details of the Sedimentation Tank Research can be found on the wiki page entitled [Pilot Plant- Sedimentation Sludge Blanket Tank].