Ultrasonic Flow Measurement System Saves WWTP $72,500 Annually

If the wastewater treatment plant serving Reading, PA, and 11 surrounding municipalities has a mission statement for its day-to-day operations, it couldn’t be simpler or more critical: “95°F.” That’s the optimal temperature at which the anaerobic bacteria in the facility’s three 800,000-gallon digesters can most efficiently process the waste stream of up to 28.5 million gallons per day (MGD).

At 95°F, the digesters generate a wet biogas flow that averages 3,500 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH), with a methane fraction of 65 to 70 percent. The methane is drawn off to burn in three 70-horsepower boilers. Each boiler is paired with a digester, providing the heat needed to keep the temperature constant, even in subzero winter weather.