In recent years, the debate about which technology is best suited for water and wastewater level measurement and monitoring is heating up. There are those who argue that ultrasonic level technology has been uncontested as the standard for level and open-channel measurement applications in the water industry.
A Request for Startups post on January 3rd on the Y Combinator Blog caught my eye. The blogger talked about the need to prepare for things to get worse with regard to climate change, and called for applications for funding from those working on new technologies that could inexpensively produce clean water.
The vast majority of chain and flight collectors in operation throughout the world do not have any form of monitoring system installed to protect against operational failure. Traditional safety devices consist of a shear pin sprocket device, with a limit switch, designed to protect the drive system if a load or torque exceeds the working load of the drive chain; in the event that this occurs, the shear pin will break, the limit switch will be activated, and the drive motor is shut down. This process will typically protect the drive chain and drive motor from failure. When the shear pin breaks, the clarifier is drained, the cause of the overload is established and corrected, a new shear pin is installed, and the collector is placed back in operation.
Conversation at the 2016 SESWA Stormwater BMPs, LID and Green Infrastructure Seminar in Atlanta GA that I attended recently touched upon the idea of computers taking our jobs and ‘Engineering Bots’. This has of course happened in other industries, but I didn’t anticipate it happening in the stormwater planning, design and management world.
Prime-assisted wastewater pump stations that house all mechanical and electrical components above-grade are a safe and cost-saving alternative to traditional or chopper submersibles, addressing confined space restrictions and improving operating efficiency and reliability.
Just 20 years ago, many professionals did not consider using variable frequency drives (VFDs) in wastewater applications. Frequency converters were relatively expensive, and experience using them with the special conditions and requirements in wastewater was limited.
Misinformation about WirelessHART networks prevails among many instrument engineers in the process industries. This article attempts to set the record straight by debunking seven myths about these networks.
The effort required to develop water resources engineering models can be significant. But once developed, in many instances the models are only evaluated for a limited, or a single set of conditions. The results and predictions obtained from these evaluations are the ones used in design, presented in reports and conveyed to decision makers and the public.
Water management professionals know all too well that problems arise — usually sometime after 2 a.m., or just as you’re walking out the door for a holiday weekend. No matter how well-prepared you are, or how sophisticated your system, sometimes you’re going to run into challenges. It’s simply the nature of the industry. When you experience an issue with your valves (especially when they’re failing to open or close as expected) your first instinct is to call the factory for support. While some cases may require factory assistance, this isn’t always the most efficient solution.
Reducing water loss and saving money are two of the highest priorities—and most consistent challenges—facing water professionals. Both of these issues stem from water pressure control.
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