Managing three drinking water treatment facilities, multiple pump stations, more than 350 miles of pipelines, and a wastewater treatment facility is challenging even in normal conditions for a small city where agriculture is an economic driver and water demand can exceed 22 MGD.
Water utilities with highly successful monitoring programs tend to share a common trait: they have a well-defined plan for calibration that emphasizes frequency and tracking. However, when done properly, this process is time-consuming and often leads to unnecessary labor and downtime. The good news is that advanced metering technology is available for plants to get a better handle on the instrument’s performance with significantly less effort.
When water and wastewater plant operators can’t get accurate flow measurements or analytical readings — or lack confidence in their instruments’ readings — it creates challenges with the process. When substandard water goes to homes and causes a boil order, or discharge pollutes a lake or reservoir, the resulting bad press, fines, and potential lawsuits erode public confidence. Avoiding these kinds of problems is rooted in good preventive maintenance habits.
Water and wastewater utility operators work diligently to operate within strict guidelines, ensuring their facilities are producing the best drinking water and highest quality effluent possible. Despite all their efforts, however, it can be easy to fall outside of regulatory compliance without even being aware. The key to avoiding problems like these is to understand how silent noncompliance can happen and knowing when to raise a red flag.
This paper presents the results of 12 V-Cone DP Flow meters tested over a period of 17 years. Service applications for the V-Cones included natural gas as well as coke oven gas measurement, a dirty aggressive fluid that is problematic over long period of time for most flow meters. All testing was conducted in air by a 3rd party calibration laboratory, CEESI Colorado. Results will be presented for each of the meters over the 17 year span. Conclusions and recommendations will be made to the long term performance and recalibration intervals for the V-Cone flow meter.
This article disucsses two trends turning the flowmeter industry on its ear: advances in flowmeter diagnostics and the adoption of smartphone-like technology to improve access and communications.
When it comes to fixing pipeline infrastructure, the pressure is on — but is it being measured? Intelligent pipe solutions provide flow and pressure data for improved service and water quality.
For many utilities, failing pipelines and non-revenue water are atop the list of concerns. However, these issues can be greatly mitigated by leveraging readily available data in an intelligent way — through smart water management.
World Water Day (Thursday, March 22nd this year) does a great job of focusing our attention on water issues. And especially with storms on the East Coast and drought in the West, not to mention the looming possibility that officials will have to shut off the taps in Cape Town sometime this summer, a lot of the messaging around water is pretty much like being smothered in a wet blanket.
Ever since Coriolis flow measurement technology achieved mainstream appeal, industry has been fervently striving to take advantage of its benefits. And while Coriolis is clearly a highly advantageous solution for many crucial flow measurement applications, it is not without flaw.
The AURORA product combines the operating system of a conventional float-based magnetic level indicator (MLI) with the leading-edge Eclipse® guided wave radar transmitter developed for level measurement applications by Magnetrol®.
Switches on a flow/no flow condition in both gases and liquids. Flow Switch range of 0.01 to 5 sfps (.003 to 1.524 smps) in liquids and 0.1 to 500 sfps (.03 to 152.4 smps) gases. Response Time of 0.5 to 10 seconds (media dependent) Wide operating temperature range of -100F to +390F (-70C to 200C) CE, CENELEC and CSA approvals.
The OPTIMASS 3010 is a cost-effective Coriolis mass flowmeter for low flow and dosing applications with liquids and gases (from 0.3 kg/h or 0.01 lb/min upwards). The flowmeter features an integrated Modbus converter. This makes it the ideal solution for applications where a DCS or a PLC is already in use and extensive communication options and control functions are not necessary. By way of its Modbus interface the flowmeter integrates easily into existing controller systems. There is no need for a conventional signal converter. Purchase costs can be saved.
Siemens Process Instrumentation Service group provides a highly-skilled staff of competent, trained engineers and specialists to provide service and support.
Pressure reducing valves (PRVs) are used throughout water distribution systems to reduce pipeline pressure to a predetermined set point. This decreases water loss and prevents pipe breaks.
GF Piping has a long history of operation, serving a wide variety of flow measurement and distribution needs in water and wastewater — and a long history at WEFTEC as well. In this video, GF Piping's Brian LaBelle, Director of Business Development - Water Treatment & Energy, provides a tour of the GF booth highlighting the company's newest and most popular offerings. Tune in to discover the latest technologies related to piping systems, flow meters, diaphragm valves, joints, couplings, and more.
