Clarifier Inspections: 6 Things You Can Expect
Slant plate clarifiers are an excellent way to treat large amounts of wastewater when working within a limited amount of space. In fact, they are able to treat 10 times more wastewater than the size of the clarifier’s footprint. This is due to the slanted plates in the clarifier.
Generally speaking, slant plate clarifiers can work with very little maintenance compared with other wastewater treatment systems, making it even more ideal for busy industrial wastewater treatment plants.
However, even with little maintenance, clarifiers should still be inspected throughout an operator’s shift. Specific steps must be taken to ensure that the wastewater is treated quickly and efficiently with minimal issues.
Today’s blog covers what you should look for when inspecting the clarifiers. Keep reading to learn six things you can expect as you inspect your clarifiers.
6 Things You Can Expect
1.Focus on walking through and checking on everything. As we stated above, while clarifiers can mostly run independently, leaving them unattended for long periods is not a good idea.
If something goes wrong, it can happen very quickly and require maintenance that temporarily shuts everything down. And for most wastewater treatment plants, not treating water means losing money.
So, to prevent that from happening during their shift, the operator should check the tanks leading to the clarifier inlet to ensure there are no changes that would upset the system.
When there’s an upset, there are always subtle clues leading up to it. If you catch those clues and resolve them as they appear, operations can continue to run smoothly instead of being paused for maintenance. Waiting for maintenance means losing money and time, especially since pumping the clarifier down is usually the only remedy for clarifier issues.
Wastewater treatment cannot continue while a clarifier is being pumped down. To ensure that wastewater treatment continues effectively, we recommend checking the following:
Ensure the feed rate is within the design criteria.
Ensure that incoming pH levels are in the proper range so that the proper chemical treatment of the wastewater can occur.
Ensure that the slant plate clarifier equipment is functioning correctly.
Check the polymer dosage amount.
Check the flocculation mixer speed.
Ensure that good floc is forming in the flocculation tank.
Check the settling rate.
Problems will occur if there isn’t enough polymer added or if there’s too much. Without enough polymer, the solids won’t settle quickly enough and will get carried out with the effluent, essentially making that batch of wastewater treatment a total loss.
If you have too much polymer, the solids will become sticky, potentially causing problems by plugging the plates and discharging the GS’s sludge hopper. While these are more severe problems that can occur from having too much polymer, any excess can still lead to issues like having a blinding cloth on a filter press.
2.Check the sludge levels at least three times per shift. You’ll want to check the sludge levels 30 minutes after wastewater treatment has begun and then regularly throughout the shift.
When checking on them, ensure sludge and solids are kept off the plates. If you notice sludge building up more quickly than it should, transfer to a sludge thickener until levels are below the plates.
You’ll want to check for the proper distribution of the weir box and the feed pump capacity to ensure that it stays within the process design flow rate.
3.Take lots of samples. If you doubt whether the clarifier is running the way it should, take a sample of the problem area. You can sample the clarifier outfall for clarity, check the sludge removal rate of the draw-off pump, and ensure that sludge levels are where they should be by using the sludge ports located on the clarifier cone.
4.Check oil levels. As important as sludge levels are, they aren’t the only important thing to check. You’ll also want to ensure that the oil levels in the flash mixer (if you’re using one) and in the flocculator driver are where they should be, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
5.Leave sludge in the hopper no matter what. Even if you turn off the slant plate clarifier for just a few minutes, you’ll want to have enough sludge in the hopper for the startup to recycle.
6.Stay safe while inspecting your slant plate clarifier. As tempting as it might be to climb on your clarifier to check on things, it is unsafe to do so. It’s imperative to follow OSHA protocols when inspecting your clarifier.
The flash mixer and flocculation tanks provided by J. Mark Systems must be checked with an OSHA-approved ladder and platform. You can use any ladder approved by OSHA for use with a slant plate clarifier, but we recommend using J.Mark-supplied ladders first.
No matter what type of ladder you use, ensure the safety standards meet the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration Manual standards. You can also follow the plant policies. We recommend choosing the more restrictive option for the utmost safety.
Following the steps outlined in this blog and following OSHA protocols when doing so will ensure your clarifiers run smoothly and properly treat the wastewater.
Get Your Slant Plate Clarifiers from J.Mark Systems.
If you’re just getting started or want to upgrade your slant plate clarifiers, reach out to us. J. Mark Systems is an industry leader with WTRBOX mobile slant plate clarifier systems. These systems are mobile and portable while being state-of-the-art and providing your facility with exactly what you need to effectively treat your wastewater.
Get started with a free water optimization audit to see which of our systems will work best for you. Our clarifiers work for aerospace, electronics, automotive, mining, textiles, power generation, petrochemical, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and metal finishing.
Contact J.Mark Systems today to get started and see what we can do for your wastewater treatment needs.