Treatment for chemical phosphorus removal requires the precise addition of metal salts into a wastewater solution. The salts react with soluble phosphate, forming precipitates. A separation process like clarification and filtration removes the solids.
The salts, such as alum and ferric chloride, are introduced to the wastewater stream using metering pumps. These chemical coagulants have a higher viscosity than water. They tend to produce globs that go undissolved. This means that more chemical is required, and more is wasted.
Tacmina BPL SmoothFlow pumps can add chemical at a constant and stable flow rate, optimizing the dispersion of chemical through the solution. The amount of chemical needed can be reduced, because everything is used, and nothing is wasted. Also, there is no pulsation; so, the piping or tubing does not shake. Maintenance is reduced, and pump life is increased.
Common metal salts used are alum (aluminum sulfate), sodium aluminate, ferric chloride, ferric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, and ferrous chloride. The Tacmina BLP pumps are compatible with all of these.
What makes BPL an excellent choice of pump?
- Constant, stable flow rate (up to up to 475 gph @ 145 psi)
- No pulsation over long distances
- High Efficiency – Low Energy motors – (Most pumps use 1/4HP)
- The pump can run dry without being damaged.
The right kind of pump will make a huge difference in consistent dispersion of chemicals. Recently, at Slinger WTP in Slinger, WI, a mechanical diaphragm metering pump was replaced with a Tacmina SmoothFlow electronic metering pump. This gave the advantages of a higher stroking speed and turn-down, low maintenance, ability to run dry. The BPL pumps are more robust than even peristaltic pumps for the same flow ranges.
Read the article by Ted Rulesh in PTO Magazine about of how the operators at Slinger re-thought their processes to economically get better water treatment and reduction of phosphorous – well within permit guidelines! Click on photo:
