Overcoming chemical dosing challenges in wastewater treatment

Around 359 billion cubic metres of wastewater is produced globally each year.¹ In propelling towards sustainability, wastewater treatment providers are facing the challenge of effectively handling a variety of treatment chemicals. Sustainability is driving the use of higher concentration chemicals to minimise transport costs and emissions, as well as reduce the size of dosing systems. High concentration chemicals require a very accurate and repeatable pump to maintain process capability. Peristaltic pumps with low pulsation and no ball valves result in parts per million (ppm) concentrations with very low standard deviations, minimising chemical usage and maximising process quality.

In response to the challenges of disinfection and neutralisation, coagulants and flocculants, and urbanization that demand more powerful pumps with high flow rates and low pulsation to increase efficiency, Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions has designed pump technology solutions to enable wastewater treatment providers to overcome different process challenges.

After calls from plant managers for more powerful and adaptable pumping equipment that enables accurate, flexible and high capacity dosing, the Qdos H-FLO was designed. The pump is capable of flow rates up to 600 litres per hour and can handle pressures up to 7 bar via a range of interchangeable pump heads. The different pump heads enable the pump to be used in a wide range of wastewater applications and allow plant managers to respond quickly as treatment processing requirements change.

The Qdos H-FLO has a pressure sensor that detects leaks and blockages. The pump stops before the system becomes damaged and alerts the operator with diagnostic feedback. In addition, all of the chemicals are safety contained within the pump head, preventing operator exposure. If there is a problem, the pump head can just be changed. The twin-tube technology provides extremely low pulsation, with an offset rotor design protecting pipework integrity and providing consistent chemical supply compared with diaphragm pumps delivering similar flow rates. Unlike diaphragm pumps, the Qdos H-FLO has no valves, eliminating the issue of valves becoming stuck or blocked. In addition, the pump has a high accuracy of ±1%, which prevents chemical waste and saves costs.

Wastewater treatment providers face a variety of operating challenges, including handling a wide range of chemicals, meeting high demand, and becoming more sustainable. However, with the correct pumping technology, wastewater plant managers can ensure their operations run efficiently, accurately and safely.

Visit the Watson-Marlow website for more information

^{1. https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/13/237/2021/}

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