Are you an EHS or Facility Manager that feels uncomfortable around wastewater treatment systems? Do panels full of colorful lights, alarm sirens, and blinking numbers make you want to run the other way? Then this webinar is for you. Our wastewater expert shows you the basic components of most industrial pre-treatment systems and explains how those components should work together.

1. Back to Basics:
7 Essential Components of
Your Wastewater System
Darrell Interess
Triumvirate Environmental

2. Meet Your Moderator
2
James Ciccone

3. During This Webinar
3
 All lines will be muted.
 Communicate via the questions tab in your
webinar panel.
 Unanswered questions will be responded to
after the webinar.
 Webinar recording and slides will be emailed
to you tomorrow.

4. Meet Your Presenter
4
Darrell Interess

5. Overview
5
• Learn about seven of the essential wastewater system
components, including tanks, pumps, sensors, and the human
operators themselves
• Get information to help determine if your current equipment is
working as intended, if it’s stretched beyond its limits, or if it’s
overkill
• Find out if your alarm conditions, component failures, and
chemical usage are typical or if they are signs of bigger problems
• Receive tips to improve overall operational efficiency and reliability
of your wastewater systems

6. Wastewater Treatment System
6

7. Poll Question
7
What aspect of your
wastewater system do
you struggle with the
most?

8. Talking Points for Each Component
8
• What is it?
• Why does it matter?
• What can go wrong? What should we look for?
Image: Burt Process

9. Tanks
9

10. Types of Tanks
10
• Cylindrical
• Rectangular
• Flat bottom
• Conical bottom
• Baffled
Image: Chemtainer
Image: Maltz Sales

11. Tank Materials of Construction
11
Plastic
Fiberglass
Metal
Image: Burt Process

12. Tanks: Why Do They Matter?
12
• Mixing
• Measuring
• Transferring materials
Image: Burt Process

13. Tanks: What Can Go Wrong?
13
Unusual Odor
Damage or
Structural Failure
Image: ChemIndustrial Systems

14. Sensors
14

15. Sensors
15
• Measure parameters
• Provide data
• Examples of parameters to
measure:
- pH
- ORP
- Level
- Flow
- DO
- Conductivity
- Chlorine
Image: Burt ProcessImage: Walchem

16. Sensors: Why Do They Matter?
16
Image: Burt ProcessImage: Walchem
Inputs and
Outputs
Periodic
Maintenance

17. Sensors: What Can Go Wrong?
17
Image: Burt ProcessImage: Walchem
Dirty/Fouled
Failure (slow and rapid)
History and trending

18. Sensors: Maintenance
Considerations
18
Image: Burt ProcessImage: Walchem
Cleaning
Calibration / Verification
Required Supplies
Spares

19. Control System
19

20. Control System
20
• Combination devices
• Power on/off motors
• Activate/deactivate switches
• Hard-coded “brain”
Image: Burt Process
Image: Electro-Intro.com

21. Control System: Why Does
It Matter?
21
It controls everything (or just about) that
happens in the process

22. Control System: What Can
Go Wrong?
22
• Wire connections
• Power surges/fluctuations
• Clicking, chattering
• Sparking/arcing
• Fault lights/horns
• Periodic testing Image: Burt Process

23. Control System vs. Controller
23
• What does a controller do?
- Supplies powers sensors
- Receives signals from sensors
- Often transmits signals to another device
Image: Burt Process
Image: Walchem

24. Controllers
24
Image: Burt Process
Image: Walchem
Single-parameter
Multi-parameter
PLC
SCADA

25. Pumps
25

26. Pumps
26
Transfer material from one
place to another, often
through a process.
Image: Colfax Corporation

27. Pumps: Why Do They
Matter?
27
• Affect changes
• Process parameters
• Accurate measurement
Image: PumpFundamentals.com

28. Types of Pumps
28
• Centrifugal
• Self-priming
• Progressing cavity
• Diaphragm
• Submersible
• Metering
• Peristaltic
Image: Burt Process
Image: Walchem

29. 29
Failure
Performance deterioration
Listen and feel
Observe and track
Image: Burt Process
Pumps: What Can Go Wrong?

30. Pumps: What Can Go Wrong?
30
Image: Triumvirate Environmental

31. Mixers & Agitators
31

32. Mixers & Agitators
32
Goal is to keep material (liquid)
homogeneous through continuous motion.
Image: SPX Lightnin

33. Mixers & Agitators
33
Impeller (paddle)
Static
Fine-bubble diffusion
Image: Koflo Corporation
Image: Xylem

34. Mixers & Agitators:
Why Do They Matter?
34
• Homogenous solution
• Representative reading
• Sensor position
• Solids/Floc
Image: Dynamix

35. Mixers & Agitators:
What Can Go Wrong?
35
Installation and rotation
Blades and nozzles
Noise
Vibration
Observe and track sensor readings
Image: ETS Environmental

36. Poll Question
3
6
Which of these best
describes your
wastewater
system?

37. Filters
37

38. Types of Filters
38
• Screens
• Strainers
• Particulate
• Ion exchange resin
• Activated carbon
Image: Hayward Flow Control Image: ResinTech

39. Filters: Why Do They
Matter?
39
Downstream
protection
Contaminants
Image: Rosedale products
Image: HomeDepot

40. Filters: What Can Go
Wrong?
40
Loading
Maintenance
Image: Rosedale products

41. Operators
41

42. Operators
42
• Uptime
• Scheduling
• Collecting &
using data
• Regulatory
reporting

43. Operators: Why Do They Matter?
43
• The human brain
• Make decisions
based on inputs
• Can predict an
outcome before it
happens
• Respond to
malfunctions
• Ensure supply of
spares

44. Operators: What Can Go Wrong?
44
•People first
•Listen to them
•Ask questions
•Share
information

45. How It All Works Together
45

46. Summary
46
• Overview of major components of most wastewater treatment
processes
• General purpose of each component
• Common symptoms and the potential problems that they indicate
• How you can tune-in to the system to identify problems early
• Coming together to work together to reach a common goal or
output:
Treated Water

47. THANK YOU!
CONTACT US!
1-888-834-9697
www.triumvirate.com
Darrell Interess: dinteress@triumvirate.com