Wastewater treatment plant slashes down-time and maintenance 07 December 2011

Shasun Pharma Solutions is reporting vastly reduced maintenance, zero recalibration, and easier, more accurate and more reliable monitoring since moving to Hach Lange sensor equipment for its wastewater plant.

The Newcastle upon Tyne pharmaceutical plant provides research and contract manufacturing services, and wastewater facility manager Craig Goodman explains that the facility uses three 2,500m3 treatment tanks and an activated sludge process.

That uses liquid oxygen and biological floc to keep volumes and response times down. The liquid oxygen is stored onsite and Craig says he gets almost instantaneous control of dissolved oxygen, "made possible [by] the new breed of dissolved oxygen sensors".

"In the past, we relied on traditional membrane-based DO [dissolved oxygen] sensors, but these required a high level of maintenance and tended to drift," he says. "It was usually necessary to recalibrate every week.

"However, the Hach Lange LDO sensors last for over a year without recalibration, and we then simply replace the sensor cap. So our monitoring activity is now significantly easier and more accurate and reliable."

Goodman explains that the liquid oxygen is vapourised and fed into the tanks via a single entry Venturi at 7bar. In addition to online sensors for pH and ammonium, the LDO sensors are connected to an SC1000 controller, which also monitors sensor health and interfaces with the plant's control systems.

"In addition to the waste stream from our own plant, we also treat waste from third parties, so we do not always know what is coming down the line. That is why we need to be able to respond quickly. Overdosing oxygen would kill the bugs, while underdosing may cause other problems such as bulking."

Brian Tinham

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