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Hydrocyclone Demonstration Test

3/30/2015

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A small-scale hydrocyclone was set up in a test rig and a trial was performed to determine its potential for removing fine solids from vegetable washwater. The term ‘hydrocyclone’ refers to a cone-like structure where waste is separated out of wastewater. They can be run singularly or in a parallel system; the piece of equipment tested employed several small hydrocyclones running in parallel within a larger unit.

The unit was installed on top of a barrel with an inlet, outlet, and waste outlet so that the water could cycle through the system (Figure 1). A solution of muck and water was prepared; 1 L of muck was sieved through a 200 micron screen to remove roots and coarse solids and added to 150 L of water.
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Figure 1: Small scale hydrocyclone test rig
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Figure 2: The path of wastewater, treated water, and waste (A) through the unit and (B) through a single hydrocyclone [Source: A: HMGA Water Project; B: TangShan Dachuan Machinery Co., Ltd., 2013]
In this system the water is cleaned using 16 hydrocyclones running in parallel (Figure 2). The coarse solids are collected in the lower hopper and are removed through the outlet. Within the hydrocyclone, the wastewater is pumped in through a tangential opening at the top (Figure 3) which causes the water to rotate (CSI, 2009; TangShan Dachuan Machinery Co., Ltd., 2013). The swirling water creates a centrifugal force which where the heavy objects move to the outside and the lighter objects move to the centre (Figure 2B) (CSI, 2009). The solids pushed to the outside will continue to spiral downwards and exit to a waste collection tank (Figure 4). The lighter solids and liquid spin upwards and exits through a short pipe; this pipe extends below the inlet to ensure the entering wastewater doesn’t exit immediately (TangShan Dachuan Machinery Co., Ltd., 2013).
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Figure 3: Openings to the top of 16 hydrocyclones
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Figure 4: Collected waste
The pressure at which the wastewater is pumped through the system is important (TangShan Dachuan Machinery Co., Ltd., 2013). If the pressure is too high, there isn’t enough time to for the waste to separate from the liquid and fall out. If the pressure is too low, the speed of the swirling water is insufficient to separate the waste.

The results of this test will be shared in upcoming article.

References
  • CSI. (2009). FAQ. In Hydrocyclone. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from http://www.hydrocyclone.com/faq.htm
  • TangShan Dachuan Machinery Co., Ltd. (2013). Working Principle of Hydrocyclones. Retrieved March 6, 2015, from http://shaleshakerdc.com/working-principle-of-hydrocyclones/
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Dealing with Cloudy Water

3/23/2015

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Turbidity is a measure of the lack of clarity in water from suspended or dissolved organic and inorganic particles. Turbidity is measured in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU); at 5 NTU water becomes cloudy and at 25 NTU water is murky (Figure 1). Total Suspended Solids (TSS) are particles that will not pass through a 1-1.2 micron filter. Smaller particles that pass through a 1-1.2 micron filter are known as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
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Figure 1: Examples of solutions with varying turbidity, from left to right: 10 NTU, 20 NTU, 100 NTU, and 800 NTU
Turbidity and TSS are linked; high TSS will raise the turbidity, with the amount being site-specific since turbidity is affected by concentration, size, shape, and the refractive index of the suspended particles. High levels of turbidity and TSS have negative impacts on the health of aquatic ecosystems. High turbidity and TSS can clog fish gill mechanisms, reduce fish growth, or induce changes in fish community structures. The impact of turbidity and TSS also negatively affects invertebrate health and plant activity. TSS has potential consequences on human health as well.  Microorganisms can attach themselves to suspended particles in the water, which can prevent the water from proper disinfection resulting in human health problems. TDS in water does not directly affect human health though high levels could indicate the presence of toxic materials, in Canada the recommendation for drinking water is 500 mg/L TDS mainly for taste and aesthetics.
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Figure 2: TDS levels in ppm (which is equivalent to mg/L), US level of 500 mg/L is the same as Canada [Source: http://www.tdsmeter.com/what-is]
In sensitive aquatic systems, the MOECC recommends at least 80% removal of TSS from stormwater from the original TSS level to protect the aquatic life. The Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the protection of Aquatic Life states that turbidity should not increase by more than 8 NTU in short term exposure, or 2 NTU, for longer than 30 day exposure, over the background concentration. By adhering to guidelines this should help to protect aquatic systems from high turbidity, TSS and TDS levels.

References
  • ALS Environmental. 2014. Personal Communication on filter size for TSS measurements.
  • Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. 2002. Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life: Total particulate matter. In: Canadian environmental quality guidelines, 1999. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. Winnipeg, MB.
  • Health Canada. 1991. Total Dissolved Solids. Health Canada. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/tds-mdt/index-eng.php
  • Manitoba Water Stewardship and Manitoba Health. 2011. Factsheet: Turbidity in Manitoba Water Supply. Province of Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB. 
  • MOECC. 2003. Understanding Stormwater Management: An Introduction to Stormwater Management Planning and Design. Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Toronto, ON.
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