Monitoring & Control

Improved Effluent Quality At Reduced Cost

Automation can save money, optimise a process and give warning of potential breeches of discharge consent. However, instrument selection is fundamentally important if a control system is to function efficiently. The measurement device must accurately and quickly respond to process variations and it must be reliable in operation if the control system is to perform reliably. Designed properly, energy and chemical use can be significantly reduced, saving money and ultimately improving effluent quality. Key parameters include Total Organic Carbon, Ammonia, pH, Conductivity and Suspended solids.

Common Control Measurements

Measurements such as pH and Conductivity are extensively employed to monitor acids and bases after CIP - Clean In Place systems and for neutralisation of effluent. More recently, Total Organic Carbon (TOC) has been successfully used to trend organic load discharge and output a signal to divert high strength effluent streams. Turbidity is also used to quantify the physical characteristic of a sample.

Alarm signals from these instruments can be connected to control systems to proportional dose chemicals, adjust aeration or even operate actuated valves to contain process effluent or contaminated surface water. Containment is often the simplest and lowest cost option.

Containment

The "Terminator" has been designed by PPM to provide a simple, low cost but effective solution to abate pollution discharge. Typically, it requires no costly civil engineering to install the unit. The Terminator can be triggered by one or more water quality instrument that at a defined threshold value, generate an alarm output signal. Water quality parameters such as Total Organic Carbon, Ammonia, pH, Conductivity and Suspended solids may be used to monitor the water quality. The Terminator inflates a PIG (an inflatable balloon) which is located inside the discharge pipe to contain high strength non-compliant effluent, which may then be diverted or pumped elsewhere. The control system is compact and self contained - all it requires is a power supply and an alarm output from a suitable instrument.