aitsi2017 ‘The Ullimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Part 1 WATER ONLINE Acticle | July 10, 2017 The Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide: Part 1 Source: JWC Environmental, ‘Ata certain point in the project development process you will have qualified a few dissolved air lotation (DAF) system manufacturers from a field of ‘many. Now you have to decide which one’s DAF System design wil best suit your needs. How do you choose? ‘Whether you'e an engineer specifying equipment on a client's behalf, plant owner working to solve your own wastewater treatment challenge, oF someone whois just looking to deepen their understanding of wastewater process equipment, this DAF System design guide wll help you gain dear insight into an expert DAF system manufacturer's design choices. Dive into mechanical and process DAF system design elements within this series of posts and gain valuable insight as to how you should evaluate DAF system desiga. With this knowledge you! be able to determine design superiority and most importantly, be prepared to make the right purchase decision, You only buy a DAF system once gti right the fist time, 1. Recycle DAF Water Pump ‘The reeycle DAF water pump isthe heart and soul ofa DAF System — it's only smart to start here. On the DAF water pump rides the greatest capital and maintenance expenses associated witha dissolved air flotation system, So, what do you look for in 8 DAF pump? First off, what kind of pump is it? tf the DAF manufacturer is calling it a specialty “whitewater pamp,”" theyre likely referring toa multistage impellez pump, ‘Multistage Impeller Pumps ‘hese pumps draw atmospheric air (or recive an inlet feed of compressed ait) into the pump chamber ‘where impellers whip the air around with water to form micron-sized bubbles that dissolve into solution. While these specialty DAF water pumps do generate quality whitewater, there is cause for concern ina wastewater environment. ‘Multistage impeller pumps have low solids tolerance and will fal when oly, string, or gritty materials enter the pump chamber. On DAF systems carry over solids inthe effluent can end up in the pump, and thas cause for concern, ‘When used in DAF applications, these pumps operate at discharge pressures from 90-120 psi. Again, aay solids in the recirculation piping can cause pressure drops and trip pressure alarms resulting in system shut-down, ‘Finally, multistage DAF water pumps use components that are specially machined for that specific pump design. Should any part ofthe pump require repair, the end-user is limited tothe DAF manufacturer as thet sole-source for replacement pump parts, This is particularly troublesome {for manufacturers that use pumps made overseas, as lead times can extend to several weeks. ‘There are other applications where multistage impeller pumps perform very well, particularly with higher pressure services like boiler feed water, condensate, pipelines, reverse osmosis, and descaling applictions. But in wastewater environments and a8 an integeal component of a DAF systema ‘whose sole purpose isto remove solids and oily materials, the multistage pump i just litle out ofits element. Ifthe DAF system manufacturer employs a whitewater pump, but its nota multistage impeller pump, they're ikely using a regenerative turbine pump. Regenerative Turbine Pumps ‘These area type of centrifugal pump that use a rotating, impeller to inerease velocity, however the impeller looks quite different from what you ‘would seein a contrifugal pump. Instead of vanes, the turbine impeller has radially oriented buckets or blades, which make it look like a turbine ‘As water enters the pump chamber, it moves in a circular path through the turbine buckets, In a DAF application compressed airs fed into the ‘pump and dissolved into solution asthe turbine spins and blends the air/water mixture. Unique tothe regenerative turbine pump i its abilty to generate high pressures ina compact machine. Clearances in a turbine pump are much tighter thaa ina traditional centrifugal pump so the pumped liquid must be very lesa, The tighter clearances also make this pump type noir than standard centrifugal pump. hitps:sview.waterontne.comdocithe-utimate-dat-ysterr-design-buyer-s-quide-part-0001 18aitsi2017 ‘The Ullimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Part 1 ‘Similar to multistage impeller pumps, regeneretive turbine pumps operate at discharge pressures ‘between 90-120 psi in DAF application. High operating pressure and very tight internal clearances . ‘require liquids to be entirely devoid of solids or oily materials ‘The most popular regenerative turbine pump used by DAF system designers is built by Japanese ‘manufacturer, Nikunj Co, Ld. Any part that are required for repair have tobe acquired through Nikuni’s ‘representative network, which is limited to two companies forall of North America. A spare pump should bbe kept on-site at all mes because lead time on a replacement pump often extends as long as 10-12 weeks. DAF manufacturers relatively new to the wastewater market have adopted the multistage impeller and regenerative turbine pumps for thelr DAF system design because they are marketed as “whitewater pumps” and under perfect operating conditions, they work very well There is, however, another DAF purmp option that is better suited forthe wastewater enviconment - the ANSI end-suction centrifugal pump. ANSI Pumps ANSI pumps are the only dimensionally standard pump type in the pump industry. All components are interchangeable ~ moter, coupling, impeller, volute, bedplate, ete. End-users who buy DAF systems that employ ANSI pumps don’t have to goto go the DAF manufacturer to source spare or replacement parts because they are readily available from any reputable pump vendor. ANS! pumps are designed specifically to function in food processing, ol refinery, general manufacturing, pulp and paper, and chemical applications. They ean pump liquids with or without solids and ean be fitted with various alloys for operation in corrosive environments. When used in DAF applications, ANSI ‘Pumps operate at discharge pressures between 70-90 psi. ‘Suaw des an ANSI DAF water pump generate whitewater? ‘The tricks, it doesnt. The ANSI pump is used to transfer water and that's it. Whitewater is generated in static “air dissolving tube” downstream of the pump as water comes in contact with small volumes of compressed air. By placing the responsibilty for generating whitewater on a static tube made of stainless steel, the ANSI pump can focus on what it does best — move water. _DAF pump selection says Jot about the design approach ofthe manufacturer. Be sure to ask why they use the pump they do. ASk forthe reasons ‘why they don't use the other options. Remember, the DAF pump is the heart and soul of the entre system ~ i's worth discussing, 2, Controls & Automation ‘Think here fore second about something completely unrelated to DAF systems. Grab your smartphone, Notice how smooth and easy itis to ‘operate? The interface flows logically and simply through the tasks that you want to perform, Thats how a DAP system should operate ‘Many manufacturers build systems with arduous operational procedures inthe name of eost reduction, ‘when in fact the headaches caused by such poor design end up costing infinitely more in time, labor, and Austration. Some DAF system designs we've gone out and serviced have ridiculous start-up routines thet go something ike this: 1. Open al recirculation valves 2 Energize whitewater pump {3 Energize air compressor and feed pump x_pmof air at y 4. Begin closing off whitewater discharge valve until discharge pressure gauge reads x-value 5. Begin closing off whitewater suction valve until pressure switeh registers y-value 6.Open air bleed-off valve until air saturation tank reads z-value +7. Keep tweaking all valves until whitewater looks good on visual inspection 8. Run system for 10 minutes to saturate tank with whitewater 9. Open wastewater influent valve and begin treatment ‘Awel designed and automated DAF system should operate something ike this; 1. Push START button 12, Watch controls doll the work while you eat « malin, ls somewhat comical how dificult certain DAP system designs ae to use. These systems don't have tobe that way. When you're considering buying a DAF system, take into account what it will atually be like running the thing Ask for awrite up ofthe operating procedure. Continue to Part 2 of the Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide hitps:sview.waterontne.comdocithe-utimate-dat-ysterr-design-buyer-s-quide-part-0001 218aitsi2017 ‘The Ullimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Part 2 WATER ONLINE Article July u, 2037 The Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide: Part 2 Source: JWC Environmental, you haven't read it yet, make sure you to read Part 1 of the Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide 3: Materials of Construction ‘When you buy'a DAF system, you want something that is going to holdup ina harsh environment. You're going to use the thing for the foreseeable future andthe lst thing you want is something you have to replace because it didn't hold up. DAF System design decisions matter! ‘There are several options for materials of construction with regards to the tank structure, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at what's on the market: Conerete ‘Steel-reinforced concrete basins re typically used in large municipal wastewat plants. Concrote DAF basins are sturdy and leakproof, but ean be very expensive because ofthe required civil work involved, ie, excavation, steel reinforcement, concrete forming, coating, ete, Since they can only be builtin the location where they're going to operate, concrete DAF basins are not often selected for use in industrial flies, treatment Polypropylene ‘Some manufacturers prefer polypropslene because of its lower material eos good strength and stiffness, and generally broad ehemieal resistance, Significant problems arise when polypropylene is exposed to extreme. temperatures or UV radiation. If placed outdoors, UV ight from the sun causes tertiary earbon bond breakdown and results in discoloration and eracks. Polypropylene will nt hold ts shape at temperatures above -260°F and it will erack at temperatures below 32°F. Refurbishing polypropylene tanks for reuse is rarely pursued as the material degrades overtime, DAF manufacturers that use polypropylene generally warranty the tank structures for 10 years. Epoxy-Coated Carbon Steel Coated carbon ste! offers the strength of ste] and the general corrosion-resstance of an epoxy coating. Structures ofthis sor are particularly useful in applications with high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). But {or applications in the food industry, this material ent recommended because free fatty acids in oating sludge will eat through the epoxy coatings and rust the steel, compromising the tank’s structural ‘integrity. Epoxy-costed carbon steel is commonly thought of as less expensive than stainless stel, however when constructed to provide the same structural strength and corrosion resistance as stainless, the cost-savings of coated carbon steel is negligible Stainless Steel ‘Stainless steel is used in DAF tank construction for a variety of reasons. Stainless steel resists rust formation because ofa passive film of chromium oxide on its surface that blocks oxygen diffusion and corrosion, Stainless stel retains its strength between temperatures of -320°F to 2500°F, soit holds up in indoor and outdoor applications, Welders can easily make modifications tothe material without needing tore-apply paint or other coatings. Even after decades of se, stainless steel tanks ean be retrofitted and ‘work for decades longer because the ste! structure remains sound Stainless steel, however, does come at higher price than some other materials and i snot particularly ‘well-suited for applications with significant concentrations of ehlordes, which could potentially cause pitting or corrosion, hitps:ihwww.wateroniine.corvdocrthe-utimate-dat-systom-design-buyer--quide-par-0002?vm_tld=20162648user=a54d871a-a66¢-HT-DBAES13.... 1/3.aitsi2017 ‘The Ullimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Part 2 Stainless steel DAF tanks retain a high resale value and many manufecturers are willing to buy them back, even after prolonged vse. 4- Sludge Thickening Mechanisms "The porpose ofa DAF system inthe wastewater treatment process is to remove solid and oily contaminants. Th trick to increased efficiency and cost-reduetion i to get the DAF system design generating uly, thick sludge - not a watery slurry. Sludge thickness is a function of hydraulic, ‘mechanical, and chemical processes ~ when they come together, engineered in a thoughtful manner, the results speak for themselves. Co-Current vs, Counter-Current Skimming, ‘The internal hydraulic ow pattera in DAF system vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and by DAF configurations. DAF systems that employ plate packs often direct vastewater in & dovn-flow o eross-flaw patter so the following discussion has less relevance to this typeof DAF unit. Open style DAF tanks, however, generally employ a flow-through or end-to-end hytdraulic process so this conversation i very important. ‘When considering an open tank DAF system, take a yood look at which direction the skimmer assembly rotates, Does it rotate inthe same dtection (co-carrent) asthe hydraulic flow ofthe wastewater through the system? Or does it rotate against (counter-current) that flow? Here's why it matters. Say you're looking atthe side ofan open style DAF tank that’s 40 feet long and 8 feet wide. Wastewater is fed into the DAF unt onthe left side and ‘exits out the right. Asa layer of sludge begins to form atthe waters surface, the skimmer ights are going to start pushing that sludge in one of wo directions, The co-current skimmer is going to push the sludge from left to right, the same direction asthe wastewater flow. The counter-current skimmer folds the sludge back over the flow from right to lef. Stil with me? ‘CO-CURRENT SKIMMER COUNTER-CURRENT SKIMMER <—— Stang Dinter ‘wera Wer on Now, consider where the sludge first begins to reach the surface of the water ~is it near the inlet, middle, or outlet sie ofthe tank? Most DAF ‘stems hit the inlet stream of wastewater with whitewater immediately upon entry into the vesel, so sludge forms near the inlet side of the DAF tank, If sludge forms near the inlet side ofthe DAF tank, what good reason is thee to co-currenty push that shudge acros the entire 40 fot length ofthe unit? It makes much more sense to use a counter-current skimmer to push the sludge a shorter distance. Proponents ofthe co-current configuration would argue that while sludge is being pushed across the long length of a DAF system, it's being thickened. Hovover,fcld data and reviews from operators would argue the opposite. Skimming co-currently more frequent results in watery sludge, extra build-up of material nea the sludge ramp, sludge splashing into the eluent chamber, and faster wear and tear on the skimmer motor and fights. ‘With open-style DAF systems, the counter-current skimmer consistently rns the performance battle, especially when an extra measure is taken to Tock siudge in place when it reaches the surfue of the water - more on that to fallow. ‘Sludge Dewatering Grid ‘Another key mechanical feature of DAF systems that are engincered to generate the driest sludge possible isa state grid that sits at the surface of the water, commonly referred toas a Dewatering Grid A dewatering grid isa rectangular framework of angled steel plates that help lock sludge in place a it reaches the surface ofthe water. As shudge accumulates in the dewatering gri, it is held in place until it reaches the point where the skimmer blades slice it off the top and start pushing it toward the sludge ramp. By allowing for litte retention time i the gr, oat materials sef-dewater before they're skimmed away. Ths results in higher dry solids content, or less-watery sludge. hitps:ihwnw.wateroniine.corvdoctthe-utimate-dat-systom-design-buyer-+-quide-par-0002?vm_tld=20162648user=a54d871a-a66e-HAT-DBAESIS.... 2/3,aitsi2017 ‘The Ullimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Part 2 ‘Without the grid the skimmer blades tart pushing sludge along before ith had any time to dewater in place. Often times what happens is thatthe float begins to accumulate right near the sludge ramp and can be forced back down into the water, completely undoing any dewatering that may’ Ihave occurred before removal. The diagrams below illustrate this point GRID CONFIGURATION NO GRID CONFIGURATION ‘So what's the big deal with watery shudge? As long asthe discharge water meet the requirements we're good right? Well, that depends on how ‘important saving money isto your operation, More water in sludge means more required storage capacity, bigger dewatering equipment, and more expenses on e-processing filtrate wate (the water that separates out of sludge ater dewatering) through the DAF system. You have everything to gain by going with a DAP system design that’s engineered to produce drier sludge. Ask the DAF vendor how their design helps generate drier, thicker sladge. What mechanisms do they provide to allow operators to adjust sludge thickness? hem ‘Keep reading: Part 3 of the Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide hitps:shview.waterontne.comvdocithe-utiate-dat-ystorr-design-buyer-s-quide-par-00027vm_tid+20162648user=a54d821a-a86c-HT-D84E-S13... 319aitsi2017 ‘The Ullimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Part 3 WATER ONLINE Acticle | July 12, 2017 The Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide: Part 3 Source: JWC Environmental, ‘Make sure you've read the Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Parts: & 2 before starting bere Part ofthe Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Part 2 of the Ultimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide 5. Dissolved Air Distribution Methodology ‘The method used to distribute whitewater nt the incoming wastewater steam makes ll the difference in Une way sludge forms and floats inside the DAF vessel. Lets examine two diferent approaches. Some DAF manufacturers employ a specialty whitewater pump, vertical saturation pipe and diaphragm valve assembly to generate and inject ‘whitewater into the incoming wastewater. Others use ANSI reeycle pumps, an angled air saturation tube, and a whitewater distribution manifold ‘with multiple ball valve and tubing assemblies. A comparison ofthese two configurations might souna like splitting heir, but i's definitely worth some consideration, Vertical vs. Angled Configuration Ait, notion he, 1. The vertical saturation pipe canfigurtion is designed to bleed off ar that doesn't dissolve into solution. While most excess air will escape from the top ofthe tube, the side-mounted whitewater discharge line will dra some portion of into the tank, As excess air enters the flotation cell large bubbes form and burp atthe water’s surface These bubbles disturb already floating sludge and immerse solids back ino the water. With an angled configuration, excess air escapes out the elevated portion ofthe tube as whitewater flows out from the lowest point. No undissolved air can enter the otation tank because the water flows from top to bottom, not the other way around. 2, DAP systems that use vertical tubes typically only have one dissolved ar injection port. When flowing 100 gpm (1.67 gallons per second) of wastewater into te flotation cell a single dissolved air injection point is unable to effectively and evenly spread whitewater over the entire {ncoming solution. Some portion of the flow gets & huge shot of whitewater, while other parts go entirely without. IU up tothe hydraulic patterns inside the dotation cello distribute the bubbles. Oftentimes this works, but t's unpredictable and uncontrollable, bitual problem with this design is that solids cannot float to the waters surface quickly enough to keep up with the incoming flow. By all ealculations, ‘system designed to process 100 gpm af wastewater is unable to achieve that flow rate because solids are not separating quickly enough. DAF systems with whitewater distribution manifolds do not have this issue. Numerous whitewater injection ports are placed across the width of the Aotation cell at diferent heights to evenly distribute miero-bubbles all throughout the DAF tank in a controllable manner. ‘The start-up routines fo these two configurations also varies by nature of the whitewater injection system. A single alr injection port saturates the tank with whitewater from one origin, As tanks are sized longer and wider, it takes more and more time forthe bubbles to disperse throughout the whole tank. Some manufacturers's DAF operation manuals suggest allowing 5-10 minutes for tank saturation before opening hitps:shwew.waterontne.comidocttne-utimate-dat-syster-design-buyer-s-quide-par-0003, 12aitsi2017 ‘The Ullimate DAF System Design Buyer's Guide Part 3 the wastewater influent valve and proceeding with treatment. DAF systems with an air Aisteibution manifold are fully saturated within 60 seconds or less. Shorter start-up time means Jess waiting around and more getting work done. ‘The lesson isis to get in closer and examine the design differences. The details matter in DAF system design. Ask the manufacturer about their design justifications 6. Application Specifie DAF System Design. Think of a hammer, you see? 001 meant to deliver impact to an object. Now, picture one in your mind. What do you've ever worked in carpentry maybe you visualized a claw hammer. Metalworking? A ball-peen hammer with a hemispherical head. Maybe you're a stonemason and thought ofa brick hammer with it's long chise-shaped blade. Everyone thinks of the hammer they use in their trade. But, ‘no one should know better than the hammer-maker which one is the most appropriate fora specific task. ADA system manufacturer should have that same level of expertise and knowledge about which DAF system design is most suited to specific application. If designer is using the same DAF system for a dairy acidulation process as they use in a cattle abattoir plant, thal ‘worker using a judge's gavel to pound ina railroad spike ~ similar tol, wrong application ‘The application specific design largely comes dawn to materials selection and process engineering. Take for example DAF system used ina cattle il plant. Without understanding that these types of facilites generate wastewater Jaden with sandy, gritty materials, a manufacturer may opt to use Uair design standard, say a cas iron pump, Unfortunately forthe person who buys this DAF system, thee gritty wastewater will wear pit holes inthe pur casing and eventually cause a pump failure. This results in down-time and replacement ofthe most expensive ‘component on the system, When something lke this happens, not only does it reflet poorly onthe manufacturer, Dut also on the engincer/consultant that presented i tothe end elient as the right solution. The master craftsman, ‘would understand the gritty nature of cattle wastewater and seleet a pump easing wit high Brinell Hardness, ike cp4Mcu, (On the process side, the DAP designer should understand hov to properly calculate and interpret hydrauli surface loading rate, solids loading rate, and ait-tosolids ratio based on the application at hand. Solids in poultry kill plant ‘wastewater separate infinitely easier than those from the effluent of an activated sludge system. Using the same values for each ofthese processes would likely result in an oversized poultry DAF and an undersized bio-mass separator, You're the one buying the system, don't be afraid to question why a specific configuration was selected over another and be sure to ask for an ‘explanation ofthe calculations behind your system sizing. Conclusion to come, stay tuned! hitps:hwew.wateronine.comidocttne-utimate-dat-systor-design-buyer-s-quide-part-0003, 22.