How Council Bluffs WPCP reduced wear and centrifuge maintenance

Municipal Wastewater Case Study

Situation

The Water Pollution Control Plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa has been operating since 1974.

Situation

It faces significant operational demand.

18 MGD 30 MGD

maximum daily flow peak flow

Situation

Original, outdated equipment was still in use.

> The original headworks was used through 2003

> The outdated aerated grit basin was still in use

Situation

Grit removal from the aerated grit basin was unsatisfactory.

Typical aerated grit basin grit removal efficiency

50%

The challenge

Fine loess sand passing through the system was damaging the centrifuges and increasing maintenance costs.

The solution

Operators evaluated three grit removal systems.

The solution

The mechanical paddle vortex system could not satisfactorily target 100 micron particles.

Another system’s operational headloss required additional pumping.

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The solution

Only the HeadCell® advanced grit removal system met the plant’s requirements.Combined with SlurryCup™grit washing and Grit Snail®dewatering systems.

The outcome

HeadCell® was retrofitted into existing tanks.

The outcome

The system removes grit and fine loess sand down to 50 microns in size.

Wear and tear on downstream equipment was drastically reduced.

The outcome

It’s performing really well. One of the indicators we had was, in the anaerobic digesters we haven’t seen grit. When you take a digester down and clean it out, you can see it. We used to have 3 feet of grit. Now we have very little.

- Hank Pangelina, Plant Supervisor

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