Category: Blog

Anoxic Zones in Wastewater Treatment: Nitrogen Removal Explained Article Overview Article Type: Informational Primary Goal: Explain how anoxic zone treatment removes nitrogen in municipal and industrial wastewater, covering microbial mechanisms, common process configurations, design and operational parameters, monitoring and control strategies, retrofit options, technology vendors, and real world examples so engineers and operators can design, […]

Introduction In the realm of municipal wastewater treatment, the handling of thickened sludge, scum, and septage presents a persistent challenge: the increasing prevalence of non-dispersible solids. While engineers frequently turn to positive displacement technologies for these viscous fluids, Double Disc Pump Clogging and Ragging: How to Reduce Blockages remains a critical operational concern. Despite being […]

Introduction In the realm of municipal wastewater treatment and industrial sludge handling, the failure of a positive displacement pump during its first month of operation is rarely a manufacturing defect; it is almost invariably a failure of specification or startup protocol. Engineers often treat positive displacement (PD) pumps like centrifugal pumps, assuming a “bump and […]

Introduction In municipal wastewater lift stations and industrial effluent sumps, the submersible pump is often the most critical, yet least visible, asset. Because these units operate beneath the liquid surface, visual inspection during operation is impossible. Consequently, engineers and operators must rely heavily on external data and performance anomalies to identify impending failures. A surprising […]

Clarifier Tanks: How They Separate Solids in Treatment Article Overview Article Type: Informational Primary Goal: Explain how clarifier tanks remove and concentrate suspended solids in wastewater, provide the engineering principles and design parameters used to size and operate clarifiers, and give practical troubleshooting, retrofit, and vendor selection guidance for municipal and industrial wastewater professionals Who […]

Introduction In municipal and industrial water treatment, diaphragm pumps—whether Air-Operated Double Diaphragm (AODD), solenoid metering, or mechanically actuated—are the workhorses of chemical delivery and sludge handling. Yet, they are frequently the source of disproportionate operational headaches. A surprising industry statistic suggests that while chemical feed systems often represent less than 5% of a plant’s capital […]

INTRODUCTION One of the most persistent errors in municipal and industrial fluid handling involves applying centrifugal pump logic to positive displacement equipment. Engineers often approach pump curves expecting a single line intersecting a system curve, but when faced with an Air-Operated Double Diaphragm (AODD) performance chart, they encounter a complex grid of air pressures, air […]

Lagoon Treatment Systems: Natural Wastewater Processing Article Overview Article Type: Informational Primary Goal: Provide municipalities, design engineers, plant operators, and equipment manufacturers with a practical, technically rigorous guide to lagoon treatment system selection, design, operation, performance expectations, limitations, and upgrade strategies so they can evaluate whether a lagoon system is appropriate and how to design […]

Introduction In high-volume municipal flood control, stormwater management, and industrial water transport, the axial flow “propeller” pump is the workhorse of the hydraulic world. However, their unique specific speed characteristics and sensitivity to intake conditions make them prone to issues that differ significantly from standard centrifugal pumps. Engineers and operators frequently overlook the subtle precursors […]

INTRODUCTION One of the most persistent challenges in municipal and industrial fluid handling is not the pump itself, but the configuration of the installation. Engineers frequently encounter systems where high-quality rotating assemblies fail prematurely due to poor intake design, inaccessible valving, or structural resonance—issues directly tied to the physical installation method. Statistics from major utility […]