The Challenge
- Transfer pump struvite encrustation forced the pump offline for acid cleaning twice a year
- Hard scale reduced the internal diameter of the centrate discharge pipe
- Before the trial, scale was approximately an eighth of an inch thick, hard and greyish
- Centrate was transferred continuously, 24 hours a day
- Periodic shutdowns were needed for cleaning
The Solution
Two HydroFLOW® i Range units were installed on the eight inch glass-lined ductile iron centrate pipe, one at the transfer pump suction and one on the discharge side, with weekly sampling and visual inspections across 60 days from 1 March 2017. CH2M independently verified the trial. Cleaned pipe sections stayed free of new struvite, while existing deposits became thinner, softer and easier to wipe away. Centrate flow gradually carried the softened scale off, exposing more of the glass-lined pipe surface.
