Struvite anti-scalant replacement at Augusta’s belt presses
Struvite anti-scalant replacement was the objective at the J. P. Messerly plant in Augusta, Georgia. Two belt filter presses were dosed with around $4,000 of anti-scalant a month and still needed chisels and hammers to clear the encrustation from the drums. One HydroFLOW® i160 was installed on the six inch sludge feed line, under 100 ft upstream of one press, and run for six months with Jacobs independently verifying the trial. Anti-scalant dosing came down to zero and the existing struvite softened enough to come off with high-pressure water. Oscilloscope testing confirmed the signal was reaching both presses, and calculated ROI from chemical savings alone was under eight months.
The Challenge
- Struvite anti-scalant replacement was needed across two belt filter presses
- Heavy struvite encrustation built up on the belt press drum and surrounding surfaces
- Both belt filter presses were affected by persistent scale buildup
- Operators used chisels and hammers to break loose the hard deposits
- Anti-scalant dosing cost the plant approximately $4,000 each month
The Solution
- Unit installed: one HydroFLOW® i160
- Installation point: sludge feed line, under 100 ft upstream of one belt press
- Pipe size: six inch
- Trial: six months, independently verified by Jacobs
- Dosing stopped: anti-scalant, previously about $4,000 a month
Struvite anti-scalant replacement was tested on a single feed line serving one press, with anti-scalant dosing brought down to zero during the trial. Oscilloscope testing checked whether the signal also reached the second press, and confirmed that it did. Existing struvite softened and reduced, and the deposits came off with high-pressure water instead of chisels and hammers.
