Centrate line struvite scale at a sewage works
Centrate line struvite scale at East Hyde Sewage Works, Luton, was severe and reappeared within weeks of every clean. Maintenance was frequent, pipes were being bypassed to keep the plant running, and limited access made internal inspection difficult. One HydroFLOW® unit was fitted to the sludge feed pipe for a six-month trial, mounted in the ceiling of an adjacent building chosen for access and power supply. No new struvite scale formed for the duration. Maintenance intervention fell, pipe bypassing was no longer needed and the centrifuge ran more efficiently. Luton was the first site to show struvite stopping in a centrate line.
The Challenges
- Centrate line struvite scale was severe and recurring
- Scaling reappeared within weeks of each clean
- Frequent maintenance and pipe bypassing were needed to keep running
- Limited access made internal inspection difficult
- The centrifuge was losing efficiency to the fouled lines
The Solution
- Unit installed: One HydroFLOW® unit
- Installation point: sludge feed pipe, mounted in the ceiling of an adjacent building
- Trial: six months
The unit was fitted to the sludge feed pipe from the ceiling of an adjacent building, a position chosen for access and power supply. The signal disrupts the conditions that let struvite bond to surfaces, preventing further build-up in the centrate line. Over the six-month trial no new centrate line struvite scale formed, maintenance intervention fell and centrifuge efficiency improved.
