Overview
A municipal water treatment operation required reliable delivery of hydrated lime for pH control within a high-capacity drinking water system. The facility operates continuous processing where consistent chemical dosing is critical to maintaining water quality and regulatory compliance.
Existing lime feeding equipment created variability in flow and mixing, increasing the risk of downstream process instability. The operation required a dependable, repeatable system to ensure accurate lime dosing under continuous conditions.
Challenges
The facility faced several operational challenges:
- Inconsistent lime feed rates affecting downstream process stability
- Sensitivity of pH control to variations in lime dosing
- Dependence on continuous, uninterrupted feeder operation
- Variable bulk density of hydrated lime impacting volumetric accuracy
- Integration requirements with existing plant systems and piping
- Ongoing maintenance requirements in a high-use environment
- Exposure to corrosive cleaning conditions and washdowns
These combined issues created risk to treatment consistency and increased operational oversight requirements.
Solutions
A skid-mounted volumetric screw feeder and integrated lime mixing system was implemented to ensure precise, consistent dosing.
Key elements of the solution included:
- VersiFeeder volumetric screw feeder providing controlled lime discharge
- Integrated trough vibrator conditioning material to uniform bulk density
- Feed hopper supplying consistent flow from upstream storage silo
- Polyethylene mix tank with mechanical impeller for controlled blending
- Variable frequency drive enabling smooth and adjustable operation
- Preassembled skid-mounted system simplifying installation and integration
- Corrosion-resistant coating supporting frequent chemical washdowns
The systems were installed incrementally and demonstrated consistent performance across multiple units in operation.
Results
Implementation of the feed and mix system produced several measurable improvements:
- Consistent hydrated lime feed within ±2% accuracy range
- Stable pH control across continuous treatment operations
- Reduced variability in downstream mixing and dosing performance
- Ability to reduce feed screw size while maintaining process output
- Improved operational reliability with minimal interruptions
- Simplified installation using preassembled skid-mounted units
- Enhanced durability under frequent washdown conditions
Overall, the system improved dosing precision and operational reliability, supporting consistent water treatment performance.
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