All of us have had the experience of making a change in one part of a network or puzzle and finding that the apparently small change has affected the entire system….often in ways we did not desire. This fact – called systems heuristics – affects many engineering/equipment insertions at water and wastewater plants.

There is an exceptional expert in this field – Draper Kaufman – and he has been kind enough to share some of his presentations with me. My favorite slide from his presentation reads as shown below:

Everything is Connected to Everything Else

• Real life is lived in a complex world where all subsystems overlap and affect each other.
• The common mistake is to deal with one subsystem in isolation - this almost always backfires as other systems respond in unanticipated ways

Belt thickeners are "mini-systems" within treatment facilities.

In our industry – water and wastewater utilities – this awareness is crucial to successful equipment applications. Here are a few examples:

1. Installing a centrifuge for dewatering can affect plant performance in the amount of “fines” being returned to the treatment process and subsequent settleability issues.
2. Installing a belt press or thickener will bring significant demand for water for spray bars and must be accounted for in systems hydraulics.
3. Adding a pump – especially a larger pump – can affect the plant’s electric bill by increasing “demand charge” for the plant and subsequent monthly power costs can be dramatically impacted.
4. Converting coarse bubble aeration to fine bubble aeration may reduce power but it can also create settling issues in tanks if the “roll pattern” is not properly accounted for.

A new Water booster pumping station can have a dramatic effect on water utility operations. Shown is a Bellmer Turbodrain, installed at Grafton, Wisconsin.

And, the list goes on and on. Again, it is foolhardy to believe that a change in a component process step does not have secondary implications. Caution is the word!

Don

Operators are key to good design and proper maintenance

The Design Engineer and Operators of utilities need to meet often during the engineering phase of a project.

Who is the very best resource for designs of new (or upgrades of old) water/wastewater systems?…of course, the answer is…it depends as to what is meant by “best resource” and at what point in the evolution of a project.

Recently, I was reading an article on pumping station design and the author – a very competent and seasoned engineer/designer – stated that the most crucial element in design can be the operator or operations personnel. How can this be? Well, the truth is that pumping systems are nearly always complex beyond their initial or preliminary needs. Frequently, there are field circumstances which are far beyond the vision or knowledge of the design engineer. And, the knowledge of the operations staff is always crucial to maintenance of pumping stations – both new and upgraded stations.

The author, further, went on to state that operations staff should be involved in at least 3 stages of design (minimum) and – where practical – might be an integral part of the design team at all stages of design.

Pumping Station designs are often complex and involve interrelated systems

Who is better qualified to determine the ability of local staff to do the required maintenance of the pumps and controls equipment? It certainly is not prudent judgment to design a pumping station and – after it is started up – find that no one within 300 miles can maintain the system. Controls, in particular, can be misapplied – even if they are the most efficient in design – if the owner cannot service the controls or cannot depend upon the local service people who normally service his system to do service on new controls.

Likewise, pumping systems can be shown – on paper – to be most efficient and, upon startup, it is found that the owner is not set up to service such pumps (for instance submersible pumps requiring large hoisting equipment). Of what value to the owner is a very sophisticated and efficient pump system if the system cannot be readily serviced locally? An example might be a submersible pumping station where State or local code may require sophisticated setup procedures for maintaining this equipment. In smaller utilities, in particular, it may be that the owner must call upon a neighboring utility or an expensive service provider any time any alarm system is activated. This is a very costly experience for this particular owner – while it may be a routine call or maintenance issue for another utility. “It depends.”

Pumps and Controls for water and wastewater are integrated 'machinery'

Thus, in any pumping system design, begin with a defined teaming relationship with the owner/operators of the installed equipment. And, involve them at crucial milestone meetings along the way. It is with this type of engagement that you can expect a reliable and readily maintained final system…not to mention the “buy in” by the operators who will be maintaining these vital elements in each utility. Good designs begin with the end in mind. And, the “end” is the day-to-day operations and maintenance so crucial to lowest life cycle cost of ownership.

Don Voigt, P.E., M.S.M.E.

don@equipintegration.com

Milwaukee, WI – engineers from United Water analyzed the system costs in refining their process and are saving hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in solids handling.

Over the course of my experience in assisting owners and other designers toward efficient water and wastewater plant operations, I have noted one subtle and highly minimized factor….and, this is the lack of consideration of the “system” vs. the individual component.

A few examples might help, here:

1. One of the most troublesome devices – based on cost of equipment vs. problems occurring – is the common flow meter…anyone who has tried to have 3 flow meters on 3 lines add up to the combined total in the fourth meter knows exactly what I mean, here. Yet, we continue to design such systems in some hope that we will avoid the history of such systems.

2. Utilities install new side solids thickening devices and find that all sorts of new plant loads occur. Everything from the buildup of fines from centrifuges to the tremendous water demand placed on the plant due to wash water side stream needs….all part of the system needs but not so obvious at time of purchase.

3. Pumping equipment is often selected on the basis of published pump efficiencies…where, in fact, the total efficiency of a pump is the multiplied result of the efficiency of all moving items in the chain. This might be 30% or more poorer.

The point is…..believing that a simple change in the process of water and wastewater systems can be accomplished without a series of (multiple) subsequent implications is a perilous presumption. Beware the obvious solution. It is generally “not” (obvious) and is almost always going to have subsequent “collateral” affects. Or, look carefully, before you leap

Don

Russian space shuttle ‘Buran’ bears an uncanny resemblance to the U.S. space shuttle design, and illustrates the “space race” issues which drove engineers to explore and develop like never before.

Since the early years of my engineering education were filled with an air of “space war competition”, we “mid 60’s” engineers can remember heady days…days when engineering was the focus of huge efforts – both within and exterior to NASA walls. Back then, we had an emotionally common goal – to “beat the Russians” in the race to the moon. I can still feel the tingle of the challenge and I still recall the near patriotism of “doing well” in engineering analysis of the many impediments to success. Sputnik was “out there” “beeping” at us. And, we took up the challenge.

Today, we are faced with equally daunting challenges. We are being held hostage by those who “own” the oil fields and the related speculators who are the direct beneficiaries of their financial machinations. And, even if the cost were not creating the market chaos, we know – intrinsically – that our carbon footprints are affecting all manner of earthly life and future happiness.

Technically elegant and financially responsible solutions to water/wastewater infrastructure needs require that we challenge the “status quo” in our approaches to the solutions we desire. From design efficiencies to construction effectiveness to operational efficiencies….we need to team for the solution. Our industry (water and wastewater) has had a long history of clouded approaches in single file marches to end products and procedures which are – at the very least – inefficient. Europeans have been suffering from the many symptoms we now have (have you seen the BMW commercial where they speak about gas prices in Europe as having been 6 to 10 dollars a gallon for a decade?).Many Europeans have seen the handwriting on the wall and have been focused on efficient solutions and effective methods of construction for decades. We need to embrace and team with their many innovations and move forward with our own. In many ways, we can see the parallel to the German rocket development and our subsequent Saturn Moon rockets. We have the basis for many innovations in our grasp and – with the help of world compatriots, we can meet the world’s needs for the next generation…a generation of eco friendly energy with the implementation of “green” designs from construction to operational excellence.

Be challenged. And, challenge the “old ways”….. it’s the patriotic thing to do.

Don