From CIMA (Centro de Investigaciones Medioambientales del Atlántico, S.L.) (Atlantic Environmental Research Center), we want to show you what we do in and out our offices.

On this page you can find a series of small videos called «Things we do in CIMA», which will help us to explain what we do and how we do it. All this to approach the world of marine biology and oceanography.

– «Things we do in CIMA» #6: Flowmeter: When choosing a water treatment system, apart of the sizing up, one of the most important parameters if not the principle one, is data on the water flow to be treated, that is, the volume of wastewater that enters a water treatment station per unit of time.

At the same time, it is essential to know the average wastewater flow being processed at any time in order to control the operation of a water treatment plant, and to be able to calculate organic and hydraulic loads required at each stage of the process, which would allow avoiding significant variations in the quality of treated water.

There is a wide range of hydraulic, mechanical and chemical facilities used in wastewater treatment plants (partially-filled pipe, gravity unloading, dramatic variations in expense, open waterways, content of solids and fats, etc.), tools and methods for flow measurement are very diverse, since there is no a single or standardized technological solution.

So-called flowmeters are one of the most widely used flow measurement devices.

Today we have measured a flow of an urban wastewater treatment plant. At first we had to choose a spot to attach the flowmeter. This particular device was placed at the bottom of the waterway.

We measure the width of the waterway and the flow with a Doppler velocimeter and a pressure sensor, which are responsible for calculating the speed and height of the water flow. With this data it is possible to calculate the volume of water flow in the waterway.

 

Why do we do this?

Whether you are planning to build a new water treatment plant or resize the existing one, or simply want to control its functioning and legality, it is important to know the flow of wastewater you have to treat. This way, we may to find out if the plant is well dimensioned and capable of treating the average flow, specific floods and/or increase of population in the area.

 

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