Online Calculator that Counts the Cost of Grit Launched

Hydro International (UK) has launched a unique new industry tool to help water and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operators to assess the full operating cost impact of grit deposition and abrasion on their plant efficiency.

The Cost of Grit Calculator has been developed for use as a universal online resource for engineering designers and WWTP operators in North America, the UK and around the world.

The innovative calculator draws on real-world data collected from operating plants to predict the likely savings to treatment plant efficiency that can be gained for any operator installing a high-performance grit removal system, using the guiding principles of Advanced Grit Management^®.

The simple-to-use calculator requires input of a small number of values to generate, within minutes, an estimate of the annual and lifecycle savings that could be made by removing more grit at the headworks.

Keith Hutchings, Group Product Manager for Hydro International explains: “Our experience of working with wastewater treatment plants in North America and around the world has taught us that operators are settling for very low percentage rates of grit removal efficiency – typically removing only 30-50% of incoming grit.

“The Advanced Grit Management philosophy is based on removing between 85-95% of all grit entering the plant.  Based on this target, the system can predict the estimated improvements to operating efficiency that result from removing much greater volumes of grit before they clog tanks, basins and channels and abrade downstream process equipment.”

Having set the operating plant capacity and the preferred equipment lifetime cost into the system, users can input estimated or known costs of their downstream plant maintenance activities.  These include the periodic cleanout of grit basins, aeration basins, or anaerobic digester tanks, for example, as well as replacement and refurbishment costs for equipment such as pumps, centrifuges or membranes.  Where operators are unable to provide values, averages are suggested based on actual costs from operating plants in the USA.  Users can then save or print a detailed analysis of the results of the calculation.

“Every plant is different, so the calculator is no substitute for a detailed site assessment of real-world grit concentration and behavior, and actual sampling of incoming effluent prior to a detailed plant design,” adds Hutchings.

“However, our research shows that poor grit removal is a major source of avoidable process inefficiency, operating, maintenance and replacement costs.

“We hope the tool will help designers and operators to simply demonstrate the benefits for improved grit removal and help to justify optimum capital and operating cost decisions.  There is no need to continue with cumbersome and costly tank clear-outs or to budget for frequent equipment replacement.”

The Advanced Grit Management philosophy is based on using Hydro International’s industry-leading HeadCell® grit removal system, best used with associated Hydro grit washing and dewatering systems, such as the SlurryCup^TM and Grit Snail®

 For advice, knowledge or grit removal product information email WWInquiryUS@hydro-int.com or visit www.advancedgritmanagement.com.