Industry Insights

How to Select Your Pilot Study Resource

How do you know if you need a pilot study? If you do need a pilot study, how can you ensure it will be effective? Pilot studies are often used to validate or optimize a treatment process or technology and can provide the data needed for process design or state regulatory approval. Because all water sources are different and respond differently to treatment, design should begin with a complete water analysis. [...]

Your Performance Index: Your Guide to a Quick System Check-Up

The beginning of a new season is the perfect time to perform system maintenance. As many plant operators know, consistent system maintenance optimizes system performance, prolongs the life of your system and detects minor fixes before they transform into costly repairs. We’ve included a list of suggested tasks below to help you perform a quick system check-up. Filters Ensuring that your filters are [...]

When to Replace Your RO Membrane

On the surface, it might seem that knowing when to replace the membrane elements in a reverse osmosis (RO) system would be simple. In attempting to keep it simple, many companies will use one or more of the following guidelines for replacing their membrane: time, often after 3 years (the membrane manufacturer’s warranty period) an increase in the RO permeate conductivity, as related to their water [...]

Your Performance Index: Should You Be Cleaning Your Filter Media?

Should you be chemically cleaning your filter media? This may sound like something that could be beneficial, but it may not be right for your filter. This is especially true if you have Greensand™ or Ironman Sand™ filter media. Greensand and Ironman media are coated with manganese dioxide which, when charged, oxidizes manganese as water flows through the filter. Unfortunately, chemicals that are [...]

Make Your Backwash More Effective With 4 Simple Steps

By optimizing your backwash system, you can improve your overall filter performance and reduce backwash frequency, while cutting down on media costs and preventing excessive water usage. 1. We recommend increasing your backwash frequency if you are experiencing: Excessive headloss (debris buildup in media) Diminished effluent water quality 2. We encourage you to sample your backwash water on a [...]

When Do You Need to Replace Your Filter Media?

Deciding when to replace your filter media can be difficult, especially when your filter continues to remove contaminants to acceptable levels. However, periodic media replacement is an essential part of your filter’s asset management plan in order to ensure optimal equipment performance and life cycle. We consider filter media to have an average life of 15 years with a range of 10 to 20 years depending [...]

Your Performance Index: A Step by Step Maintenance Guide for Your Dualator System

Dualator® VI treatment systems require inspection and maintenance on a semi-annual basis. Filters with elevated iron or manganese in the raw water need more frequent maintenance. We’ve included a step-by-step maintenance guide below to ensure you are optimizing your system performance. Fill finished water storage tanks and/or tower. Backwash filters to a clean effluent. Shut off and lock out the [...]

Fall Back into Boiler Start-Up

As you send your children back to school and Halloween decorations begin to appear in stores, your facility operators may have already begun the process of preparing off-line boilers for the winter season. Regardless of if they were stored dry or wet, steps need to be taken to ensure a safe start-up of off-line boilers. Each boiler is different and prior to startup, and we recommend all engineers consult the boiler [...]

Your Performance Index: The Secret to Avoiding Mudballs

The presence of mudballs is an indication of problems in your filter bed. A mudball is the result of solids accumulating in a filter, then combine with filter media to form into a ball of solids. These mudballs block the passage of water, creating higher velocity filtration and uneven distribution. Mudballs impact filter performance and effluent quality while also shortening filter run [...]

Buyers Guide: Reverse Osmosis System

Are you interested in implementing Reverse Osmosis (RO) treatment into your industrial water treatment system? Prior to working with a professional to design your new system, there is some additional information that should be considered by your plant, as well as some information your RO manufacturer will need from you. We recommend working closely with your water treatment professional to assess your system [...]

Utilizing Calcite or Limestone Contactors for Remineralization Downstream from Membrane Treatment

Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis treatment reduce Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), incidentally lowering hardness and alkalinity in the process. If not treated further, this low alkalinity, low hardness permeate, can be extremely corrosive to downstream environments. Remineralization, the addition of hardness and alkalinity back into the water prior to distribution, can be a successful means of reducing this corrosion [...]

Your Performance Index: 7 Maintenance Tips for Your Air Supply System

Air Supply Systems consisting of compressors regulators, and receivers are a vital component to the successful operation of your water treatment equipment. To optimize air supply system performance, we’ve provided you with some maintenance tips to keep your system working efficiently.  Oil should be checked daily and maintained at the proper level. Oil should be changed per [...]