DORAVILLE, Ga., May 2, 2003 --The largest freshwater treatment plant in Michigan purchased a Purafil ESD Emergency Gas Scrubber (EGS) to prevent accidental chlorine releases more simply, safely, and efficiently than their former wet scrubbing system.
Springwells Water Treatment Plant is a 540 million gallon per day (mgd) surface water treatment plant located in a mixed residential and light industrial area on the west side of Detroit. Built in 1931, the plant draws water from the Detroit River; output feeds a distribution system serving approximately 125 communities and 4.3 million consumers.
Because source waters are low in organic content, Springwells uses chlorine stored in one-ton containers as the primary disinfectant. The plant previously employed a sodium hydroxide wet scrubbing system to neutralize the chlorine in the event of an accidental release.
However, this system contained a highly corrosive lye solution that was hazardous to system operators and attacked piping, valves, and pump seals. Keeping the wet scrubber operational required extensive maintenance; ultimately, the system fell into disrepair, with only the fans working in its last days.
When Springwells replaced their entire chlorine storage and feed facility, they also replaced their wet scrubber with a Purafil ESD Emergengy Gas Scrubber (EGS). "The Purafil EGS dwarfed the former wet scrubbing system," said Richard Pernal, filtration supervisor.
"With nearly a tenfold increase in storage and feed capacity, special emphasis was given to reliability and safety. A sister plant in our system had upgraded to a Purafil dry scrubber earlier with favorable results. With our system upgrade, the same Purafil scrubber was specified."
The EGS requires significantly less maintenance than a wet scrubber. It does not need heaters for outdoor applications, and its only moving part is a blower. Instead of using liquid caustic, the EGS neutralizes chlorine with dry-scrubbing media, which are highly porous, spherical pellets that permanently transform the gas into harmless solids.
As long as media do not react with chlorine, they do not need to be replaced; they only require occasional testing to determine remaining life and to project change-out dates. Non-toxic and non-hazardous, media do not require special handling and can be disposed in landfills.
According to Pernal, "The Purafil EGS has been especially trouble free. There are no corrosive liquids to handle, no valves to foul, no spills to contain. The scrubber's operation is checked on a weekly basis, and our local Purafil representative periodically visits to sample the dry-scrubbing media for analysis."
Pernal has nothing but praise for the EGS at Springwells. "Our system looks and performs today as well as day one, with virtually no maintenance. The maintenance savings are great, and operations has a system that is not dangerous to operate. We're very happy with the Purafil dry scrubber."
For more than 15 years, Purafil ESD has been a provider of clean air to over 100 North American and European clients. A division of Purafil, Inc., Purafil ESD manufactures a broad range of dry-scrubbing chemical media and scrubbers that remove odorous, toxic, and corrosive gases at water and wastewater applications.
The installation was carried out by Hi-Tech Environments, Purafil ESD's representative in Michigan.
Hi-Tech has installed three scrubbers in Michigan thus far and plans to have more by the end of 2003.
For more information: www.purafil.com
