Designing an innovative and sustainable filtration system
Severn Trent is one of Britain’s largest water companies, providing clean drinking water to over eight million people every day.
The company operates across the Midlands, from the outskirts of Sheffield down to Bristol, and into the north and mid-Wales. Recently, Severn Trent required essential maintenance and repair works to one of their BHPS sites, which provides a dedicated supply of water into their network across Shropshire.
The company operates across the Midlands, from the outskirts of Sheffield down to Bristol, and into the north and mid-Wales.
Recently, Severn Trent required essential maintenance and repair works to one of their BHPS sites, which provides a dedicated supply of water into their network across Shropshire.
The challenge
Recently, Severn Trent required essential maintenance and repair works to one of their BHPS sites, which provides a dedicated supply of water into their network across Shropshire.
To find a solution that would not interrupt the existing service and would enable essential works to be carried out whilst maintaining existing plant output.
The approach
Severn Trent appointed Avove as the ‘contractor of choice’ to progress options for the maintenance-enabling works. We worked collaboratively with Severn Trent’s team to undertake investigations on-site, scoping out what was required to facilitate the required plant repairs and refurbishment. The key driver was to maintain the BHPS plant output to supply the network, whilst allowing the existing Iron and Manganese (I&M) filters to be removed from service so that repairs, refurbishment and replacement could be completed.
Benefits delivered
We provided a collaborative and innovative design for the Iron and Manganese (I&M) filtration system, which ensured network supply was maintained during repairs.
- Innovative design – the I&M filtration unit is transportable, reusable and mostly recyclable
- We installed a temporary I&M filtration system with no disruption to the existing service
- The system ensured Severn Trent had operational flexibility across its business
- We delivered a sustainable and efficient system with minimal to no impact on the surrounding environment
- We reduced Severn Trent’s carbon output
- We provided a sustainable cost-effective solution that can be used on other projects
The solution
After careful planning, we designed and commissioned an effective, efficient temporary process, which conformed to Severn Trent’s filter design specification and allowed the existing I&M filters to be removed from service whilst maintaining plant output to meet continued network demand. It included the provision of eight pressure filters containing sand and manganese dioxide media.
The individual filter units were designed to provide a structural skid framework which incorporates pressure vessels and allsupporting process equipment and pipework.
The MEICA equipment operates at 24v DC power, can be managed locally with an independent remote I/O rack and achieved a true ‘plug and play’ installation.
Innovation 1
For the foundation of the filter system, we used precast interlinking reusable concrete base slabs, which can be redeployed and removed from the site. This reduces any long-term environmental impact on the land, and the re-useability of the unit also provides carbon reduction benefits for the client in the longer term.
Innovation 2
By designing mobile pressure filters, that were pre-assembled within a structural steel frame skid, they can be reused and transported to other sites where similar filter refurbishment works may be required. They were also designed to accommodate different media for different process requirements such as Granular Ferric Hydroxide (GFH) for Arsenic removal or Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) for Pesticide/THM removal; increasing their potential usage across a wider number of water treatment works. During the design process, our focus ensured we provided recyclable components where possible for when re-use is no longer required, optimising the system’s sustainability.
Innovation 3
The filters were designed to be ‘plug and play’ using reusable interconnecting pipework between adjoining filter skids and flex-interconnecting for power and control, enabling the filters to be scalable. The interconnecting pipework spools allowed the creation of an expandable filter gallery – which can be added to or reduced depending on the intended site for use, Water Quality application and site flow requirements.
Innovation 4
The installation and positioning of backwash pumps, blowers and the LCP controlling unit completed the filtration system within an independent kiosk to ensure that they were easily transportable to provide operational flexibility.
Innovation 5
The unit provided a standalone clean backwash water tank with mechanical, electrical and control interconnect to the backwash kiosk.