A simple sensor-based discharge control for constant flows

The Challenge

Not all sew­er net­work sys­tems require intel­li­gent and flex­i­ble dis­charge con­trols. Very often these ‘Real Time Con­trol’ sys­tems are only con­sid­ered fol­low­ing increased indus­tri­al or hous­ing devel­op­ment with­in the catch­ment which will increase the hydraulic load­ing of the sys­tem and raise the risk of flood­ing. Any con­trol sys­tem con­sid­ered should be adjustable to pro­vide a robust solu­tion for the years ahead.

The Method 

The EasyS­lide dis­charge con­trol unit can be retro­fit­ted into exist­ing foul and sur­face water sys­tems. The sys­tem per­mits a max­i­mum pass for­ward flow rate (Q_ab) to be set with­in the con­trol pro­gramme to reg­u­late the flow pass­ing down­stream. This flow rate can be adjust­ed as future cir­cum­stances require.

The Solution 

The EasyS­lide dis­charge con­trol mech­a­nism con­sists of a cal­i­brat­ed spe­cial slide valve in com­bi­na­tion with an elec­tri­cal­ly pow­ered actu­a­tor. The con­trol pro­gramme dri­ves the slide valve open or closed to increase or decrease the ori­fice to main­tain a con­stant flow rate. This is com­put­ed from mea­sur­ing the upstream water lev­el via a sin­gle trans­duc­er. The pass for­ward flow rate (Q_ab) can be adjust­ed by inputting a new val­ue into the con­trol programme.

The EasyS­lide dis­charge con­trol unit is eas­i­ly upgrade­able to the Elec­troSlide con­trol reg­u­la­tor if an auto­mat­ic block­age rou­tine is required by installing a sec­ond trans­duc­er on the down­stream side of the con­trol unit to ensure flow is pass­ing through.

The Advantages

• sim­ple operation
• con­stant dis­charge control
• 10-stage, local set point adjustment
• with­out sole jump
• mount­able above or below the water level
• no media con­tact of the mea­sur­ing system
• robust, stain­less steel design
• retro­fittable con­nec­tion to remote con­trol system
• over­flow mea­sure­ment retro­fittable with data logger
• option­al GSM detec­tor 

Efficiency

• Cost and space-sav­ing since mea­sure­ment con­struc­tions and set­tling areas are not necessary
• retro­fittable in shafts and basins