The new chemical treatment system (CTS) from Fluid Metering, Inc., is a solution for accurately delivering caustic soda and other pH adjusting chemicals for treatment of water and wastewater, the company said.
There has been wide acceptance for the application of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) for the treatment of industrial and potable waters, as well as wastewater in recent years. The use of caustic soda serves to raise the pH of well water which, untreated, is typically acidic and damaging to distribution system piping.
Adding caustic soda to water and wastewater is typically accomplished using metering pumps, and diaphragm pumps represent the most widely used. However, diaphragm pumps rely on four internal check valves for operation, and caustic soda can crystallize, causing problems in any pump using check valves. Crystallization affects the sealing of the check valves causing backflow, which will directly affect pH control accuracy. If not serviced routinely, caustic crystals can cause valves to completely seize.
Whether for scheduled check valve maintenance or complete failure, pumps with check valves need to be routinely taken out of service and rebuilt, at considerable expense and downtime. In high demand applications, this service may be required weekly.
The CTS pump uses a valveless piston technology. A single rotating and reciprocating ceramic piston accomplishes both the pumping and valving functions, thereby eliminating the need for check valves and the associated maintenance.
Sapphire-hard internal ceramics ensure that there is no degradation in accuracy over time, and, therefore, no need to recalibrate, the company said.
Source: Fluid Metering, Inc.
