Flumes can be used to measure a wide variety of flow types, but they are most commonly installed in sanitary flow applications. Several different flume styles can be used to measure sanitary flow, although almost all of them suffer from the same risk: clogging.
In sanitary flow management operations, clogging is a big problem, especially when the flume is completely blocked and flow cannot exit the device. Preventing clogging is an ongoing battle, particularly if you choose the wrong flume style. It’s important to learn about which devices you should and should not use to measure sanitary flow. Here are a few of your top sanitary flow flume options and some of the devices you should be sure to avoid if you want to prevent clogging.
What Causes Clogging?
Before we get into what flume styles are and aren’t suitable for measuring sanitary flow, it’s crucial to consider why clogging happens. Sanitary flows almost always have solid matter, and if these solids cannot freely pass through the flume, clogging is a guarantee. The presence of these solids is only one part of the equation, as the size of the flume can also have a big impact on the potential for clogging.
The throat size of your flume will largely determine how at risk the device is for clogging. For flumes with narrower throats, clogging is a near certainty. If you want to prevent clogging, you should make sure the throat of your flume is large enough to accommodate the solid matter in your sanitary flow.
Devices where Clogging is a Concern
When choosing a sanitary flow flume, you must be very careful not to choose a device with a high risk for clogging. For example, installing an H or HS flume is typically a poor choice, as the V-shaped discharge section of these devices make clogging very easy. If you do install one of these flumes, frequent maintenance would be needed to ensure free flow.
Packaged metering manholes can also pose a problem if the integrated flume isn’t large enough to accommodate the sanitary flow. Before installing a packaged metering manhole, make sure the flume is sized correctly.
Flumes that Can Handle Sanitary Flow
Now that you know which devices to avoid for your sanitary flow, it’s time to learn about some of the best options for measuring this unique flow type. In general, a trapezoidal flume is the only type of flume you should use to measure sanitary flow. The uniquely shaped cross-section of this flume can easily pass solid material, even when the flow backs up slightly. So, if you install a Trapezoidal flume in your system, you shouldn’t have to worry about clogging interfering with your operations.
Purchase a Sanitary Flow Flume
If you want to prevent clogging in your sanitary flow management system, you must choose the right sanitary flow flume, and as you now know, the trapezoidal flume is the best choice for this flow type. Purchase the right trapezoidal flume for your operation today by shopping with Tracom, FRP.
Tracom offers a huge selection of flow management products, including flumes in several styles, all of which are constructed from fiberglass. Contact us today to purchase your flume.
