Why Parshall Flumes are Perfect for Wastewater Treatment Plants

Parshall flumes have plenty of applications, often being an ideal flume for stormwater runoff management, but one of the most common is within wastewater treatment plants. Their unique designs are particularly effective at handling quite a few measurement necessities at these plants. Learn all about their benefits, and discover why Parshall flumes are perfect for wastewater treatment plants.

Headworks Flows

The headworks of any plant is essential for pretreatment influent. Not only is the operation of all downstream equipment maintained but it also optimizes the efficiency of the wastewater treatment process as a whole. To accomplish this, a reliable screening process has to take place to measure flow rate and remove debris. Parshall flumes are especially adept at measuring flow rate here since the extensive research on them makes accounting for alterations in changing flow conditions relatively easy. Plus, they fit really easily into concrete channels and in-line with the feed line for smaller flows.

Effluent Flows

The effluent part of wastewater treatment plants is essentially the downstream flow after it is discharged from the plant into a natural body of water. This typically comes in the form of flow exiting out of a pipe sometimes underground. Parshall flumes are particularly useful for this since it’s so easy to install them underground within a manhole for access. Keep in mind that weirs are used more often for measuring effluent flows since all debris from the wastewater must be removed before entering a natural body of water, but if you are going to use a flume, a Parshall flume is going to be the easiest to fit in most cases.

Interplant Flows

Regulating flows within a wastewater treatment plant can often be a challenge, but Parshall flumes make it easier than you might think. Thanks to their ease of use, you can measure inter-basin flows to ensure the flow rate is where you expect it to be for the treatment process. Additionally, Parshall flumes are often used for proportional flow splitting, though this is a feature that isn’t implemented in every wastewater treatment plant.

Fiberglass Material

One of the best aspects of Parshall flumes is that they’re self-cleaning and long lasting, but opting for fiberglass material makes it even better. Fiberglass has inherent advantages that other materials can’t match when it comes to wastewater flow rate measurement. The material is inherently resistant to corrosion thanks to fiberglass itself and the gel resin applied to its surface. With this in place, you won’t have to worry about hydrogen sulfide and other corrosive chemicals frequently found in wastewater treatment plants. Plus, fiberglass ensures that flumes are lightweight and easy to install. If you need specific specifications, molding a custom fiberglass flume is simple as well all while guaranteeing dimensional stability.

Get Your Flume From Tracom

Now that you know why Parshall flumes are perfect for wastewater treatment plants, it’s time to get one for yourself. That’s where Tracom can help. Whether you want to select a preset size or create a custom design, our team will work with you to find the perfect solution to your flow rate measurement needs. Contact us today!