Tapioca Tests - Githubissues

AguaClara / UASB

AguaClara's wastewater team devoted to creating sustainable wastewater treatment in under-served communities

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Tapioca Tests #65

Open IanCullings opened 6 years ago

IanCullings commented 6 years ago

Create simple lab apparatus to model flow into UASB sludge blanket

Research substances to model sludge (tapioca?) Follow up with EPA team if they don't respond
Locate or fabricate simple system similar to UASB
Research substance to show flow patterns (red dye?)
Conduct tests and document results

IanCullings commented 6 years ago

Action Steps to get apparatus set up:

Fabricate system to keep pipe in place in center of reactor (use 80-20, hose clamps)
Use pipe splitter to make two distinct pipes
Build bottom wedge to change flow geometry
Run calculations on flow rates needed to get desired exit velocities
Make red dye stock to pump out of for dye testing

Once apparatus is set up, run at desired exit velocities varying number of pipes, bottom geometry, and dye dosing to qualitatively see affects on flow patterns and bed fluidization. Once tests are done, consider making closer scaled model of UASB with influent system for more accurate model.

IanCullings commented 6 years ago

Notes from talking with Monroe today:

First tests should just be testing extremes and making observations, no data collection
Influent pipe should be perfectly straight so as to not bias flow patterns (fixed)
Future quantitative test: dose with dye, capture water running off top and use photometer to measure dye concentrations over time. Ideal flow in UASB would model plug flow (all dye coming out in one small plug of water, and no dye loss otherwise). Would help understand if water is being lost through the sides immediately or being retained within
Ideally the small model UASB we are using should be perfectly cylindrical and not have sloping sides as this could change flow patterns through the middle. Consider making a new container with 3" Pipe welded to a base?

I'll be picking up tapioca tomorrow morning so we can start running tests!

IanCullings commented 6 years ago

Notes from Meeting with Monroe today:

First tests: run tapioca with no dye and observe lifting of the blanket. Change in water height in the actual reactor is roughly 2.5cm (V_dump / A_reactor), so this should be replicated within the testing system. Test extremes
After these tests, consider setting up a dye setup to get data from the tests. Picture of setup is included. Essentially fill reactor with tapioca and then have a pipe running down that is completed submerged, and put the photometer at the bottom. Collect data to measure flow patterns of water through the system over time. Image: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=0470e6e8b7&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r-4861168247077331106&th=1660d52fa0b13359&view=fimg&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ9emvnQo4_MN8Jl9CSBzZs-E3RwqSagd47wu3oX59Lscj26vpNfFQCvGqQFD2KNavsxKLBJTEBhwRzPNGfg8jZyGR3gvLa8GFDWRsYDoKYYSYGegUQdXa15msY&disp=emb&realattid=1660d52dd3a207cf5f01

IanCullings commented 6 years ago

@jillianwhiting do you know where the photometers used for measuring red dye concentration are? We couldn't find them in the lab.