Sludge level measurement in a clarifier with Peacock UVP

In a clarifier, it is very important to monitor sludge level in order to guarantee a correct operation of the system. Indeed, a sludge level close to the surface may be revealing a hydraulic disturbance of the clarifier or a recirculation default.

We had the opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of our new Peacock UVP in a clarifier of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) near Strasbourg.

A 500 kHz transducer has been plugged to the Peacock UVP. By using a pole, the transducer has been placed at about 1/3 of the radius, from the center, and was oriented vertically towards the bottom of the clarifier.

The sludge level could very easily be detected in the echo profile by a sudden increase of the amplitude at about 1.2 m from the free surface. The position of the bottom of the clarifier could also be observed through 2 meters of sludge as a peak located at about 3.4m.

We could notice that the slopes of the echo profile are different in the waste water layer and in the sludge layer, which means the attenuation of the ultrasound is different from one layer to the other. This can be interpreted as a strong increase of the concentration when penetrating the sludge.

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