TABLE OF CONTENTS Peter J.Barthuly
Barthuly Hydraulics & Pumping Engineering, Inc.
Burlington, Massachusetts
The calculation of a water treatment plant hydraulic grade line involves much more than the simple summation of head losses through the processes. Coincident with determining the hydraulic profile, obviously needed to prevent spillage over the channel and tank walls, are other important hydraulic considerations. One important consideration is the necessity for equal distribution of flow among the various unit processes. There is also the need to prevent negative pressures where air is admitted into the plant s pipelines, causing unexpected head losses.
Good hydraulic design is a foundation of a well-designed water treatment plant. However, although hydraulics is a common element in the education of every environmental engineer, the nuances of plant hydraulics are not. This chapter provides advice on the types of head losses that need to be calculated, reference sources for critical head loss data, and information on equal flow distribution.
The first step in the hydraulic design of a new treatment plant is to prepare the preliminary hydraulic grade line. The preliminary hydraulic grade line is not by definition the definitive solution, but rather serves to expose areas of concern in developing the plant design.
Establishing Design Criteria. The criteria used in preparing the hydraulic design depend on such factors as the type of treatment system to be used, design flow of the plant, plant layout, and any special criteria and limitations of the site or equipment that may affect...
