Engineer working at wastewater treatment plant

Preventing Downtime in Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Win the battle against corrosion and aging systems with properly rated components.

By ABB | December 10, 2024
Read Time: 4 Minutes

Water and wastewater treatment facilities require system solutions that address challenges such as corrosion, downtime, aging equipment and frequent maintenance. Facility operators and the electrical contractors who build and service these plants must also consider critical application parameters such as design, materials specifications, temperature and ingress ratings, trade sizes and approvals. Finding the right products for each application helps these facilities reduce overall costs and improve operational efficiency.

Implement Effective Corrosion-Control Measures

Corrosion at wastewater treatment facilities is typically caused by acidity, alkalinity and the presence of various waste components, including sugars, salts, organic acids and enzymes. Temperature fluctuations, humidity and mechanical stress can also accelerate corrosion. The mating of dissimilar materials, resulting in galvanic corrosion, is another common issue.

These causes of corrosion can result in the release of metal ions or particles into the water, leading to contamination and negatively impacting quality and safety. They also pose severe consequences for electrical systems in the water industry, damaging equipment and impacting safety, productivity, compliance and reputation. Consequently, maintenance, repair and replacement expenses can add to a facility’s operating costs and resource allocation.

Therefore, it is crucial to implement proper corrosion-control measures. These can include regular maintenance inspections, using corrosion-resistant materials for equipment and establishing effective cleaning and sanitation practices as well as monitoring the pH and chemical composition of processing environments. Some but not all issues can be visually identified.

Problem: Corroded conduit due to various waste components

Solution: Ocal-Blue^® PVC-coated rigid conduit with blue urethane coating on interior

Achieve Continuous Uptime With Properly Rated Components

Downtime is the bane of any facility striving for continuous operation, and it’s no different for water and wastewater treatment plants. Downtime at these locations can be caused by clogged pumps, liquid ingress in electrical systems or corrosion of connections in harsh environments.

Unfortunately for these facilities, wastewater doesn’t stop coming in when certain operations aren’t going on. Downtime reduces the volume of wastewater that can be processed on a daily basis. Because volume needs don’t change, the plant must either store unprocessed water elsewhere or use additional capacity, which may stress other areas of the facility.

To enable continuous uptime, water and wastewater treatment plants should install properly rated and long-lasting materials designed to perform in the application and harsh environments. They also need to inspect systems regularly and perform needed maintenance. Time-saving products like motor lead disconnects help minimize change-out time for pumps and motors and get facilities back up and running as quickly as possible.

Problem: Faulty pump or motor due to loose connection

Solution: Color-Keyed^® motor lead disconnects for quick, reliable change-out and secure connection

Ensure Longer Life of Install

Whether they are new or existing, all water and wastewater treatment plants have expected service lives. But like other infrastructure components, they are often kept operational well beyond their use dates. Nonetheless, getting funding for updates or new facilities can be challenging, and maintenance teams and electrical contractors are expected to keep aging machines up and running for as long as they possibly can. In several cases, failure to look after this equipment can lead to downtime or water quality issues.

For water and wastewater treatment plants to offer a long life — and to keep older facilities running longer — choose materials that offer superior corrosion resistance and are designed to perform in the application. Cable protection systems that are UL and NEMA rated for ingress protection help to optimize the performance of a plant and maximize the lifespan of its equipment.

Problem: Operating costs to maintain aging heavy-duty components

ABB T&B Liquidtight Systems Metallic Cored Conduit and Steel Fittings

Solution: T&B Liquidtight Systems^® flexible metallic conduit and steel fittings for better cable management and ingress protection

Keep Things Running Smoothly with ABB Installation Products

ABB Installation Products is the only manufacturer that provides comprehensive cable protection systems as well as grounding and cable management solutions that are UL (Type 3, 3R, 4, 4X, 514A, 514B) and IEC (IP66, IP67) rated for the demands of water and wastewater treatment facilities. Our tested and rated installation products fully address the critical issues of corrosion mitigation, uptime and operational life. What’s more, they reduce overall cost by increasing efficiency, reliability, safety, quality and flexibility.

Ocal-Blue^® Form 8 UL 4X LU^® universal conduit body

ABB T&B Fittings Rigid Conduit and Conduit Fittings

T&B^® Fittings rigid stainless steel conduit and rigid stainless steel conduit fittings

Kindorf^® wire and cable management solutions

Color-Keyed^® motor lead disconnects

Ty-Met^™ stainless steel cable ties

View our full portfolio of ABB products.

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ABOUT THE SPONSOR

This article was brought to you in partnership with ABB.
As a leader in electrification and automation, ABB is enabling a more sustainable future. Their solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 140 years of excellence, ABB’s 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation.