Case Study for Customer Location CA56:
Reservoir or Lake Use:
Municipal wastewater 5-pond treatment system for a population of 6,000.
System Overview and Reservoir:
Pond 1 is 1.1 acres, 10 ft maximum depth, 2.4 MG capacity, loading is 799 lbs BOD/acre/day, and had 50 hp of grid aeration operating 24-hrs/day; Pond 2 is 1.1 acres, 10 ft maximum depth, 2.5 MG capacity, and had 50 hp of grid aeration operating 24 hrs/day; Pond 3 is 2.3 acres, 9.5 ft maximum depth, 6.2 MG capacity, and had 30 hp of grid aeration operating 24 hrs/day; Pond 4 is 2.9 acres, 11 ft maximum depth, 8.2 MG capacity, and had 20 hp of grid aeration operating 24 hrs/day; Pond 5 is 2.2 acres, 9 ft maximum depth, 5.2 MG capacity, and had 10 hp of grid aeration operating 24 hrs/day. Flow rate is 0.45 MGD, with 100% of the flow to Pond 1, then to Pond 2, then to Pond 3, then to pond 4, then pond 5, then to irrigation reservoir 1, and then finally to irrigation reservoir 2. System irrigates as needed. Total system detention time in Ponds 1-5 is 54 days. Most critical discharge permit limit is 40 mg/L BOD; there are no TSS or ammonia limits.
Reported Problem Before SolarBee Installation:
High energy costs, excessive algae in Ponds 4 and 5 caused high pH over the limit of 9.
SolarBee Installation:
Date: June 2002, installed in Ponds 1-3: one (1) SB10000W with 24-hour electrical kit in each pond; installed in Ponds 4 and 5: one (1) solar-powered only SB10000W in each pond. The two units in Ponds 4 and 5 were converted to dual mix (SB10000DM), solar only, in December 2003.
Results:
Municipality applied for and received a California Energy Commission Grant based on peak load reduction and energy efficiency. Energy reductions: 25% in Pond 1, 75% in Pond 2, 75% in Pond 3, 100% in Pond 4, 100% in Pond 5. Customer is very pleased with the water quality benefits and energy savings provided by using SolarBees in their treatment ponds.
Photo shows one SolarBee among two splashers in Pond 2.
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