The Science of Mixing Water Storage Tanks

New England Water Works Association 2009 Spring Joint Regional Conference and Exhibition April 1-2, 2009 Worcester, MA

Presented by: Michael Duer, P.E., Chief Engineer, Red Valve Co.

2009 Red Valve Co. / Tideflex Technologies. All rights reserved.

Types of Water Storage Tanks

Ground Level Tanks (Rectangular) Ground Level Tanks (Circular) Elevated Tanks Standpipes

Tideflex Technologies Tideflex Mixing System

How to Maintain Water Quality in Reservoirs

1)

Minimize Short-Circuiting and Stagnant Areas (SEPARATE INLET AND OUTLET PIPE)
DESIGN

2)

Achieve Complete Mixing During Fill Cycle (MIXING TIME LESS THAN FILL TIME) Achieve Adequate Turnover (FLUCTUATE LEVELS)

3)

OPERATIONS

** MAINTAIN ADEQUATE DISINFECTANT RESIDUAL ** COMBINATION OF MIXING SYSTEM DESIGN AND OPERATION/FLUCTUATION OF THE TANK

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Modeling

Mesh

Velocity Contour/Vector

2006 AwwaRF Project- Red Valve & Georgia Tech Physical Modeling Of Mixing in Water Storage Tanks

Short Circuiting
First In, Last Out (Last in, First Out) Water in Close Proximity to Inlet/Outlet is Continually Turned Over. Water away from Inlet/Outlet stagnates. Some States Now Mandate Separate Inlet/Outlet Pipes
Common Inlet / Outlet Separate Inlet / Outlet

Hydrodynamic Mixing
Turbulent Inlet Jet (Only source of Energy) into Large Waterbody Velocity Discontinuity between Inlet and Ambient yields Entrainment Circulation Patterns form due to Conservation of Momentum Can be Strongly Dampened by Temperature Differentials (+ and - Buoyancy)

Tideflex Technologies Tideflex Mixing System

Inlet Configurations
to Avoid

INLET IN A SUMP
Does not allow jet to develop completely

DISCHARGE ABOVE WATER SURFACE

Does not allow jet to develop completely

Empirical Mixing Time Equation How Long doYou Need to Fill Tank to Mix it?
Mixing time (hours) = K (V2/3 / M1/2)

K = Coefficient (based on Mixing Efficiency of Pipe/Manifold) V = Volume of water in tank at start of fill, feet3 M = Momentum = flow rate x velocity (Q * U) Q = Inflow rate, cfs U = Inflow velocity, feet per second Caution: No Variables in Equations or Limitations of Equation for Considering Temperature Differences Between Inlet Water and Tank Water

Mixing Time Comparison (1 MG Reservoir)

Velocity makes significant reduction in Mixing Time

MIXING TIME (OKITA & OYAMA)

48" Pipe vs. 12" Pipe

14.0
MIXING TIME (HOURS)

12.0 10.0
48" I.D. Pipe

8.0 6.0 4.0

12" I.D. Pipe

2.0 0.0 500

1000

1500 FLOW (gpm)

2000

2500

Multiple Inlet Ports Result in Up to 50% Faster Mixing Compared to Single Inlets
Georgia Institute of Technology and Red Valve Company 2006 AwwaRF Project

Multiple Inlet Ports Result in Significantly Faster Mixing

** Models Run at Same Flow Rate **

Single Shell Penetration

5-Port TMS

SCALE MODELING OF 1MG RESERVOIR

Animations courtesy of : Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Northwest Hydraulic Consultants

Mixing Time Equation is Limited to Same Inlet and Tank Water Temperature
Mixing Time Equation May Grossly Underestimate Fill Time Required to Mix Jet Must Reach Water Surface to Mix Tank Mixing Will Only Occur to Terminal Rise Height (TRH) of Jet Below TRH - Adequate Mixing, Temperature, and Residual Above TRH No Mixing, Water Age Continually Increases With Each Fill & Draw Cycle, Lose Residual Have No Idea of Potential Problem Even if Sampling Outside of Tank

2oF Colder Inlet Water

Effect Of Colder Inlet Water on Mixing in Reservoir

CFD Model 2.5MG Reservoir (120 Dia. X 30 SWD)
ISOTHERMAL

Will Not Short-Circuit with Separate Outlet Pipe Will Mix Tank IF Fill Long Enough

INLET 4 F COLDER

Will Short-Circuit Even with Separate Outlet Pipe Will Not Mix Tank Regardless How Long it is Filled

Effect Of Colder Inlet Water on Mixing in Reservoir

Inlet Riser Still Results in Incomplete Mixing and Stratification

A Single Inlet Pipe Often Cannot Mix a Tank in Summer with Colder Inlet Water

Properly Designed Multi-Port Manifolds Can Completely Mix in Summer

TTHM, HAA5,Temperature and Cl2 Residual Data 1.5MG Standpipe Champlain W.D., VT
Dangerously close to Stage II MCL of 80 ppb

Guidelines of Water Turnover Rate

Achieve Adequate Turnover

Fluctuate Tank Levels to Minimize Volume-Based Water Age. (20-30% common goal). Amount will vary by system conditions. Eliminate Localized Increase in Water Age by Designing Mixing System for Complete Mixing Based on Amount of Daily Tank Fluctuation. Must Account for Temperature Differences so be Conservative Spatial Sampling (Residual and Temperature) Recommended

TIDEFLEX Duckbill Check Valves

PROBLEM SOLUTION

Overflow Pipe Protection

Overflow Security Valve (OSV)

TIDEFLEX Research & Development

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS (FEA)

PROBLEM OVER 50 VARIATIONS IN GEOMETRY AND STIFFNESS PER SIZE FOR HYDRAULIC OPTIMIZATION OF TMS

INDEPENDENT HYDRAULIC TESTING

Use of Tideflex for Inlet/Outlet Separation

INLETS

INLETS

OUTLETS OUTLETS

Typical TMS for Circular Reservoir

(2) 16 Series 37 Outlets

136 Dia. X 28 Deep Circular Steel Tank

CFD Model of 1MG Reservoir (Simulated Tracer Distribution)

TMS in Operation During Initial Fill

Optimized Hydraulics of Tideflex

Tideflex Inlet Nozzles Maximize Jet Velocity at ALL Flow Rates Compared to Fixed-Diameter Pipe

TMS Manifold Hydraulics Modeling

Hydraulics

account for all pipe, fittings, valves

Use hydraulic data in Mixing Analysis model Iterate quantity, size, and stiffness of Tideflex Nozzles until complete mixing is achieved based on tank turnover

Preventing Water Stagnation in Storage Tanks

Reservoir Case Study

Eugene Water & Electric Board Brown & Caldwell Engineering

Chlorine Residuals are Consistent Throughout Tank

Slide Courtesy of Brown & Caldwell and EWEB

Mechanical Mixers (Electric and Solar Powered)

Installation/Maintenance/Operational Considerations: External Energy Source Capital Cost Operational Cost No Impact on Water Age No Separation of Inlet/Outlet Safety? Electric & Water Maintenance Roof Reinforcement Reqd Another Penetration for Wires Interfere with Cathodic Protection Contamination? Vandalism NSF Certified? Limited Installations Limited Testing and Field Validation

What any mechanical mixer does is add another source of energy to the tank to mix. However, there is already a built-in source of energy differential pressure. Tanks need to fill and draw (exchange water) to minimize water age. That differential pressure can mix the tank with a properly designed passive mixing system.

Typical TMS for Rectangular Reservoirs

Elevated Storage Tanks

Inlet Dry Riser Wet Riser Inlet

TMS for Pedesphere, Hydropillar and Composite Elevated Tanks

Tideflex Inlet Nozzles

Waterflex Outlet Valves

CFD Model Elevated Hydropillar

Two Inlet Valves at Two Elevations (Four Total)

Sampling 1.5MG and 2MG Elevated Tanks with and without TMS - McKinney, TX

2MG Composite Elevated with TMS

1.5MG Composite Elevated without TMS 2MG Composite Elevated with TMS

TMS for Elevated Tank with Wet Riser

Wet Riser Typically 36-96 Diameter
KNOCKS MOMENTUM OUT OF INFLOW!! INLET NOZZLES

CFD- Wet Riser Inlet, Cold Water

OUTLETS

CFD- Multiport Inlet, Isothermal

TMS Configuration for Standpipes

TIDEFLEX INLET NOZZLES

TMS for Standpipes

WATERFLEX OUTLET VALVES

2008 Red Valve Company/Tideflex Technologies. All rights reserved

Standpipe CFD Model Multiple Inlets

Isothermal

Negatively Buoyant

Temperature Profiling - Adjacent Standpipes

Courtesy of:

Tideflex Mixing System ( installed in larger tank )

Waterflex Outlet Valves

Tideflex Inlet Nozzles

Temperature vs. Depth

7/12/03
76

8/1/03
76

74

74

Without TMS

72

72

70

Without TMS
70

68 66

68 66

64

64

With TMS
62

With TMS
62

60 10 30 50 0.5 MG 1.5 MG 70 90

60 10 30 50 0.5 MG 1.5 MG 70 90

ICING Case Study (Before Mixing System)

Region of Peel 0.55MG Standpipe (30 Dia. X 110.5)

Ice removal took 2 weeks and $27,000

ICING Case Study (After Mixing System)

Region of Peel 0.55MG Standpipe (30 Dia. X 110.5)

Complete System Design and Hydraulic Analysis

QUESTIONS ?
Mike Duer, P.E., Chief Engineer 412-279-0044 phone mduer@tideflex.com Authorized Representative New England Environmental Equipment (NE3) (781) 275-1001 phone ** Exhibiting at Conference **