Float Switches for Wastewater Treatment
Importance of float switch for wastewater treatment
Float switches and liquid level sensors play a important role in many of the industries and processes that our society depends on. Wastewater treatment is one function that is vital to maintaining a sustainable society, and it is an area where liquid level management is critical to performing this function in a way that is safe.
The ability to control, manage and monitor liquids is a key part of wastewater treatment. For this reason, a variety of different types of liquid level sensors are used throughout the process. At just about every stage in wastewater treatment, you can find liquid level sensors and float switches playing an important role. The following are a few of the wastewater processes that depend on reliable liquid level sensors and switches:
- Low-level alarms for leak detection
- High-level alarms for emergency shutoff procedures
- Chemical mixing
- Storage inventory monitoring and management
These are just a few of the many uses for float switches and liquid level sensors in wastewater management. These switches and sensors not only help to ensure the proper treatment of wastewater, but they are also important for protecting the environment.
If a float switch were to fail in a wastewater treatment facility, the outcome could be a major environmental catastrophe. One example of a float switch failure that contributed to a wastewater spill is the failure at the West Point wastewater treatment facility near Seattle. The incident resulted in millions of gallons of untreated water being dumped into Puget Sound. While the switches were not the sole cause of the incident, float switch failure was one of the factors that helped to lead to the spill.
Depending on the specific purpose, you could find a variety of different float switches in wastewater treatment facilities. While stainless steel is a common material for these float switches, you can find wastewater float switches that are made from other materials. You can also find float switches with horizontal and vertical configurations.
Beyond float switches, you can also find different types of liquid level sensors in wastewater management facilities. Ultrasonic liquid level sensors are common in a variety of different wastewater treatment processes. These are non-contact level sensors that monitor liquid levels by emitting a sonic pulse and measuring the amount of time it takes the pulse to return to the sensor. Ultrasonic sensors are particularly advantageous because they provide continuous liquid level monitoring with a high degree of accuracy.
Liquid level sensors are important for the safe management and treatment of wastewater. When they fail, it can have a significant impact on the environment and it can also put lives at risk. This is why it is important for wastewater facilities to have the correct switches and sensors and to ensure that those switches and sensors are properly maintained.