Environetics Clearwell baffles are installed in Clearwells to upgrade the disinfection system performance to meet Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements regarding Contact Time (CT).

Benefits of Environetics Clearwell Baffles:

Environetics Clearwell Baffles provide numerous significant benefits for water treatment facilities, directly impacting operational efficiency, water quality, and regulatory compliance. Here’s a detailed look at these advantages:  

Enhanced Disinfection Performance:

• Optimized Contact Time: By preventing short-circuiting and creating a longer, more uniform flow path, baffles maximize the contact time between the disinfectant (typically chlorine or chloramine) and the waterborne pathogens. This extended contact ensures more effective inactivation of harmful microorganisms, leading to safer drinking water.  
• Predictable Disinfection Byproduct (DBP) Control: Consistent and predictable disinfection contact time, facilitated by proper baffling, can aid in managing the formation of disinfection byproducts. By ensuring the disinfectant is applied effectively, facilities can minimize the potential for excessive DBP formation, helping them meet regulatory limits.

Improved Hydraulic Efficiency and Tank Utilization:

• Increased Effective Volume: Baffles essentially increase the effective volume of the clearwell. Without baffles, a significant portion of the tank volume might be underutilized due to short-circuiting. By forcing the water to travel a longer path, baffles ensure that more of the treated water comes into contact with the disinfectant for the required duration.  
• Reduced Energy Consumption: While seemingly counterintuitive, optimizing flow patterns with baffles can potentially lead to reduced energy consumption in the long run. By creating a more predictable and less turbulent flow, the overall hydraulic efficiency of the system improves, potentially reducing the need for excessive mixing or recirculation.

Enhanced Water Quality and Operational Stability:

• Minimized Sedimentation and Stratification: Properly designed baffle systems can help minimize the settling of solids in dead zones and prevent thermal or chemical stratification within the clearwell. This contributes to more consistent water quality throughout the treatment process.
• Greater Resilience to Flow Variations: Baffled clearwells are generally more resilient to fluctuations in flow rates. The defined flow path helps maintain adequate contact time even when demand changes, ensuring consistent disinfection performance.

Regulatory Compliance and Cost Savings:

• Meeting Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR) Requirements: The Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR) and its subsequent revisions require specific disinfection contact times (CTs). Well-designed, clearwell baffles are crucial for achieving and demonstrating compliance with these regulations by maximizing the “T” (contact time) component of the CT calculation.
• Reduced Chemical Costs: By improving disinfection efficiency, effective baffling can potentially lead to a reduction in the amount of disinfectant required to achieve the desired level of pathogen inactivation. This translates into significant cost savings over the operational life of the facility.
• Lower Maintenance Costs: Eliminating dead zones and reducing sedimentation can also contribute to lower maintenance costs by minimizing the need for frequent cleaning and removal of accumulated solids.

Environetics Clearwell Baffles are not just physical barriers within a tank; they are integral components of an optimized water treatment process. By promoting plug flow, maximizing contact time, and improving overall hydraulic efficiency, they contribute significantly to the production of safe, high-quality drinking water while also offering potential cost savings and ensuring regulatory compliance. The baffling factor (BF) serves as a crucial metric for quantifying the effectiveness of these systems, with a higher BF indicating a more efficient and reliable disinfection process.

Baffling Factor (BF)

Baffles increase the baffling factor (BF) in a Clearwell. For example, a low BF (0.1) indicates poor hydraulics caused by a low length-to-width ratio and high inlet and outlet flow velocities in the tank, resulting in short-circuiting. Conversely, a high BF (1.0) shows perfect plug flow through a tank with no dead space, high length-to-width ratios, and no short-circuiting.

Clearwell Baffles increases the detention time in the basin by diverting the flow of water on a longer path. This helps ensure the disinfectant has adequate contact time to kill harmful bacteria or viruses in the water. In addition, this extended detention time helps produce predictable disinfection results to meet the treatment standards set out in the SDWA.

Clearwell Baffles Increase Retention Time

The Environetics DIRECTOR™ III Clearwell Baffles are designed to meet SDWA treatment standards cost-effectively.

Attach the flexible panels of reinforced synthetic rubber directly to new or existing Clearwell walls, floors, roofs, or columns. These panels become an innovative barrier, actively diverting the water flow along a longer path. This extended journey increases detention time within the basin, leading to more efficient and predictable disinfection results.

Adding Clearwell Baffles is a cost-effective way to upgrade existing disinfection systems to meet required treatment standards without costly modifications or the construction of new treatment facilities.

Environetics Clearwell Baffle Materials

Environetics uses a high-quality potable grade synthetic geomembrane material. In addition to providing long-term performance, this material is also safe to use in drinking water systems.

As a polyester-reinforced membrane, it provides excellent dimensional stability and structural integrity, making it durable and long-lasting. Additionally, this material is certified by NSF International Standard 61 for use in public drinking water supply systems.

NSF Standard 61 certification ensures that the material has been tested and evaluated to meet strict health and safety requirements, including the ability to withstand exposure to chemicals commonly found in a drinking water treatment system.

Installation Flexibility

The flexible panel design of the Environetics Clearwell Baffle systems makes installation easy, even in new or existing below-grade or above-ground structures. The panels can be rolled or folded for easy transportation through manways or inspection hatches. This feature eliminates costly structural modifications and makes the installation process more efficient and cost-effective.

Installation flexibility makes the Environetics Clearwell baffle system an ideal solution for water treatment facilities looking to upgrade their disinfection system and cost-effectively meet SDWA standards while minimizing disruption to their operations.

Engineering Drawings and Assistance

Environetics designs each Clearwell Baffle custom to the specific tank dimensions. Engineered drawings are provided to allow for a simple installation process. Site supervision of the installation is available upon request.

Contact Envirep

Envirep/TLC serves the municipal and industrial water and wastewater market in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Do you need help selecting the right equipment for your application? Contact Envirep today.

By Michael Gillespie, President at Envirep/TLC