Pilot Plant Treatability Studies  are integral in the design of any water treatment plant. They offer real data about whether a chosen treatment process is efficient and fulfills regulatory requirements under the current conditions at the site.

After a feasibility report is complete and a final design is chosen for implementation a pilot test may be implemented to provide valuable data for the design of a full-scale treatment plant.

The size of a Pilot Plant Treatability Studies is smaller that a the full size of the design but is larger that a bench scale study that can be completed in the lab, and therefore gives a more realistic picture of how a system will perform and potential adverse events that may occur.

Pilot Study Scope

Data collected during a pilot study may include information related to chemical reaction rates, fluid dynamics and evaluation of equipment.

A pilot study can take place over several weeks or months and include several tests over different intervals of time. A pilot study may compare two chemical treatment processes to determine which is more efficient. The chemicals will be tested on the actual effluent treatment water to observe how each chemical reacts and determine if additional adjustments to the water chemistry are required.

A pilot study may also simulate peak flows to observe mechanical operation and to test equipment performance under adverse conditions. These tests help improve the design by choosing the proper equipment that will operate safely and efficiently, while meeting the maximum flow conditions. Generally, the data collected supports the current design and provides insight to improve the design.

Pilot Test Results

Upon completion of the Pilot Plant Treatability Studies the data is analyzed to evaluate the chosen design. The results of the pilot study dictate the final reactor sizing, chemical treatment and mechanical components; and improve the design with new knowledge about specific site conditions. The final design plans will be updated with the pilot study improvements in a report detailing the results of the pilot test.

At Chokhavatia Associates Pilot Plant Treatability Studies are commonplace in our design process and we strive to ensure our water treatment designs and upgrades meet their full treatment potential.

Chokhavatia Associates has a fleet of turn-key treatment systems that can be used for pilot testing.