My vessel is using a Triton-Format MSTP 3- Standard. The problem which is happening now is that the discharge pump is cutting in & cutting out too frequently. Cuts in for 3-5 sec & cuts off, then cuts in back within 5-7 sec interval which is very obvious to be abnormal. The mag. contactor due to this is suffering & worry might kaput. I suspect this got something to do with the low level & high level sensor fault.
Any advice on the actions to be taken & what to do for this troubleshooting?
Does your plant have optical level sensors? Because sometimes, foam plays havoc with those… in other words, it seems to confound them, (b/c of the density) for lack of a better word. If so, you may try adding an anti-foam agent to the tank. There are several out there and your chandler or purchasing dept can help you find one (if you don’t have any on board). Let us know if that helps.
Want to add: make sure folks aren’t going nuts with the detergents and disinfectants because that’s one cause of sewage foaming. And when you buy your anti-foam get some MSD-friendly toilet cleaner, the kind with good bugs in it. That will really help you keep the foam under control.
If on the other hand you have mechanical float switches, you may have to look inside the tank (sorry) and confirm the float, arm or linkages did not slip or dislodge. If OK, cycle the arm manually to confirm deadband setpoints. If still OK, you may need to consider baffling the tank to keep contents from sloshing around.
BTW, if there is no antifoam on board, use a little silicone lubricant to knock down the foam. A little bit goes a long way…
Some systems have sensor probes in the effluent tank. Pull the probes or probe assemblies and clean them. Take care to clean the crust or slime off the probe insulators.
Have you tried resetting the PLC? That has worked for us before in the past. Also, do you mean the permeate pumps (the final discharge overboard pumps)? I’ve seen the manual switch get broken and it not actually turning off when it isn’t in hand and then possibly the safeties turning off the pump, causing it to short cycle. Also when was the last time that the membranes were cleaned? I would not recommend using silicon lubricant without manufacturer go ahead because it might foul the membranes. A triton unit is basically a standard multi stage MSD system but the final discharge has a fancy membrane to keep bad stuff in the tank and let clean effluent out. I like to think of it as a shit RO unit. Instead of a hp pump forcing treated water through there is a pump that creates suction inside the membrane. I’ve never seen such clean overboard from an MSD when it was working but it was a pain to properly maintain. Good luck.
Whoa - I’m sorry. Absolutely DO NOT use silicone in a membrane system. Silicone will immediately foul membrane pores. In fact - be very careful using ANY antifoam potion as many contain silicone.
I was thinking this was just an effluent holding tank with a simplex level control switch tied to the pump controller.
Good catch and thanks for the product link wmoser.
The overall system is PLC controlled so yes a reset may help. The PLC is picking up an on/off digital signal so a logic programming problem is doubtful. Key to solving the issue is knowing what type of level sensor is integrated into the system.
[QUOTE=Jetryder223;95084]Whoa - I’m sorry. Absolutely DO NOT use silicone in a membrane system. Silicone will immediately foul membrane pores. In fact - be very careful using ANY antifoam potion as many contain silicone.
I was thinking this was just an effluent holding tank with a simplex level control switch tied to the pump controller.
Good catch and thanks for the product link wmoser.
The overall system is PLC controlled so yes a reset may help. The PLC is picking up an on/off digital signal so a logic programming problem is doubtful. Key to solving the issue is knowing what type of level sensor is integrated into the system.[/QUOTE]
My vessel is using a Triton-Format MSTP 3- Standard. The problem which is happening now is that the discharge pump is cutting in & cutting out too frequently. Cuts in for 3-5 sec & cuts off, then cuts in back within 5-7 sec interval which is very obvious to be abnormal. The mag. contactor due to this is suffering & worry might kaput. I suspect this got something to do with the low level & high level sensor fault.
Any advice on the actions to be taken & what to do for this troubleshooting?[/QUOTE]
Hello, did you once consider to change the pump for the sewage treatment unit?
