Bench and Pilot-Scale UV Studies

Innovations in water and wastewater treatment technologies such as UV disinfection have enabled engineers to offer their clients a broader array of options for solving disinfection problems.  When the need arises for source water-specific characterizations of advanced treatment technologies, SMI can perform bench-scale studies at our central research facility using a comprehensive suite

of disinfection testing systems and can supply an unmatched array of model microorganisms including human enteric viruses.  SMI also offers an array of support services for on-site studies of water and wastewater treatment and has extensive experience in operating pilot-scale studies.

Collimated Beam UV Disinfection Studies

SMI is capable of performing collimated beam UV studies at its central analytic facility and has conducted pilot-scale field studies in support of advanced wastewater treatment evaluations throughout the country.  Currently, SMI is supporting UV, ozone and combined disinfection studies in the northeastern and southeastern U.S. in support of the expansion efforts for several wastewater treatment utilities.

SMI's collimated beam disinfection apparatus

Pilot-Scale Studies

In 2005 SMI completed pilot-scale studies of advanced wastewater treatment using membrane filtration and UV disinfection.  The SMI research team worked in collaboration with H2M Engineers in Long Island, New York, to design and construct a pilot-scale test rig that included cloth filtration, membrane microfiltration, membrane ultrafiltration, and UV disinfection.  SMI performed tracer studies to determine the hydraulic profiles of the system and then seeded the test rig with model bacteria and viruses to determine the microbial removal efficiencies of the system under an assortment of treatment conditions.  Model viruses and bacteria were used to determine the performance of the system, and treated effluents were analyzed for the presence of indigenous microbes including Cryptosporidium, Giardia and culturable viruses.  The results of the study are currently being used for the design and construction stages of an operational-scale reuse system.  SMI is uniquely qualified to support studies in engineered water and wastewater treatment.

                         Pilot-scale water reuse test rig - Riverhead, New York  

For further information about SMI's services, please feel to contact a project manager at (574) 277-4078.