Improving Water Quality in Potable Water Reservoirs

The Tideflex Mixing System (TMS) was designed to eliminate the source of most water quality problems in a storage tank: the common inlet/outlet. Typically, reservoirs are designed to provide the hydraulics of the system with no concern over maintaining water quality. The common inlet/outlet pipe is usually sized for throughput capacity at minimum headloss, which results in a very low discharge velocity into the tank during filling. This low velocity results in poor mixing within the tank, leading to stagnation.

The freshest water added to the tank is the first to be drawn off again. This "short-circuiting" also leads to thermal stratification within deep tanks such as standpipes, where fresh, cold water stays near the base of the tank and older, warmer water stagnates near the top. The Tideflex Mixing System was designed to eliminate these problems, while being cost-effective and easy to install or retrofit. The TMS maintains water quality in three important ways:

• Eliminates Short-Circuiting
  
• Enhances Jet Velocity
  
• Optimizes Inlet/Outlet Design

A manifold is attached to the inlet/outlet, and one set of Tideflex valves are installed near the tank penetration. These valves are held closed by pressure within the pipe when filling, forcing water to pass through the manifold and be discharged at the opposite side of the tank.

A second set of Tideflex valves is installed at the far end of the manifold, and open during filling. Head pressure within the tank hold them closed when draining, forcing new water to migrate across the tank and drain from the opposite side.  Additional valves can be installed along the length of the manifold to eliminate any dead zones.  These are traditionally smaller in diameter to increase pressure.

For Additional Information Contact:  don@applieddiving.com