Treatment FAQ

what causes short circuiting in water treatment

by Jacynthe Reilly Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Short-circuiting has many causes:

  1. Flaws in lagoon design: Lagoon design, such as the placement of influent and effluent pipes, can contribute to the...
  2. Infiltration & inflow: A huge influx of stormwater can overwhelm the lagoon and disrupt the treatment process. For...
  3. Sludge accumulation: Sludge buildup, in addition to reducing lagoon capacity and thereby...

A short circuit is the flowing of incoming water through the tank, without proper stratification of the water in the basin. Short circuits are generally caused by the stratification of the water in the basin and are common during summer and winter.

Full Answer

What causes a short circuit in a hydrological system?

Short circuits are generally caused by the stratification of the water in the basin and are common during summer and winter. There should be a proper mixing and baffling of the influent with the water in the basin.

What is a short circuit in a tank?

A short circuit is the flowing of incoming water through the tank, without proper stratification of the water in the basin. Short circuits are generally caused by the stratification of the water in the basin and are common during summer and winter. There should be a proper mixing and baffling of the influent with the water in the basin.

What is short-circuiting in a drainage system?

Short-circuiting is a problematic circumstance in which water bypasses the normal flow path through the basin and reaches the outlet in less than the normal detention time. In addition to preventing short-circuiting, inlets control the velocity of the incoming flow.

What causes a computer to short circuit?

Short Circuit: When a computer short-circuits it is due in part to the impurities in the water or other liquids seeping into the circuitry and causing electricity to flow erratically and damage the device.

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What does short-circuiting mean in water treatment?

A condition that occurs when water flows along a nearly direct pathway from the inlet to the outlet of a tank or basin, often resulting in shorter contact, reaction, or settling times in comparison with the calculated or presumed detention times.

What causes short-circuiting in sedimentation tank?

(Short circuiting is the term used for a situation in which part of the influent water exits the tank too quickly, by flowing across the top or along the bottom of the tank.) The baffle is sometimes designed as a wall across the inlet, with holes perforated across the width of the tank.

Why is short-circuiting a problem in ecological water treatment systems?

Five Reasons Fluid Short-Circuiting is a Problem It can increase the amounts of chemicals being added to the system far beyond what should be added. It may create dead-zones in the system where no desired reactions are taking place. It may cause excessive particle and solids precipitation in certain system zones.

What are some methods that can be used to prevent short-circuiting at the inlet end of a sedimentation tank?

Settling tank, sedimentation tank, and clarifier. What are some methods that can be used to prevent short-circuiting at the inlet end of a sedimentation tank? What is done to stop short-circuiting of flow through a clarifier? Change the weir settings and and repair or replace the baffles.

Does water cause short circuit?

Water can cause electrical outlets to short-circuit and even ignite, presenting considerable risk.

What do you mean by short circuit?

short circuit. noun. a faulty or accidental connection between two points of different potential in an electric circuit, bypassing the load and establishing a path of low resistance through which an excessive current can flow. It can cause damage to the components if the circuit is not protected by a fuse.

What is short-circuiting in a lagoon?

Simply put, wastewater lagoon short-circuiting is when wastewater “short circuits” or takes a short-cut through the lagoon, bypassing the treatment process.

What is the range of pH in mg L above which aeration is required?

The pH of the aeration tank should be between 6.5-8.5 to avoid stress on the microbial community and for optimal biological activity. Dissolved oxygen levels in the aeration tank must be maintained at 1-3 mg/L for effective treatment.

How do oxidation ponds work?

Oxidation ponds, also called lagoons or stabilization ponds, are large, shallow ponds designed to treat wastewater through the interaction of sunlight, bacteria, and algae. Algae grow using energy from the sun and carbon dioxide and inorganic compounds released by bacteria in water.

What are the factors affecting sedimentation?

Factors that affect the sedimentation process include the shape and size of particles, the density of particles, water temperature, particle charge, dissolved substances in the water, environmental effects, and characteristics of the basin.

Why are screens necessary before the treatment of wastewater?

Screening is a wastewater pre-treatment, which aims to prevent coarse solids, such as plastics, rags and other trash, from entering a sewage system or treatment plant. Solids get trapped by inclined screens or bar racks. The spacing between the bars usually is 15 to 40 mm, depending on cleaning patterns.

What happens during sedimentation in water treatment?

A sedimentation tank in wastewater treatment removes particles from the water. The accumulated solids, or sludge, form at the bottom of the sedimentation tank and are removed periodically. Coagulants are typically added to the water before sedimentation to aid in the settling process.

What is a wastewater lagoon short circuit?

Simply put, wastewater lagoon short-circuiting is when wastewater “short circuits” or takes a short-cut through the lagoon, bypassing the treatment process. Retention time is key to wastewater treatment—if wastewater doesn’t have enough contact with digesting microbes, it doesn’t get treated, and you get high TSS and BOD in your effluent.

What causes a lagoon to short circuit?

1. Flaws in lagoon design: Lagoon design, such as the placement of influent and effluent pipes, can contribute to the likelihood of short-circuiting. A single influent pipe can forcefully push wastewater toward the effluent side of the pond. A lagoon oriented in such a way that it’s affected by wind is also subject to short circuit.

Problems lagoon short circuit can cause

The lack of treatment that short-circuiting causes is due to insufficient retention time. Retention time is key to wastewater treatment: Digesting microbes need time and good DO levels to remove BOD and pathogens. Wastewater that short circuits through the system can have effluent BOD and TSS levels as high as the influent.

What Happens When Water & Electricity Meet?

Short Circuit: When a computer short-circuits it is due in part to the impurities in the water or other liquids seeping into the circuitry and causing electricity to flow erratically and damage the device. Corrosion: Corrosion occurs inside your electronic device where you can’t see it, causing issues over a period time as opposed to something which happens immediately such as a short circuit.

Why Does Water Ruin Electronics?

In a nutshell salt and other minerals that are found in water can damage your electronics when they seep deep into the components of your device interfering with the circuitry and causing them to malfunction.

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How to tell if a circuit is short?

Dealing With Short Circuits. The most common sign of a short circuit is when a circuit breaker trips and causes the circuit to shut off. However, there are other conditions that can cause a circuit breaker to trip, such as power overloads, so it is important to determine why the breaker is tripping.

What is a true short circuit?

True short circuits occur when electrical circuit wires or wire connections are exposed or damaged; they must be diagnosed and repaired as soon as possible.

What to do if a circuit breaker trips again?

However, if the circuit breaker trips again immediately, proceed to the next step. Turn off all light and appliance switches along the circuit. Then, turn the circuit breaker back to the ON position.

What is an AFCI circuit?

You can think of an AFCI as a device that anticipates short circuits and shuts off the power before it can reach the short circuit condition. Unlike GFCIs, which are designed to protect against shock, AFCIs are most useful for preventing fires caused by arcing. AFCI protection can be provided both by AFCI circuit breakers or AFCI receptacles.

What is a circuit breaker?

Circuit Breakers or Fuses. Since the 1960s, virtually all new or updated wiring systems are protected by a main service panel that houses individual circuit breakers that control individual circuits in the home. Older wiring installations provide similar protection through fuses.

What causes resistance to lessen?

As with the classic short circuit, a ground-fault causes resistance to instantly lessen, which allows a large amount of unimpeded current to flow through the unexpected pathway. Here, there is less chance of flame and fire, but a notable chance of shock.

Where do shorts occur in appliances?

Short circuits in appliances can occur in the plugs, in the power cords, or inside the device itself. It’s best to have a technician look at shorts in larger appliances such as ovens and dishwashers. Smaller appliances such as lamps often can be rewired yourself.

What is short circuiting in a lagoon?

Short-circuiting. Short-circuiting is the passage of untreated wastewater through the lagoon system in a shortened period of time. This can happen because of poor mixing and the inappropriate location of lagoon inlet and effluent levels.

Why is my effluent pH low?

High or low effluent pH problems can occur for different reasons. Low effluent pH of less than 7.0 may be caused by organic overloading or low oxygen conditions. High effluent pH is generally caused by extensive algae growth.

Why is BOD5 high in wastewater?

High effluent BOD5 concentrations can point to many issues such as an incomplete wastewater treatment because of organic overloading, low oxygen concentration and low hydraulic detention time.

What are the effects of partial nitrification?

Partial nitrification. The effects of partial nitrification in a lagoon system can include ammonia and nitrifying bacteria in the effluent. Monitoring ammonia and nitrifying bacteria in the effluent can reveal partial nitrification issues.

What is the presence of sulfur in lagoon effluent?

A large presence of anaerobic sulfur bacteria in lagoon effluent indicates a significant anaerobic environment in the lagoon. Microscopic examination of the effluent can also identify short-circuiting and sludge accumulation problems.

What are the causes of lagoon effluent?

The most common are: organic overloading and accompanying low dissolved oxygen conditions, short hydraulic detention time or short-circuiting, algae or sulfur bacteria overgrowth, old sludge accumulation, and partial nitrification.

Why is ammonia in the lagoon so high?

A high effluent ammonia concentration may also be caused by organic overloading, low oxygen concentration, short hydraulic detention time and the release of ammonia from old digesting sludge, most commonly in the late summer and fall at warm lagoon temperatures.

What causes short circuits in a basin?

Short circuits are generally caused by the stratification of the water in the basin and are common during summer and winter. There should be a proper mixing and baffling of the influent with the water in the basin. Surface turbulence is due to wind action and movements of the equipment.

What causes a sedimentation basin to short circuit?

A variety of factors can cause short-circuiting in a sedimentation basin. Basin shape and design, along with design of the inlet and outlet, can cause short-circuiting. You may remember from the last lesson that a long, thin sedimentation basin is less likely to short-circuit than is a short broad one.

What happens to the water after the floc is mixed?

After raw water and chemicals have been mixed and the floc formed, the water containing the floc (because it has a higher specific gravity than water) flows to the sedimentation or settling basin.

What is a solid contact basin?

Solid contact basins are compact units with rapid mixing, coagulation, and sedimentation zones in one unit. They are circular basins. A small percentage of previously formed floc is mixed and recirculated with the coagulating water in the central part for a fast and economical flocculation. This mixture is called slurry. Preformed floc is beneficial by providing the required particulate surface, by providing some of its remaining coagulation capacity, and by acting as a scrubber to remove turbidity from the influent water.

How to detect short circuit in sedimentation basin?

Short-circuiting in a sedimentation basin can be detected in a variety of ways. If areas of water in the basin do not appear to be circulating , or if sludge buildup on the bottom of the basin is uneven, then tests may be called for. Floats or dyes can be released at the inlet of the basin to determine currents.

Where does sludge accumulate in a tank?

Sludge accumulates at the bottom of the tank/basin. Typical tanks or basins used in sedimentation include conventional rectangular basin, conventional center-feed basins, peripheral-feed basin, and spiral-flow basins. In conventional treatment plants, the amount of detention time required for settling can vary from 2 to 6 hours.

Why is there turbulence in a basin?

Surface turbulence is due to wind action and movements of the equipment. An adequate wind-breaking height of the basin wall above the water surface and the proper maintenance of equipment are very helpful. Sediments settle to the bottom of the basin, and the effluent is strained from the top.

What are the effects of short circuits?

When a short-circuit occurs, the current in the system increases to an abnormally high value while the system voltage decreases to a low value. The heavy current due to short-circuit causes excessive heating which may result in fire or explosion.

Why does my transformer short circuit?

Internal effects are caused by the breakdown of equipment or transmission lines from the deterioration of insulation in a generator, transformer etc. Such troubles may be due to the aging of insulation. inadequate design or improper installation. External effects causing short circuit ...

What is the difference between short circuit and overload?

When a short-circuit occurs, the voltage at fault point is reduced to zero and current of abnormally high magnitude flows through the network to the point of fault. On the other hand, an overload means that loads greater than the designed values have been imposed on ...

What happens when load terminals are shorted?

However, if the load terminals get shorted due to any reason, the circuit impedance is reduced to a very low value; being Zi in this case. As Zi is very small, therefore, a large current flows through the circuit. This is called short circuit current.

What happens if a transmission line is not cleared quickly?

For example, an arc on a transmission line not cleared quickly will burn the conductor severely causing it to break, resulting in a long time interruption of the line. The low voltage created by the fault has a very harmful effect on the service rendered by the power system.

Why is it important to disconnect a short circuit?

Short circuits can produce very high temperatures due to the high power dissipation in the circuit.

What is short circuit?

A short circuit is simply a low resistance connection between the two conductors supplying electrical power to any circuit. This results in excessive current flow in the power source through the ‘short,’ and may even cause the power source to be destroyed. If a fuse is in the supply circuit, it will do its job and blow out, ...

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Terminology

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The term short circuit is often used somewhat incorrectly to refer to any wiring problem in an electrical circuit. Officially, though, a short circuit refers to a specific condition in which electricity strays outside the established pathway of an electrical circuit.
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Definition

  • As the name implies, a short circuit is a condition where electrical flow completes its circuit journey via a shorter distance than is present in the established wiring. By nature, electricity seeks to return to ground, and in a properly functioning circuit, this means that the current flows through the established wiring circuit, back to the service panel, and onward back through the utility wire…
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Purpose

  • The reason this happens is that these other materials offer a pathway of lesser resistance than is present in the copper wiring of a circuit. For example, in a light switch with faulty wiring or a loose wire connection, if the bare copper hot wire touches the metal electrical box or a metal faceplate on the switch, the current will leap toward whatever path of least resistance existswhich could w…
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Causes

  • The term short circuit is most commonly used to refer to the situation in which a hot wire carrying current touches a neutral wire. When this happens, resistance lessens instantly and a large volume of current flows through an unexpected pathway. When this classic short circuit occurs, sparks sometimes fly, you may hear crackling, and sometimes smo...
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Overview

  • A ground fault is a type of short circuit that occurs when the hot wire carrying current comes into contact with some grounded portion of the system, such as a bare copper ground wire, a grounded metal wall box, or a grounded portion of an appliance. As with the classic short circuit, a ground-fault causes resistance to instantly lessen, which allows a large amount of unimpeded c…
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Risks

  • Old or damaged insulation may allow neutral and hot wires to touch, which can cause a short circuit. Nail and screw punctures as well as age can cause wire casings or insulation to deteriorate and allow short circuits. Or, if animal pests such as mice, rats, or squirrels gnaw on circuit wiring, the inner wire conductors can be exposed to cause short circuits. Attachments ca…
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Introduction

  • When an appliance is plugged into a wall outlet, its wiring effectively becomes an extension of the circuit, and any problems in the appliance wiring become circuit problems. Old or broken appliances can develop inner short circuits over time. Short circuits in appliances can occur in the plugs, in the power cords or inside the device itself. Its best to have a technician look at shorts i…
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Security

  • Because both classic short circuits and ground faults pose a danger of shock and fire, your wiring system has various means of safeguarding against those dangers. Since the 1960s, virtually all new or updated wiring systems are protected by a main service panel that houses individual circuit breakers that control individual circuits in the home. Older wiring installations provide sim…
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Symptoms

  • The most common sign of a short circuit is when a circuit breaker trips and causes the circuit to shut off. However, there are other conditions that can cause a circuit breaker to trip, such as power overloads, so it is important to determine why the breaker is tripping. If a circuit breaker continues to trip immediately after being reset, it is a strong indication that there is a wiring prob…
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