The pump stations at Monterey (Calif.) Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA) were having a problem with their channel grinders. The twin-shaft, drum-style channel grinders were used in the ten pump stations in the region that feed into the main Monterey Regional plant.
The plant is located in northern Monterey County on 100 acres, and it has a capacity to treat 29.6 mgd. It receives 18.5 mgd from the 250,000 people it serves, and it uses a primary treatment process of physical separation using a bar screen and settling tanks, and a secondary treatment of using microscopic organisms found naturally in the environment.
The Solution
The pump stations were having major trouble with the channel grinders. They were constantly breaking down and needing to be rebuilt. This was causing a lot of downtime and required extra manpower, putting a strain on the maintenance budget and interrupting the treatment process. The facility’s operators knew they had to replace the machines with something better. That is when they turned to Franklin Miller to learn more about the Dimmunator.
“When we heard about the stack cutter assembly in Franklin Miller’s Dimmunator, we wanted to learn more,” said Bret Boatman, maintenance supervisor. “The fact that the Dimmunator has no bottom bearings was very attractive, as the bottom bearings on the other company’s units kept giving out.”
The Results
Once the Dimmunator was installed, the effect was immediate and dramatic.
“We have so much less downtime and maintenance costs on the new machines,” said Boatman. “Ordering, installing and using the Dimmunator has been very straightforward.”
Over the past seven years, the plant has switched out eight of its old twin-shaft units to the Franklin Miller Dimmunator.
The Dimmunator provides automatic screening and grinding of liquid-borne solids with a straight-through open-channel design. This unit reduces plastics, wood, vegetable matter, disposables and other oversized items to a fine particulate. The Dimmunator’s unique design, heavy precision construction, dependable operation and simplified maintenance have earned it a solid reputation among operators and specifying engineers worldwide.
The unit has been specifically designed to handle tough wipes, which represent a significant issue for plants nationwide.
The Dimmunator is designed for reliable operation and easy maintenance. For example, with its cantilevered design, the Dimmunator needs no seals or bearings near the gritty channel floor. The unit’s screen is stationary, so it never wears against bottom grit. Each cutter is interchangeable, and cutters can be removed or adjusted independently. The unit’s seals and bearings are immersed in an oil bath for long life and low maintenance.
“The experience with Franklin Miller has been great, from the machines, of course, down to ordering parts and the exceptional customer service,” said Boatman.