1. Name: Aiden Cavallero
Student Number: 13011423
Course: Chemical Engineering, 3rd
Year
Employer: Water Treatment Services
Period: 27th
June 2016 to 22nd
July 2016
2. Introduction
From 27th
June 2016 to 22nd
July 2016, I was employed for four weeks by Water Treatment
Services (WTS) to work with their chemical water treatment team based in Townsville.
During the course of my placement, I was involved in the completion of many tasks that
demonstrated the importance of such an industry in not only the process of providing clean
drinking water to the public, but also in the processes of maintaining many refineries,
businesses and mines. Through the completion of these tasks, I was also made aware of many
environmental, social and economic factors that can impact on the business’ clients, and as a
result on the business itself, as well as the effects these can have. Environmental impacts can
be in the form of heavy rainfall or continuing drought directly affecting water supplies of
towns, and also the available cooling and processing water of refineries, mines and other
businesses. Furthermore, water-borne diseases are prominent in bodies of both active and
stagnant water and, if untreated, can become hazardous. As a result of these impacts,
variance in the levels of chemical treatment required on a site may occur over time,
potentially introducing social and economic impacts in the form of higher costs to the client
for additional treatment, additional training required of the operators on each site, and also the
potential for the close of the client’s plant. In each case, the effects of these impacts on WTS
are directly resultant from the effects of these factors on their clients and thus, for the optimal
treatment, there is a necessary balance between the supplied level of treatment and the
capabilities of the plant to cope with no treatment at all.
I worked directly with the water treatment specialists and also civil/environmental engineer
Michael ten Lohuis, who, with their knowledge of chemistry and chemical design, were able
to offer me invaluable assistance in the completion of many tasks. In addition to this, I was
also able to work with the founder and director of WTS, John Hallows.
3. Tasks and Duties Performed
During my four weeks at Water Treatment Services I was allocated the following tasks:
1. Site Visits to Various Businesses Utilising WTS Products
Throughout the duration of my placement, I was required to assist the specialists in many of
their scheduled site visits to various clients. Due to the fact then that each client’s treatment
varied, it was first necessary to inform myself about each process before entering the site. To
do this, I first investigated each process in archived history stored by WTS. Following this, I
proceeded to discuss with the specialists and Michael any problems encountered on the site,
and also the relevance of the previous test results. Therefore, with this information, I was
able to gain a better understanding of the operations of each site.
Once present on the site, my duties included assisting in the taking of samples, observing the
process environment of the water, and also on-site testing required for chemicals known to
rapidly change in composition. In addition to these, I was also required to participate in
discussions with the operators of each site to gain an understanding of the operations from
their perspective, and also to be made aware of any problems that may have occurred since
the previous site visit. By doing this, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of each
process in addition to the literature, and also learn numerous methods of solving problems
that may arise. With these samples collected, I was then often required to test these in a
laboratory for chemical and residual properties, and therefore determine the best chemical for
treatment.
4. 2. Laboratory Testing of Various Water Samples
Throughout the duration of my placement, I was required to test a variety of water samples in
the laboratory using a variety of methods. To be effective at this it was necessary to
familiarise myself with the processes for testing and additionally the purpose for each test and
the meaning of each result. Before every test, therefore, I questioned the specialists and
Michael to obtain a better understanding of the relevance of each result when considering the
origin of the sample. With this in mind then, I was able to conduct each test with a greater
idea of the expected result as well as knowledge of several theories if the result was
unexpected.
Once this familiarisation was completed and a context created, the lab testing I was required
to perform varied, from firstly the residue and property testing of water from various sources,
to the optimisation of a process using a certain chemical treatment. For the first, these tests
were conducted using titrations for hardness, alkalinity and also chlorides, while a
spectrometer was used to test for a variety of residual properties. From these results then, the
need for certain chemicals including biocides, scalants, corrosion inhibitors, acids and
alkaline chemicals was established.
Once the required chemical was identified, an optimisation was then often required to identify
which product would perform the best. For these tests, a control was first established from
the untreated water, and the necessary testing was then performed. Once this control’s results
were obtained, a number of samples of the original water were then treated with a product and
the same testing carried out. One such test sought to find a relationship between the change
of a solution’s turbidity over a temperature range, and a number of products were then used to
reduce this turbidity to therefore reduce scale build-up in an industrial plant. With this
information, the correct product was able to be marketed more effectively, and the potential
costs to the client for scale build-up potentially decreased.
5. 3. Generation of Chlorine Dioxide
The final major project with which I was involved at WTS was assisting in the on-site
generation of aqueous chlorine dioxide, a chemical used in a variety of applications as an
oxidizing biocide. For this task, I was first required to read ‘Practical Chlorine Dioxide -
Fundamentals” by Simpson, to gain a better understanding of not only the history of the
chemical itself, but also the numerous pathways through which it can be generated as well as
the potential hazards and benefits of its use. In addition to this literature, I was also required
to familiarize myself with the fundamentals of circuit diagrams and typical componentry
found in control circuits through on-going discussion with the specialists. The final
preparation then involved reviewing the previous generation methods utilized by the company
as well as the new proposed method, and discussing strengths and potential limitations.
Once familiar with these aspects of the project, I was required to perform tasks to assist in the
generation phase. The first of these tasks was the analysis of diagrams detailing the circuitry
of the reactor, and from these diagrams I was able to suggest solutions to several problems.
The greatest of these was the inability of the relays and timer to safely close the system when
an increase in pressure or a decrease in flow was detected, and consequently re-open the
system once the threat of over-reaction had passed. To help solve this then, I was able to
successfully enable the alarm sequence on the PID controller. However, once switched off, it
was found the system would not automatically reset, a problem finally resolved by Paul late
in my placement. Therefore, with this safety feature of the reaction considered and
implemented, the chlorine dioxide generator was able to be operated.
Once the generation process was underway, my final task involved making a graphical
representation of the system (see Appendix A) to be used on-site. The purpose of this was to
ensure compliance with various patents for the reactor, and thus I was required to utilize
AutoCAD to produce the process diagram. From this diagram as well as a variety of
supporting evidence, compliance with the patents was able to be proven, and thus the reactor
was able to be used for mass production.
6. Reflection
This placement provided an invaluably broad understanding of the fundamentals of water
treatment, the requirements for treating water for specific uses and also the methods employed
to create the treatment chemicals, but above all I was provided with an understanding of the
challenges of operating such a business.
Throughout my four weeks of placement I was able to learn about and apply my own
knowledge to many chemical processes dealt with by WTS, including water and wastewater
treatment, cooling tower and boiler operations and also the production of many chemicals for
these processes. I was also able to learn about fundamental chemistry concepts relating to all
water treatment and the history of the methods used. These tasks I was able to perform while
constantly consulting the specialists and engineer regarding any unusual values acquired
while testing, and also the purposes for all tasks performed. From this consultation then, I
was therefore made aware of many challenges that may face an engineer in this industry, in
the areas of management, organisation and also the achievement of sustainability.
From my experience at WTS, I concluded that the greatest of these challenges lies in the
ability of engineers, and those in upper management, to work effectively with all members of
the company, and to allocate specific tasks in accordance with the skills possessed by an
individual. With this system in place, the ability of individuals within the company to use
their time effectively would increase, and hence the availability for greater client numbers
would also increase. With this achieved, a company could therefore become competitive in
the market and work toward a sustainable position.
7. Conclusion
During my four weeks at Water Treatment Services I believe I have gained an invaluable
practical experience. Through the tasks I have completed I have developed a deep
understanding regarding the role of water in many chemical and biological processes, and, in
doing so, have reinforced my own knowledge of chemistry and the role of chemistry in design
engineering. In addition to this, I have also learnt a great deal about the role of engineers and
chemists in such an industry, and the responsibilities they have to each individual client as
well as the environment in which the client operates.
I have immensely enjoyed working in my position with Water Treatment Services for the four
weeks I spent there, and in particular I would like to thank Scott Buckley and Paul Sandbek,
the water specialists, Michael ten Lohuis, the North Queensland Manager, and John Hallows,
the founder and director of the company, all of which provided me with invaluable assistance,
information and guidance throughout my time there.
