This document outlines a student engineering project to design a water treatment system for agricultural irrigation from a reservoir in Clemson, South Carolina. The project aims to develop a facility that can transform water from Lake Issaqueena into effluent meeting water quality standards for irrigation without clogging existing conveyance systems. Key aspects of the project include identifying water quality parameters, researching filtration and disinfection technologies, designing and modeling a treatment system, and presenting recommendations. The project addresses challenges of ensuring food security and access to clean water through reliable irrigation.

1. Engineering and Design of a Water
Treatment System for Agricultural
Irrigation from a Reservoir
Wesley Cagle, Cody Eimen, Alexis McFadden, Colin Richter, and Michael Smith
Clemson University
Clemson, SC
November 30, 2021

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Background
• Rationale
• Objectives
• Approaches
• Deliverables
• Literature review
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Recommendations
• Acknowledgements

3. Introduction

4. Introduction
• Agriculture is an essential component of civilization
• Oftentimes, crops require supplemental watering in the
form of irrigation
• Irrigation directs water from nearby sources towards
cropland
• The availability of fresh water will remain an issue in arid or
frequently drought-stricken areas and regions subject to
extreme hydrological events stemming from climate change
• Water quality used for irrigation impacts the agricultural
practices and types of crops that can be grown in a region
Figure 2. There is a strong direct correlation between
irrigation and crop yield to a certain point. Irrigation
is an important part of ensuring food security.
Figure 1. South Carolina field that utilizes drip irrigation.

5. Introduction
• Water quality is defined by microbial activity, nutrient concentrations, turbidity, or—in systems
prone to clogging—suspended algae concentration, among other factors
• “The clogging of emitters is one of the more serious problems in drip/trickle irrigation systems
causing reduction in application uniformity and negative effects on crops production” (Yavuz et al,
2010)
• Clogging within pipes is also an issue
Figure 3. Sprinkler clogged by algae

6. Introduction
• Water for use in irrigation systems must be
environmentally safe and mechanically practical
• It must meet E. coli standards set by the South
Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control (SCDHEC)
• It also must be free of nozzle-clogging solids
• A two-part system including algae removal and
microbial disinfection must connect water storage
reservoirs and commercial irrigation systems
• Water must be chlorinated to ensure
appropriate microbial levels
• Some water may need to be dechlorinated to
ensure chemical safety
**CHANGE** Figure 5: Graph that demonstrates the relationship between
access to safe drinking water and deaths of children under 5 years old

7. Need for chlorination
• Water that is not disinfected may become a vector for Escherichia coli
(E. coli) transport and infect _____ crops
• As many fresh foods do not undergo thermal treatment, it is particularly
important for these crops to have a high level of water quality
• Examples of target crops include:
• Collards
• Cabbage
• Swiss chard
• Kale
• Spinach

8. Local agriculture
• The Clemson/Seneca area has multiple small to mid-sized

9. Background
• Figure 6. GIS map of Lake Issaqueena and
the surrounding area (Zoomed Out)
Lake Issaqueena
Lake Hartwell
City of Clemson

10. Background
• Figure 7. GIS map of Lake Issaqueena
Lake Issaqueena
Lake Hartwell
Issaqueena Dam
Testing site

11. Background
• Our project aims to use engineering
techniques that were developed for an
irrigation reservoir in Southern California to
be used in the southeastern United States
• Since California’s climate is different than that of the
southeastern US, we will mirror AECOM’s approach
of designing a water treatment facility using
different technologies
• Lake Issaqueena's water level is maintained
by the Issaqueena Dam, which separates the
reservoir from the Keowee River portion of
Lake Hartwell
• Lake Issaqueena has a capacity of 1207 acre-
feet and a normal water storage of around
600 acre-feet (Waymarkings.com)
• The dam, lake, and surrounding area make up
part of the Clemson Experimental Forest
Figure 9. Photograph of Issaqueena Lake Dam taken by team

12. Rationale
The basis for undertaking this project is to:
• Provide a product that meets irrigation standards and is environmentally safe
• Produce a product that can be used in existing water conveyance systems
• Ensure water security for local agriculture production
• Establish food security though reliable water availability for local agriculture
• Sell a product that will eventually be able to pay for the treatment facility

13. Objectives
The objectives of this project are to:
• Develop a facility that will transform an influent flow from a reservoir into an effluent that meets
designated water quality standards
• Deliver water to agricultural consumers without clogging existing water conveyance and irrigation
systems

14. Approaches/Tasks
This project achieves the objectives through the following tasks:
• Task 1. Identify the primary impurities of influent reservoir water.
• Assess the characteristics of algae and its concentration in the reservoir.
• Evaluate the initial microbial quality of the reservoir water.
• Task 2. Determine and assign the water quality standards that must be met by effluent.
• Task 3. Research water filtration technologies.
• Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different filtration methods.
• Task 4. Investigate water disinfection methods.
• Research different pathogen disinfection techniques.
• Task 5. Design and model a multistage filtration and disinfection system to be housed in a facility.
• Task 6. Devise a plan for maintaining the filtration and disinfection system after installation.
• Task 7. Present findings and recommendations to AECOM.

15. Deliverables
These are the products we will be delivering with this project:
• Description of water quality parameters that the designed system will meet
• Designs and models of algae filtration and pathogen disinfection methods
• Analysis of the selected algae filtration and pathogen disinfection methods
• Life cycle analysis of water from the reservoir to the irrigated field

16. NAE Grand Challenge
• "Providing access to clean water" is
the most applicable Engineering
Grand Challenges to this project.
• “The world's water supplies are
facing new threats; affordable,
advanced technologies could
make a difference for millions of
people around the world.”
(National Academy of
Engineering).
Figure 11. United Nations food insecurity statistic
UN Sustainability Goal
• UN Sustainable Development Goal of
"achieving food security“
• 70% of water withdrawal in the
world is used for agriculture
(United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization)​.
Figure 10. NAE Grand Challenges logo

17. Venn Diagram
This diagram conveys how different fields interact within this project.
Figure 12. Venn Diagram of Project Topics

18. Literature Review

19. Literature Review: Water Quality Standards
• No garbage, cinders, ashes, oils, sludge, or other refuse
• No treated wastes, toxic wastes, deleterious substances, colored or other wastes allowed alone or
in combination with other substances or wastes
• Dissolved oxygen: daily average should not be less than 5.0 mg/L
• E. coli: not to exceed a geometric mean of 126 MPN/100 mL (CFU/100 mL) based on ≥ 4 samples
from a given site over a 30-day period, also a single sample should not exceed 349 MPN/100 mL
• pH: between 6.0 and 8.5
• Temperature: should not exceed 5 °F (2.8 °C) above natural conditions and shall not exceed a
maximum of 90°F (32.2°C)
• Turbidity: not to exceed 25 NTUs
• Algae: No sprinkler nozzle clogging algae present

20. Literature Review: Initial Water Quality
• Data was collected from the most recent DHEC Savannah River Basin
Watershed assessment (carried out in 2010)
• General trends in Lake Issaqueena and neighboring lakes/rivers show
decreasing "Total Phosphorus" levels, but increasing "Total Nitrogen“
levels
• The interplay of these nutrient levels is essential to understanding
the growth of algae in the lake
• The major concern of the original AECOM project is not from large
filamentous algae, but from small clogs in sprinkler heads

21. Literature Review: Present Algal Species
• Algal Species Present and their approximate sizes
• Chlorella Vulgaris: Diameter- 5-10 µm
• Cladophora Glomerata: Diameter- 45-150 µm Length- 300-1000 µm
• Closterium Moniliferum: Diameter- 16-75 µm Length- 100-800 µm
Figure 15. Closterium Algae
Figure 13. Chlorella Algae Figure 14. Cladophora Algae

22. Literature Review: Filtration
• Darcy's Law is a fundamental law describing fluid flow through porous
media and can be used for conventional dead-end filtration on a time basis
with the following equations:
• where:
• A = cross-sectional membrane area
• V = volume of filtrate
• µ0 = filtrate viscosity
• R = Rf + Rc is the sum of resistances
• Rf = filter screen resistance
• Rc = filter cake solids resistance
• α = specific cake resistance
• ρc = density in terms of dry cake mass of solids per volume of filtrate liquid
(Walker, 2021)

23. Literature Review: Filtration continued
• Combining the previous Darcy's law equations, integrating based on
the initial conditions of volume = 0 at time = 0, and solving for time, the
following equation is obtained.
𝑡 =
µ0α𝜌𝑐
2Δ𝑝
(
𝑉
𝐴
)2
+
µ0𝑅𝑓
Δ𝑝
(
𝑉
𝐴
)
• This equation allows us to determine the filtration time it would take to
reach a certain pressure difference across the filter membrane.

24. Literature Review: Filtration Pore Sizing
• The biggest limiting factor for the size of algae particulate that can
safely pass through the system is irrigation nozzle size.
• Spray irrigation systems use nozzles in the 5/32-inch to 7/32-inch diameter
range.
• "Wheel move systems typically have 3/16-inch nozzles"(R. Hill, 2001)
• Drip irrigation systems use microtubes with inner diameters ranging from 2-4
mm or just over 1/16-inch to 5/32-inch.

25. Literature Review: Disinfection with Chlorine
• Chlorination is a particularly powerful tool to use in water
treatment because it eliminates harmful pathogens and prevents the
growth of algae and slime molds
• Chlorine has been used to disinfect drinking water for almost 100
years in some regions of the US
• There are no proven health implications from low levels of chlorine intake
• Adding chloramine is one of the common ways to chlorinate water
• Some systems use chloramine because it gives off a less potent smell
• Chloramines are generally formed when ammonia is added to chlorine

26. Literature Review: Disinfection with Chlorine (Cont.)
• Hypochlorite bleach is a very common way that non-drinking water
systems are chlorinated
• For instance, many swimming pools utilize hypochlorite bleach
• Hypochlorite bleach is sometimes referred to as "liquid chlorine"
• The BOC (biological oxygen content) of the water system determines
the amount of hypochlorite that should be used
• It is important to exceed this level by about 2 mg/L to ensure satisfactory
disinfection
• 4 ppm (4 mg/L) of chlorine is considered safe for drinking water
• 10 ppm will allow for residual chlorine throughout the following conveyance
system

27. Literature Review: Kinematics of Disinfectant Decay
• First-Order Kinetic Reaction:
• 𝐶 𝑡 = 𝐶0𝑒−𝑘𝑡
• Found acceptable for predicting chemical disinfectant decay when ClO2 was
used
• K (decay constant) value was decreased with initial disinfectant
concentration being increased
• When ClO2 was used prior to disinfection it was found to increase in
efficiency of E. Coli removal

28. Literature Review: Chlorine decay k value
Figure 16: Plot of the bulk decay rate constant K against the
initial chlorine dose used
• There is an inverse relationship between bulk
decay rate and initial chlorine dose
• 𝐾 =
𝛽
1+𝛽𝐾0𝐶0
is plugged into 𝐶 𝑡 = 𝐶0𝑒−𝐾𝑡 to
obtain the equation used for the bulk decay of
chlorine in the distribution system
• 𝐶 𝑡 = 𝐶0𝑒
−
𝛽
1+𝛽𝐾0𝐶0
𝑡
where
C(t) = Concentration at Time t
𝐶0 = Initial Concentration
β, 𝐾0 = Regression Parameters
t = time

29. Literature Review: E. coli decay
• First order death
• C(t)=C0*e-kt
• k = 1.283 minutes-1 at a pH of 7.1
• As pH increases, the hypochlorite has less disinfecting capacity and the k
value drops
• General characteristics
• "99% destroyed by 1.0 mg/liter hypochlorous acid at pH 6 in less than 10 s
and at pH 10 by 1.0 mg/liter hypochlorite ion in about 50 s"

30. Literature Review: Algae kinetics
• Growth in environmental conditions
• Generic chlorella strain doubles in about 1.75 hours at 20.5 oC when nutrients
aren't a limiting factor
• Death in hypochlorite
• First order decay reaction
• Ct=C0*e-kt
• k = 2.4 minutes-1

31. Literature Review: Continuously Stirred Tank
Reactor (CSTR) equations
• This equation outlines the concentration of a given compound in a
CSTR
𝑉 ∗ 𝐶𝑖𝑛
𝑄
−
𝑉 ∗ 𝐶
𝑄
− 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑦 =
𝑑𝐶
𝑑𝑡
•V = system volume​ (gallons)
•Q = system flow rate (gpm)
•Cin = influent concentration (ppm, mg/L, etc.)
•C = system concentration (ppm, mg/L, etc.)

32. Literature Review: Water Use
• Generic water intensive crops of the South Carolina upstate require
25 inches over the growing period, March to October
• Many only get 14.8 inches per year
• This leaves 10.2 inches must be irrigated over 8 months to supplement
rainwater
• In Southern California, the water demand....

33. Material and Methods

34. Filtration Pore Size Selection
• Mesh sizing for filtration will be based on the standard minimum
diameter of nozzles used in spray irrigation systems.
• From the literature review, nearly all spray irrigation systems use
spray nozzles with diameter larger than 1/16-inch.
• 1/16-inch nozzle diameter is equivalent to 0.0625-inch mesh hole size.
• A 250-micron filter, having 60 holes per linear inch, and a maximum hole size
of 0.01-inch diameter, will be more than fine enough to prevent algae
clogging in all spray irrigation systems.

35. Filter Selection
• The single filter unit selected for our design is the
Tekleen LPF16-SP, which is part of their self-
cleaning Low Pressure Filter Series.
• These filters are designed specifically to filter out
particles like sand as well as organic matter like
algae, can operate at a range of 15-150 psi, and
use a filter screen with an area of 24 square feet.
• As the filter screen captures contaminates, the
pressure differential is tracked across the
membrane and triggers an automatic
flush cycle by opening a flush valve to reverse the
pressure differential across the filter screen.
• Cleaning cycles take only 10-15 seconds, and the
filtration process continues uninterrupted.
Figure 17. Vertically fixed Tekleen LPF in
operation, the water to be filtered enters
through the lower right inlet and the
filtered water exits through the
downward facing left outlet

36. Tekleen LPF Series
Figure 19. Large horizontally fixed Tekleen LPF
Figure 18. Tekleen LPF installation layout drawing

37. Trash Pump Selection
• A trash pump model Godwin CD400M will be
used as the first pump in the system, prior to
filtration.
• This pump is often used for dewatering
reservoirs and can process water containing
solids up to 4.9 inches.
• This pump operates with a 250 hp electric
motor that will only have to run at 60%
maximum capacity to produce the desired
6000 gpm flowrate.
Figure 20. 15 diesel powered CD400Ms used to move 1.7 billion
gallons of water in Panama canal lock system over 22 days in 2017
Figure 21. Godwin CD400M with electric motor rather
than diesel for long-term continuous applications

38. Processing Pump Selection
• The pump selected for moving water through and
out of the system is the Goulds 3196 i-FRAME.
• This pump is the ANSI standard in industry, has over
1,000,000 installations since its introduction, and
are widely available.
• Three of these pumps and electric motors will be
used in the designed system.
• These pumps are modular by design, and the
specific layout used to provide a stable 6000 gpm
flow rate will be the XLTi 8x10 – 16H configuration. Figure 22. Used Goulds 3196 i-FRAME atop
a pallet for scale

39. Goulds 3196 i-FRAME XLTi 8x10–16H
Figure 23. Technical drawing of 3196 i-FRAME from Goulds
catalog, the Suction inlet is 10 inches in diameter while the
Discharge port is 8 inches in diameter, giving the pump the
8x10 designation
Figure 24. Outline of modularity of XLTi
series of i-FRAME pumps, each portion
of the 8x10 - 16H is outlined
5.25 inch 27.87 inch
6.00 inch
19.00 inch
14.50 inch

40. Drip Chlorinator Selection: Chlorinator Stenner
45MHP10
• The chlorinator selected is
the Chlorinator Stenner
45MHP10
• Capable of pumping chlorine
solution into tank at 5
gallons per minute
• Pump is mounted above tank
Figure 25. Chlorinator Stenner
45MHP10

41. Tank Selection
• LTT10000104 – 10,000 Gallon
Above Ground Steel Water
Tank
• Two 10,000-gallon steel tanks
are required for the system
• One tank holds the water before
filtration
• The second tank holds the water
as it gets injected with chlorine
Figure 26. 10,000 gallon steel tank

42. Tank Selection
• A 100-gallon vertical plastic tank will be
used to store water that can be used to
pump into the filter backwash system
Figure 27. 100-gallon water tank

43. Chlorine Storage Tank
• Rotoplas 5000 Gallon
Vertical Industrial Storage
Tank
• A vertical plastic storage
tank will keep the chlorine
solution that will be used
for our drip chlorinator
Figure 28. 5000 gallon chemical
storage tank

44. Final Storage Tank
Figure 29. 100,000 Gallon Exterior Storage Tank
• Pioneer Water Tank:
Model XLE 50/03

45. Modeling
• Chlorine concentration was modeled using Stella Architect
• The overall system was constructed in SuperPro Process Designer
• The 3D design of our system was modeled using AutoCAD Civil 3D

46. Material and Methods: Initial Water Quality
• On September 23, 2021, water from Issaqueena Lake was tested to
obtain initial water quality information
Water Quality
Parameter
Materials Testing Method
Air Temperature • Thermometer • Placed thermometer in a shaded area
Water Temperature • Thermometer • Placed thermometer in water in a shaded area
pH
• Bromothymol blue pH indicator
• pH Octa-slide Bar 2
• pH Octa-slide Bar 2 viewer
• Collected water sample
• Added 8 drops of indicator into sample and inverted
• Placed tube in slide bar viewer and used slide bar to determine the value
Dissolved Oxygen
(amount of oxygen
present in a water
body)
• Manganous sulfate solution (1)
• Alkaline potassium iodide azide solution (2)
• Sulfuric acid 1:1 solution (3)
• Sodium thiosulfate 0.025N solution (4)
• Starch indicator solution (5)
• Collected water sample
• Added 8 drops of solutions 1 and 2 to the sample and inverted
• Allowed to settle
• Added 8 drops of solution 3 to the sample and inverted (oxygen is now fixed)
• Titrated with solution 4 until sample goes from dark yellow to light yellow
• Added solution 5
• Titrated until sample goes from purple to clear
Conductivity
(ability of water to
pass an electrical
current)
• Conductivity meter
• Calibrated meter to 1413 µS/cm
• Inserted meter into water

47. Material and Methods: Initial Water Quality (Cont.)
Water Quality Parameter Materials Testing Method
Total Alkalinity
(ability of water to neutralize
acids)
• BCG-MR indicator tablet
• Alkalinity Titration Reagent B
• Titration
Turbidity (cloudiness of water) • Secchi disk • Lowered and raised the Secchi disk into the water and took measurements
Phosphate (can come from
surface runoff from man-made
sources)
• Test tube
• 1.0 mL pipet
• Plain pipet
• VM Phosphate Reagent
• Reducing Reagent (6405)
• Phosphate Octa-Slide Bar 2
• Phosphate Octa-Slide Bar 2 Viewer
• Filled test tube to the 5 mL line with water
• Used the pipette to add 1.0 mL of Phosphate Reagent to the tube
• The tube was capped and mixed several times, and we waited for 5 minutes
• The plain pipet was used to add 3 drops of Reducing Reagent
• The tube was capped and mixed (color developed)
• Placed tube in slide bar viewer and used slide bar to determine the value
Nitrate-Nitrogen (can come from
improper well construction)
• Sample bottle
• Test tube
• Mixed Acid Reagent (V-6278)
• 0.1g spoon (0699)
• Nitrate Reducing Reagent (V-6279)
• Nitrate-Nitrogen Octa-Slide Bar 2
• Nitrate-Nitrogen Octa-Slide Bar 2 Viewer
• Filled sample bottle with water
• Filled test tube to the 2.5 mL line with water from the sample bottle
• Diluted water to the 5 mL line with Mixed Acid Reagent
• The tube was capped and mixed, and we waited for 2 minutes
• The 0.1g spoon was used to add one level measure of Nitrate Reducing
Reagent
• The tube was sapped and inverted 60 times in one minute, and we waited
for 10 minutes
• Placed tube in slide bar viewer and used slide bar to determine the value
E. coli
• Whirlpaks
• Petrifilm plates
• Incubator
• Collected water samples in Whirlpaks,
• Plated the samples on Petrifilm plates
• Incubated for 24 hours ± 1 hour at 35 °C ± 1°C

48. Top left: Figure 30. Michael testing for phosphate
Right: Figure 31. Team performing the dissolved oxygen test
Middle: Figure 32. Alexis performing the turbidity test
Bottom Left: Figure 33. Lake Issaqueena viewed from Testing Location

49. Results

50. Results: Initial Water Quality (Cont.)
Water Quality
Parameter
Trial 1 Results Trial 2 Results Trial 3 Results Average
Air Temperature 23 °C
Water Temperature 25 °C
pH 6.8 6.8 6.8
Dissolved Oxygen 6.0 mg/L 5.8 mg/L 5.9 mg/L
Conductivity 38 µS/cm
Total Alkalinity 28 ppm 26 ppm 27 ppm
Phosphate 0.5 ppm 0.5 ppm 0.5 ppm
Nitrate-Nitrogen 0.25 ppm 0.25 ppm 0.25 ppm
Turbidity
Down: 4.5 ft
Up: 4.6 ft
Down: 4.5 ft
Up: 4.5 ft
Down: 4.5 ft
Up: 4.55 ft
E. coli 1 CFU/100 mL 1 CFU/100 mL 1 CFU/100 mL 1 CFU/100 mL

51. Results: Initial Concentration of Algae
• Average SDV down: 4.5 ft, average SDV up: 4.55 ft
• Average SDV: 4.525 ft = 1.38 m
• Total Suspended Solids calculation
• TSS = e(SDV-0.9266)/0.169 = 14.56 mg/L

53. 3D Modeling
Figure 34. Overall AutoCAD 3D Model

54. Figure 35. 3D Model of Intake with Grate

55. Figure 36. 3D Model of Sheltered Portion

56. Figure 37. 3D Model of Final Holding Tank

57. Figure 38. 3D Model of Final Holding Tank

58. Modeling: Chlorine concentration in tank
Figure 40. Stella Architect model of the
concentration of chlorine in the
Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor
(CSTR) chlorinator tank
Figure 41. Length of time for 5 ppm
hypochlorite concentration to be
obtained from start

59. Modeling: Chlorine concentration in pipes
Kb = 0.029 1/hr
Figure 42. Stella Architect model of the
concentration of chlorine in the pipes
after treatment
Figure 43. Length of time for before
chlorine concentration drops below
4 ppm

60. Modeling: E. coli death in batch
Hypochlorite concentration= 10 mg/L
k=2.73 1/min (extrapolated from literature)
Initial E. coli concentration = 10 CFU/100 mL
Figure 44. Stella Architect model of E. coli used for theory Figure 45. E. coli response to hypochlorite

61. Modeling: E. coli death in system
Figure 46. Stella Architect model of E. coli concentration in
drip chlorinator
• Modeled as a CSTR
• Hypothetical scenario:
• Storm event causes
concentration to rise to 10
CFU/100 mL
• Time zero is the time that
"normal" influent flow is
resumed (5 CFU/100 mL)

62. Modeling: E. coli death in system
Figure 47. E. coli response in the system
to hypochlorite
• Hydraulic retention time
impacts steady state
concentration
• Slower flow rate could
lead to lower steady
state concentrations
• Chlorine will continue to
disinfect water

63. Modeling: E. coli death for a variety of pH's
Figure 48. E. coli response to
hypochlorite at pH of 5.6
Figure 49. E. coli response to
hypochlorite at pH of 7.1
Figure 50. E. coli response to
hypochlorite at pH of 8.2

64. Modeling: E. coli death for a variety of
influent concentrations
1 CFU/100 mL 5 CFU/100 mL
CFU/100 mL
Figure 51. E. coli responses to hypochlorite for
influent E. coli concentration of 1 CFU/100 mL
Figure 52. E. coli responses to hypochlorite for
influent E. coli concentration of 5 CFU/100 mL

65. Modeling: E. coli death for a variety of
influent concentrations
10 CFU/100 mL
Figure 53. E. coli responses to hypochlorite for influent E.
coli concentrations 10 CFU/100 mL
50 CFU/100 mL
Figure 54. E. coli responses to hypochlorite for influent
E. coli concentrations 50 CFU/100 mL

66. Modeling: Summary of a variety of influent
concentrations
Figure 55. Steady state E. coli concentration vs.
influent E. coli concentration

67. Modeling: Algae death
Figure 56. Stella Architect
model of live and dead algae
in the system.
• This model mainly shows the
concentration of live cells in the
system and dead cells
accumulating in the storage tank
• It is helpful to understand the
volume of algae that will
accumulate for maintenance
purposes
• Another method for
maintenance would be stirring
equipment

68. Modeling: Algae death
Figure 57. Accumulation of dead algae cells
in the system.
Figure 58. Concentration of living algae
cells in the system.

69. Modeling: Algae death for a variety of influent
concentrations
5 mg/L algae influent 14.56 mg/L algae influent 40 mg/L algae influent
Figure 59. The concentration of
cells at the bottom of the tank over
time for an influent concentration of
5 mg/L
Figure 60. The concentration of
cells at the bottom of the tank over
time for an influent concentration of
14.56 mg/L
Figure 61. The concentration of
cells at the bottom of the tank over
time for an influent concentration of
40 mg/L
25 gallons 25 gallons
25 gallons

70. Modeling: Algae death for a variety of influent
concentrations
Figure 62. Operation period (in between cleanings) versus influent
algae concentration.

71. Water use
• 10.2 inches over 8 months = 2.33 gpm/ac
• Assuming farms irrigate consistently for 8 hours a day during the time of
least evaporation
• 6000 gpm allows irrigation of 2,575 acres at one time during
growing months of March through October

72. Maintenance Plan
• Settling Tank
• Cleaning out algae precipitate from bottom of
tank through maintenance tube
• Flush out with pressurized water
• Frequency:
• Chlorine Dripper
• Refilling Chlorine tank with hypochlorite bleach
• Frequency:
Figure 63. Settling Tank Outlet Tube

73. Maintenance Plan
• Inlet Grate
• Remove large debris that has accumulated outside grate
• Clean out intake pipe if obstructed by accumulated debris with underwater
vacuum
• Repair pipes and tanks when necessary
• Storage Tank
• Frequency: approximately every 70 days

74. Recommendations

75. Acknowledgements
• Dr. Christophe Darnault
• Project Manager for BE 4750 Capstone Design, Clemson University
• Dr. Alex Franchi
• Project Correspondent with AECOM in California
• Dr. William Martin
• Clemson RiSE faculty and Adopt-a-Stream advisor
• Clemson University Biosystems Engineering faculty

76. Thank You