Aquajet, a global leader in Hydrodemolition machine manufacturing, maximizes efficiency in water treatment with the advanced RECO Control System.
The RECO Control System allows for fully automated, continuous monitoring of both pH and turbidity, increasing productivity and opening up opportunities for better workforce utilization due to minimal operator oversight. The RECO Control System also provides easily shareable water quality documentation, allowing contractors to demonstrate accountability for operating in increasingly regulated environments.
“Aquajet’s focus in evolving Hydrodemolition technology isn’t just about faster and more productive material removal,” said Roger Simonsson, Aquajet managing director. “We are striving to find ways to increase productivity while also protecting the environment. Water treatment is a key part of that. When we couldn’t find a fool-proof monitoring system existing on the market, we took it on ourselves to create one. The RECO system applies cutting-edge technology for continuous, worry-free water treatment. There’s no need for labor-intensive, protracted filtration systems, and no need to worry if Hydrodemolition wastewater meets levels for release into the sewer system. Everyone from the operator to the general contractor to the project investor and public can rest easy thanks to our innovative monitoring technology.”
The RECO is unique to Aquajet’s EcoClear and controls major functions of this innovative water treatment solution. The EcoClear is a compact, self-contained system capable of moving as much as 88 gpm, or about 5,283 gallons (20 cubic meters) per hour, through a series of treatment chambers that reduce pH from 13 to 7 and suspended solids from 15,000 to 20-40 mg particles/liter. The RECO Control System employs optical turbidity sensors and pH probes as water moves through the self-contained unit. It provides real-time data such as total suspended solids (TSS) values and overall flow through the machine. This information is easily viewed via the display screen on the EcoClear. Data can also be shared digitally with project stakeholders through the RECO system. Detailed daily reports offer insight into the cleanliness of the discharged water, including pH levels and the amount of water that was treated, providing proof of compliance to environmental regulations.
With the RECO system, contractors only need to set desired parameters for pH and ppm. After that, the system requires infrequent attention and occasional replacement of carbon dioxide, the agent used to reduce water pH. This frees up crew members to attend to other tasks around the jobsite, increasing productivity and streamlining labor. If water does not reach specified parameters during initial treatment, the RECO shuts down the EcoClear’s feed, preventing dirty water from escaping. The water then starts to recirculate within the unit until it meets the preset values. Contractors can continue working some distance from the machine, confident no dirty water will escape into the environment. Treated water can also be recirculated through a Power Pack or high-pressure pump system for reuse by the Hydrodemolition robot. Using this closed-loop setup, contractors can recycle up to 90% of the Hydrodemolition blast water for significant savings.
