Projects

Static Kaldnes K1 chamber - Andy

The K1 chamber in normal operation

Andy of Bedford has converted his 24 inch diameter vortex chamber to use static Kaldnes K1.

This photo shows the unit in normal operation.
The unit works a treat and I could tell you which way up a 10p coin was at 5.5 feet deep.
   
The tool for stopping any backflow
 This photo shows the agitation of the media at the start of the cleaning process.
Cleaning it is simple, just a matter of turning off the main pump and isolating the vortex on the inlet side, inserting the tool to stop any backflow from the bio stage then lowering the level in the vortex to stop it "bubbling" over the unit. I then divert air from the bio stage to the air ring under the static kaldnes and it "bubbles". I leave this for approx 2 mins and then start to empty the vortex whilst still bubbling.
A couple of purges of the bottom drain via the vortex bypass valve and then refill the vortex after turning the air back to the bio stage.
Remove the pipe from the center outlet of the vortex and its back running again.
   
The tool for shutting off the water The tool in this photo is to shut off the outlet pipe to the bio stages which you can see in the bottom two photos to the right. This tool means that I don't loose any level in the Bio stage.
   
Details of the centre pipe
View of the inlet pipe
The photo on the left show the centre pipe, and on the right you can see the base of the unit and the inlet pipe.
   
The unit being refilled.
 Here we can see the unit being refilled after cleaning.
As the unit sits on the outlet pipe to the right it would fall over if it wasn't for the filter grid at the top. this is just cut to a circular (nearly) shape and held in tight on its own.
The tool has a toilet outlet rubber connecter on it to make the seal.

It is cleaned once a week.
 
Andy has used painted steel sheet in this prototype, but now he has made another one using stainless steel and you can see it here.
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