UMPS Successfully Completes Hydraulically Dredged Sediment Dewatering for Philadelphia Water Works Schuylkill River Boathouse Row Channel
Project Type
Project Description
In the shadow of the Rocky statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Underwater Mineral Processing Services (UMPS), an operational division of Underwater Construction Corporation (UCC), was contracted under a Philadelphia Water Works Park Amenities & Island Enhancement Project to process 2,000 gallons per minute (gpm) of hydraulically dredged sediment from the interconnecting channel of historic Boathouse Row to the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, PA.
Pre-dredge condition of Boathouse Row connecting channel to Schuylkill River. Photo J. Meagher – UMPS
Ellicott Mud Cat Dredge Material Discharge. Photo J. Meagher- UMPS
The challenge was the installation of the dewatering equipment in an area only 60 feet by 60 feet. But just like Rocky – UMPS prevailed!
An eight-inch diameter Ellicott Mud Cat™ cutterhead dredge conveyed high content mud, debris and sediment to a primary vibratory scalping screen for separation of all material over two inches. The two-inch by zero fraction is directed to a 36-inch diameter dewatering screw auger washer that liberated fine sediment fractions, which were directed to a 1,500-gpm cluster of 16 – four-inch diameter hydrocyclones.
The underflow reported to a high frequency vibratory dewatering screen cutting at 45 microns. The screw auger washer discharged two-inch by three-eighths of an inch fractions as a stackable material for subsequent slack-drying and load-out for off-site transportation and disposal.
The 45-micron by zero dredge water was processed through a UMPS SmartFeed™ unit that continuously monitored flow rate and solids content.
UMPS 2,000 GPM High-Rate Clarifier/Paste Thickener & SmartFeed™ Computer Controlled Polymer Addition System. Photo: J. Meagher – UMPS
Pre-mobilization bench-scale testing upon representative samples focused upon extensive jar-testing for the identification and optimization of coagulant and polymer chemistries for enhanced fine solids sedimentation and separation. With the UMPS’ SmartFeed™ continuously monitoring the incoming dredge slurry flowrate and percent solids concentration, the identified chemicals were automatically injected inline and mixed before being delivered to the UMPS 2,000 GPM High-Rate Clarifier/Paste Thickener.
The UMPS’ SmartFeed™ chemical additions were updated every seven seconds in response to variations in flowrate and solids concentrations.
A positive displace pump conveyed approximately 38 percent solids underflow from the UMPS High-Rate Clarifier/Paste Thickener to a Decanting Centrifuge that also produced a stackable material for subsequent slack-drying and load-out for off-site transportation and disposal.
Decanting Centrifuge Dewatering Clarifier Underflow to Stackable Product for Off-site Transportation & Disposal. Photo: J. Meagher – UMPS
Decanting Centrifuge Dewatering Clarifier Underflow to Stackable Product for Off-site Transportation & Disposal. Photo: J. Meagher – UMPS
A total of 1,500 cubic yards of sediment was successfully dredged, dewatered and transported off site for disposal with the Boathouse Row water channel flow to the Schuylkill River being fully restored.
Post-dredge condition of Boathouse Row connecting channel to Schuylkill River. Photo J. Meagher – UMPS
As the largest inland commercial diving services company in the United States, UCC and UMPS have a staff of over 200 divers, supervisors and project managers operating from multiple regional locations in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas Wisconsin, and the United Kingdom. Through our global network of offices and associates, UCC has performed projects in over 25 countries.
Contact Jim Meagher at 207.741.2955 or [email protected] for bench-scale testing and provision of turnkey hydraulically dredged material dewatering from your waterway areas, pits, ponds and lagoons.