Waste Management
Measurement Engineering Australia can supply systems to monitor landfill sites and waste management facilities.
MEA's systems can be configured to meet the needs of both the plant operator and the regulatory bodies overseeing the plant. For example, sensors to monitor the performance of the recycling process can be combined with sensors to monitor secondary factors such as ground water levels and leeching to ensure a facility is operating in accordance with its license conditions.
EXAMPLES OF SOME MEA SYSTEMS
Leachate Monitoring
At landfill sites, operators must avoid movement of contaminated water through the site into the ground water. MEA can supply systems to measure levels both above and in the water table.
The Aquaflex Sensor, with its large sampling volume is well suited to ground water studies. If buried on site before fill commences, its 3m length provides data which is far more representative of the site conditions than alternative sensors. The sensor can be combined with climate sensors to provide a comprehensive picture of the movement of water through the site profile after rain events.
The monitoring system can also be connected to a number of sensors installed in wet wells on the. These can monitor the water depth or a variety of water quality parameters (salinity, dissolved oxygen etc.). Sensors on a large site can be linked back to a central data logger using MEA Radio.
Winery Waste Water Monitoring
As license conditions for wineries becomes increasingly stringent, operators are having to develop methods of utilising the waste water produced in winery operations. The water may receive initial treatment in flocculation tanks before being passed through reed beds and on to a storage dam. The water is then used to irrigate crops such as Lucerne or wood lots - the aim being to use as much water as much water as the plants can sustain, without creating through drainage. MEA's GBLite sensors provide a direct indication of the soil water status, making it easy to avoid saturating the profile. If the data logger in the system is fitted with a relay output module, an output can be generated for an irrigation controller or pump control cabinet in order to maintain optimum soil moisture levels. The sensor life is dependent on the pH of the waste with most operators opting for a regular replacement cycle. Alternatively volumetric sensors such as the Theta Probe and Aquaflex can be installed.