Gimmicks and Gadgets

Modified Eductor, Shovel Get Mudballs Out

Raymond R. Daddario
Assistant Water Quality Superintendent
Helix Water District
La Mesa, Calif.
If the filter beds at your treatment plant are plagued with
mudballs and other heavy debris, an eductor and special
shovel can help you keep them clean.
Using a modified eductor and a lightweight aluminum
shovel works well to clean our plants six dual media filters,
which are topped off with 13 in. (350 mm) of anthracite coal.
Eductor
The modified eductor is used to remove the fine, heavy floe
that remain on the filter surface even after backwashing. It
can also remove some mudballs. The eductor works like a
vacuum cleaner.
The eductor is made of PVC pipes and couplings, a long
hose, and a connector that is in itself made of a number of tees,
adapters, pipes, bushings, and nipples. The connector is
hooked to a water source, such as a fire hose. See Figure 1 for
construction details.
As water rushes through the T-shaped connector, suction is
created to pull the floe from the filter bed. Even small mud-
balls can be removed with the eductor. The goal is to remove
as much floe and debris as possible to avoid compounding the
mudball problem.
Shovel
Next, a shovel is used to remove larger material within the
top layer of anthracite coal.
This shovel is made of aluminum and has a perforated
scoop. The holes in the scoop let the coal fall back through, but
larger materials are held on the scoop. A long handle
eliminates unnecessary bending. See Figure 2 for construction
details.
The modified eductor and shovel cost about $300 to build,
including time spent. (See Figure 3 for a parts list.) Although
they can be time consuming to use, the end result is that
filters run more efficiently. We use the eductor several times a
year on a routine schedule.
NOTE: A backflow-prevention device should be installed
upstream of the point where the 1-in. (25-mm) hose enters the
main line. *
45deg PVC 3/4 El
Mud Material
Suction
1 1 /2"to 1 "
Bell Reducer 1 " Brass
Nipple
Fire Hose
Clamp
Nipple ^
1 1 /2" Brass
Nipple
1 1 /2"
Brass Tee
2" PVC Pipe
2" Slip to Pipe Adapter
2" to t 1 /2" Brass
Bushing
Figure 1 Construction details for eductor.
Qty. Size and Material Price
1 V-in. x 1 -in. (40-mm x 25-mm) brass bell
reducer $4.60
1 -in. (25-mm) brass ball valve 6.00
1 -in. x 21 /2-in. (25-mm x 60-mm) brass nipple 6.00
1 M>-in. x 1 -in. (40-mm x 25-mm) brass bushing 5.50
1 1 /2-in. (40-mm) brass tee 3.58
1 1 /2-in. x 6-in. (40-mm x 1 50-mm) brass nipple 4.54
2-in. (50-mm) brass coupling 5.00
2-in. (50-mm) x close brass nipple 2.80
2 in. x 1 2-in. (50-mm x 305-mm) PVC pipe 1 .20
2-in. (50-mm) PVC pipe tee 2.00
2-in. (50-mm) PVC slip x MIP adapter 1 .50
1 -in. x 3-in. (25-mm x 75-mm) PVC nipple 1 .00
1 -in. (25-mm) 45 Ell (threaded) PVC 3.00
3/t-in. (20-mm) 45 Ell (slip) 2.00
1 -in. (25-mm) hose clamps 1 .1 2
1 -in. MIP x hose adapter .85
Custom aluminum shovel 90.00
Total $140.69
Figure 3 Parts list for eductor and shovel.
Figure 2
Construction
details for
shovel.
Constructed 1 1 /4"
of
Aluminum
/ -,,. .
w
1 1 /4"
Tubing -V \
3"O
Tubing 1 0-Gauge
/ Aluminum
_, *
5=gG=^
81
^ _2tco2oS:
U 1 61 /2" H
i
1 5 1 /2"
i
June 1990