REVITALIZATION OF THE LAMELAR SYSTEM OF THE MORRO DO GAIA COMPLEX (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Decantation constitutes a fundamental step in the water treatment process, being responsible for the retention/removal of larger solid particles. To do this, the water finds lamellar profiles as a physical barrier, which prevent the free flow of particles and make access to the clear liquid zone on the surface difficult. It is noted, therefore, that the absence of inadequate lamellas and/or profiles reduces the performance of the decanters. From this perspective, the detachment of lamellar blocks was seen at the Morro do Gaia Complex Treatment Station, negatively impacting the decantation rate, increasing the frequency of maintenance, and system shutdowns. Therefore, the objective of this work is to describe the operational systemic process that was applied in the revitalization of this lamellar system. To this end, the methodology for applying and reusing the lamellas was planned. using the PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act) as a tool, proving to be an essential tool for quality management and continuous process improvement, and applicable for this purpose. Based on this analysis, the profiles that would be reused and those that would be replaced were classified, destined for companies that use thermoplastic as a raw material in their production processes, constituting a circular economy. Furthermore, to ensure that the profiles would be stable, the use of steel cables and riveting of the lamellar blocks was established, guaranteeing the fixation and structural support of the lamellar blocks. This way, the efficiency of the lamellar system was ensured, resulting in high-performance decanters and significantly increasing the useful life of the lamellar system. Thus, floc drag was reduced, increasing the amount of incoming liquid flow, as well as obtaining low turbidity analyses.