Baffles
Product Overview
It can be challenging to comply with wastewater discharge permits due to growth, design changes, and regulatory fluctuations. Baffles optimize fluid movement, creating flow patterns that enhance contaminant separation and solid particle settling, leading to better treatment system performance. Customized flow patterns ensure that fluids travel a longer path through the system, improving separation and filtration processes for cleaner outputs with reduced environmental impact.
ACME baffles help to ensure that fluids are treated effectively by preventing short-circuiting or channeling and can be easily relocated as needed. The custom-manufactured floating baffle offers an easy, flexible, and economical way to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of lagoons in wastewater treatment plants. Our baffles are made from flexible reinforced fabrics and include flow-thru windows for flow control and enhanced efficiency. ACME Environmental’s Baffles are designed to provide proper compliance with the standards of the Federal Department of Transportation Our baffles are considered to be one of the most effective methods of compliance and we custom manufacture these according to all customer specifications.
Product Features & Materials
Custom baffles are our specialty, so if you have a specific design in mind that’s not covered in our literature, send us your sketches and specifications and we’ll provide you with a quote. These barriers are considered to be the most effective method of compliance and we custom manufacture these according to all customer specifications. Jaton-coated fabric makes up ACME Baffle systems. Our standard nylon-coated fabric is resistant to tears, punctures, or other damage and is available in standard orange or international yellow. For a baffle used in areas with excessive hydrocarbon or UV exposure, consider our Jaton Plus coated fabric that comes standard in orange and provides superior protection, helping extend the life of the oil containment boom by up to 50%.
Boom Fabric Information and Choices
Specifications:
- 22 oz and 24 oz / sq.yd PVC coated fabric
- Designed to maintain freeboard height based on the length of the skirt and the size and type of skirt ballast
- Customizable flow-thru windows
- 50 or 100-foot sections
- Galvanized or Stainless Steel ballast chain (Recommended: ¼” or ⅜”; Other sizes available)
- Lead bar ballast in place of the chain
- Grommets above chain pocket to assist with anchoring
- Tension cable for baffles exceeding 1000 feet
- 4″ to 12″ solid closed foam floats
- Flotation logs are individually sealed inside fabric at intervals of six feet
- 1 to 30-foot skirt depths
- Heavy duty 2″ wide, 6000# webbing stitched to an RF welded, folded-over end (four fabric layers)
- #4 Stainless steel grommets are added on 6″ centers along the entire depth of the skirt.
- Section ends are joined together with a 1/4″ thick neoprene gasket
- 1/4″ stainless steel end connectors secured with 3/8″ SS bolts and locknuts.
Application Areas for Floating Baffles
The adaptability of Baffles makes them effective in diverse settings, offering a flexible solution for water quality management. Whether safeguarding critical ecosystems or improving the cleanliness and safety of recreational and commercial water bodies, this product is essential for maintaining a healthy aquatic environment.
ACME baffles are designed to control the movement of liquids in different water treatment settings, such as cooling ponds, settling basins, and oxidation ponds. Floating baffles are commonly used in water treatment facilities to improve the efficiency of sedimentation processes by guiding water flow and extending retention time. By reducing particle settling, a baffle helps produce clearer water. By increasing water retention, baffles enable the treated water to stay in the system longer, resulting in cleaner and higher-quality water output. In treatment plants, direct water flow, known as “Short-Circuiting,” reduces the water’s retention duration, creating large dead spaces in the treatment process. This can affect sediment accumulation in the water treatment plant by causing a “false bottom” of sediment buildup, which workers need to remove. Preventing this buildup is crucial for efficient water treatment operations, as clearing this accumulation is time-consuming and costly.
Short-circuiting caused by a direct flow of water
There are many designs meant to create different water flow patterns that help reduce areas of dead space in water treatment plants. One example would be the Side-to-Side Diversion design using a system to change the path of water, making it travel a longer route. This longer travel time allows for thorough water treatment, resulting in better water quality. When looking from above, the water flow covers the entire area without leaving any dead space. This flow pattern ensures even settling of sediment and effectively prevents the formation of a “false bottom.”
Baffles with a Side-to-side diversion prevent short-circuiting
Installation and Deployment of Floating Baffles
ACME Environmental specializes in installing baffle systems at treatment plants to maintain water quality. First, we carefully assess the site to find the best spots for the baffles, considering water conditions, flow patterns, and specific goals like controlling algae growth and sedimentation. Once we determine the best placement, we construct the product with precision and securely anchor it to withstand different water currents and sediment levels. This thorough process ensures that the baffle effectively maintains water quality, showing ACME’s commitment to providing innovative and reliable environmental management solutions.
The position of the curtain is maintained by having constant tension throughout the ballast chain or cables to minimize arcing in the curtain caused by wind and current. When ensuring even distribution of tension throughout the curtain, end connectors play an important role. The connectors provide multiple points of attachment making sure tension forces are in the right places. It’s really important to install and use the floating baffles properly so they can do their best job at keeping the water clean and managing sediment accumulation.
Learn More About ACME Products
Visit Our Online Store
Additional Resources You May Be Interested in:
