Leachate treatment
The free oils contained in the leachate are separated by gravity into plastic settling tanks. After further chemical treatment, the leachate arrives at a stripper column. This is a slender, approximately 3 m (10 ft) high reactor into which air is pumped from below and leachate from above. To facilitate the reaction, the middle zone of the column is packed with carrier material. Here, nitrogen compounds are converted and carbon compounds degraded with the help of microorganisms. This pre-treated leachate is finally cleaned and filtered in additional physical stages and then separated as distillate. To ensure the optimal operating conditions inside the stripper column, an accurate level measurement in the bottom area of the column is necessary.
Level measurement in the stripper column with VEGAFLEX 63
Due to the influx of air, the surface of the medium is very agitated. Direct level measurement inside the column is impossible. A VEGAFLEX 63 with guided microwave in the bypass tube is used for this application. The bypass tube itself forms a coaxial system together with the probe rod. Reliable measurement is thus guaranteed also in case of welded seams, material deposits as well as overfilling up to the process fitting.