Taming the Wild West: Implementation of the UVDGM for the Validation of Wastewater Low-Dose Applications

Design of UV systems for wastewater disinfection applications is still very much the “wild west” as manufacturers are using several different techniques for the sizing and operation of UV systems, ranging from theoretical-based mathematics to biodosimetry based validation in accordance with standardized and non-standardized protocols. As a result, comparing UV system designs proposed by various manufacturers is not an easy task and can be host to a high level of uncertainty since engineers evaluating such designs are not typically comparing apples to apples. ITT Wedeco and Black & Veatch conducted a dual-challenge microorganism validation of the Wedeco TAK55 HP UV disinfection system using a modified validation protocol based on the USEPA's UV Disinfection Guidance Manual. The resulting performance models allow for UV system design and operation based on site-specific UV dose-response characteristics, providing a robust and reliable design while optimizing UV system control and maximizing potential power savings.