Analysers help improve Chinese water quality

Water quality monitoring equipment manufactured at ABB's Stonehouse factory is being used to help meet China's ambitious plans for improving the quality of its rivers and water supply networks.

Water quality monitoring equipment manufactured at ABB's Stonehouse factory is being used to help meet China's ambitious plans for improving the quality of its rivers and water supply networks.

Supplied as part of a massive programme of investment by the Chinese government, the ABB AnalyzeIT equipment is being used in 15 provinces throughout China.

Water pollution poses a major problem in China, with all seven of the country's rivers and several major lakes being contaminated with sewage and toxic chemicals from industry and agriculture.

The southern and eastern provinces of the country also suffer from problems caused by acid rain, which falls over 90% of cities in those regions.

ABB has so far supplied 21 AnalyzeIT five-parameter water quality monitor package Model 7976 systems for use in projects in various provinces throughout China.

These systems comprise sensors and transmitters for measurement of pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity, and temperature, which together enable comprehensive continuous online condition monitoring of surface waters, reservoirs and intake protection sites.

A user-programmable automatic biocide cleaning facility is also built into the Model 7976 to eliminate the build up of algae and ensure continued effectiveness.

One of the Model 7976 systems has been supplied as part of a massive multipurpose project for flood control, industrial and municipal water supply and hydroelectric power at Xiaolangdi in the Henan province.

The US $4.2 billion project will see the construction of China's second largest dam after the Three Gorges Dam, which will be used to generate 1800MW of electricity for the Henan province.

ABB has also supplied AnalyzeIT ammonia monitors Model 8232 for use in 20 projects, including three schemes in the Anhui province, which plans to spend US $1.55 billion before 2005 on combating water pollution.

The Model 8232 uses a gas-sensing probe to measure the level of ammonia in water and is ideally suited to river monitoring, potable water intake protection and sewage outfall applications.

The monitor is used to identify overly high concentrations of ammonia in the river water, which if left untreated, can reduce the level of dissolved oxygen, adversely affecting aquatic life.

All the equipment supplied by ABB incorporates self-diagnostic and automated calibration functions, ensuring continued accuracy of the data collected.

This minimises the need for engineers to check the equipment, some of which will be located over three hours' drive from SEPA's control centre.

A telephone link also enables all data collected to be relayed remotely to the control centre, providing immediate access to water quality information.

Several of the systems supplied formed part of turnkey projects carried out by ABB China, which also included the supply of switchgear and distribution equipment and Scada network systems.

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