Streaming Current Detectors

The majority of water and wastewater treatment plants still rely on jar testing to determine coagulant dose rates. Jar tests are slow (30–60 minutes per test), labor-intensive, and represent conditions at a single moment — not the continuous, real-time reality of a dynamic treatment process. During storm events, seasonal turnover, or industrial discharge spikes, raw water quality can change faster than jar tests can keep up — leading to overdosing, underdosing, and effluent exceedances.

The Milton Roy SCD provides a continuous charge measurement that tracks raw water variability in real time. When connected to a Milton Roy metering pump via the 4–20 mA output, the system forms a closed-loop control circuit that automatically adjusts coagulant dose rate — eliminating the need for manual jar testing and ensuring optimal treatment performance 24/7.

Surface water sources are subject to rapid turbidity and color fluctuations caused by rainfall, snowmelt, algae blooms, and seasonal turnover. The SCD continuously monitors the charge of incoming particles and adjusts coagulant (alum, ferric chloride, PAC) dosing in real time. Some jurisdictions — including certain U.S. states — now recommend or require SCDs for automated coagulant control in surface water treatment plants.

Groundwater sources often contain dissolved iron and manganese that must be oxidized and removed by coagulation/filtration. The SCD optimizes oxidant and coagulant dosing to ensure consistent removal while minimizing chemical use.

Chemical phosphorus removal using ferric or alum salts is a standard tertiary treatment process. The SCD monitors the residual charge after chemical addition, enabling precise dose control that meets stringent phosphorus discharge limits while avoiding costly overdosing.

Industrial facilities (food & beverage, pulp & paper, mining, pharmaceuticals) generate highly variable effluent streams. The SCD provides real-time charge monitoring to optimize coagulant and flocculant dosing, ensuring consistent effluent quality and regulatory compliance despite fluctuating influent conditions.

Polymer conditioning is essential for effective sludge dewatering. Overdosing polymer wastes money and can actually reduce dewatering performance. The SCD measures the charge of conditioned sludge in real time, enabling automated polymer dose control that maximizes cake dryness while minimizing polymer consumption.