Heavy duty back raked screens for automatic weed removal

The control of infestations of Water Hyacinth, Alligator Weed and Giant Parramatta Weed had been an ongoing problem for Hunter Water at the intake to their Balickera Canal Pump Station. Continuous regulated treatment of the weeds with herbicides had been carried out, but removal of the weeds from the water flow posed a health and safety problem as the existing screens needed to be cleaned manually.

The EVA back raked screens proposed by EPCO Australia provide an effective and proven solution to this problem. The EVA back raked screens are especially suited to river water intakes where weeds, leaves, logs and branches need to be removed. They are specifically designed for heavy duty removal of weed, debris and sewage.

The operation of these screens is simple: back-racking tines plunge into the weed or debris mass at the base of the intake channel. They do not have to descend through the water as is the case with front-raked machines. All debris, rags or weeds are removed from the bar screen in the first raking motion. The tines move upwards from the base of the channel and automatically clean the entire bar screen in one ascending movement. From there the debris is discharged to a conveyor or bin.

The first of its kind in Australia, this installation comprises three 3.5 metre wide x 14 metre high screens and a screenings conveyor system.

The EVA back-racked screens are also suitable for seawater installations for power and desalination projects, for sewage treatment plant inlet works, storm over-flow sites, or for industrial complexes where effluents have to be treated prior to discharge.