BREW GARAGE - SETTLING TANK!
For the last couple weeks, the Plumbers at The Plumbing & Electrical Co. had the big task of putting in a concrete settling tank for Brew Garage. Similar to a grease trap, it is an underground tank that manages waste separation within water that comes through a pipe system. A concrete settling tank slows down the water flow to allow heavy solids to sink to the bottom of the system. Because a brewery will use ingredients like grains, yeast and hops, these elements can create quite large chunks of unwanted waste that could affect your drainage system. Fortunately with a settling tank, these elements are then slowed into a bottom layer of sludge, without affecting your drainage system. This protects the heavy brewing solids from further fermenting within the system. This will then prevent foul odours and then protect against the system from being overwhelmed.
When arriving to site, the Plumbers began to dig a deep hole, expanding into a trench. This was so that the settling tank could be placed into a prepared hole effectively and the drain lines would work efficiently without any interruptions. Once dug, the boys inspected the system and made sure that the ability to connect the system to the settling tank is prepared correctly, levelled and placed in a practical position with firm connection to the pipe system. To install a channel drain that is heat resistant with a stainless steel grate, they then dug beyond the hole, creating a large trench around to the building's extended system. The boys put rio bars in to make sure when they took the drain out, it would be the exactly the same in terms of consistency. They then cemented underneath the drain and installed a grate that then helped cement the rest of the trench. They also then filled joins with the epoxy that was supplied with grate. Once the tank arrived, the boys did all the pipe connections and then a big effort of back filling. Sand and shovel wet and dry. Once filling the hole, the boys wet the sand and smoothened it out so it can be made ready for concreting.
This was a fun job, with a lot of physical labour, practical approaches and an execution that will now ensure that Brew Garage can continue to brew without any plumbing issues or damaged tanks.
