Rotating biological contactors (RBCs) play a vital part in the wastewater treatment process in British utility company Severn Trent Water's remote locations. This case study involves pilot measurements with handheld instrumentation on the main RBC bearings at some of the company's facilities.

To stay on top of the mechanical reliability of this critical application, Severn Trent Water needed a reliable monitoring solution and decided to try HD technology after earlier trials with other methods had been unsuccessful.

Over the course of the six-month trial with monthly SPM HD measurement, the two bearing damages in this case study were detected; one cracked outer race and one case of poor installation – both confirmed upon replacement.