Engineering would be much easier if the water would always arrive at the same rate.
It doesn’t.
The amount of wastewater that goes into a water system may fluctuate throughout the day. Commercial and industrial facilities might encounter peak operating times. Stormwater flow can be affected by weather conditions. Demand for clean water can also change according to the type of application.
So, designing pumps isn’t just a matter of identifying one flow amount and then selecting the equipment to meet it. Engineers should be aware of possible conditions in which the equipment will be used.
Image credit: romtecutilities.com
Think beyond capacity as well as operating conditions
It is obvious that maximum flow is an essential element, but it only represents an aspect of the operation of a station. Imagine a wastewater system has been designed to accommodate a high flow. In most cases the flow of incoming water can be less. In these instances it is necessary for the station to be operating properly.
This brings up questions about wet-well size, pump operation, control conditions, head, and how the equipment will respond to changes in demand.
A properly engineered package pumping system brings these considerations together around the actual requirements of the site instead of treating maximum pump capacity as the entire design objective.
The daily rhythm of wastewater
In the life-cycle of a wastewater lift station influent conditions may alter.
The station’s control plan will decide how the station manages the collection of wastewater and its pumps. This requires the structural dimensions as well as pumping gear, valves and piping as well electrical components.
Other considerations specific to the site could influence the design. Romtec Utilities can incorporate auxiliary systems such as grinder vaults or odor-control equipment depending on the requirements of the application. This results in a station built around the needs of the project, rather than a generic setup used for every wastewater facility.
Stormwater can change much faster
Stormwater is a different operating situation. A stormwater-related lift station might have a low level of activity during dry conditions and then face significantly higher inflows during a weather-related event. The station could be a part of a comprehensive flood-control plan or as a detention, treatment or drainage plan.
Romtec Utilities evaluates factors including flow rates that are required along with head conditions, system size as well as site requirements and environmental aspects when developing these systems.
A station used for commercial development may therefore look very different from one designed for municipal stormwater applications.
The Head Conditions are important. Together with Flow
Engineers must also know what direction the water is going and what obstacles they have to overcome. Engineers need to know the direction that water will flow and the amount of resistance it is likely to encounter.
Elevation changes, piping configuration as well as discharge conditions and many other characteristics of the system influence the head conditions in which pumps operate.
This relation between head and flow is yet another reason why selecting the right pump solely on its rating is not enough. The technology of the pump and station’s configuration should be aligned to the conditions of hydraulics throughout the application.
Plan for the Conditions that the Station Will Experiece
Romtec Utilities creates customized pumping system for wastewater, stormwater and clean water systems. They also design systems designed for industrial, booster and other applications. The process involves preliminary design, budgeting, plan sets systems, supplies for the system, documentation, testing and startup.
The principle behind the system is as simple as this Pumping systems don’t require a long time to work in a set of favourable conditions.
They face changing flows, changing demand and particular hydro requirements of the project. The station that is successful must be engineered for that reality.