Pumping projects may seem simple on paper: water enters at one location and has to travel to another. In actuality, the distance between these two points may be affected by differences in elevation or the pressure and solids requirements as well as storage capacity, control, electrical equipment, site restrictions, and variations in the flow rate.
For Romtec Utilities to design a pump station starts with specifying the operational conditions instead of selecting the items from a standard catalog. Then, the initial designs and budgetary requirements can be developed based on what the requirements of the project are.
Image credit: romtecutilities.com
Ask yourself: Where are we going?
The engineering is changed immediately.
There can be significant fluctuations in the rate of flow of domestic sewage. The wastewater lift station will be required in the event that gravity conveyance fails or will not function. Engineers need to take into account the following: expected inflow as well as peak condition, pumping capacity, behavior of the wet well as well as the way in which equipment is maintained and operated.
Industrial water presents different challenges. The fluids utilized in a manufacturing or processing facility could require caustic or oily, or heated with high temperatures or pressure. Romtec Utilities creates industrial systems that are used in applications ranging from data centers to installations of oil and gas Food processing power generation, as well as pharmaceutical waste.
Rainfall creates a completely different operating environment
Stormwater systems may for long periods be inactive and unable to handle activity, but then they can face massive volumes during a storm.
A stormwater lift station associated with a basin for detention, for example, must work alongside the drainage plan. Runoff enters a basin. Temporary storage regulates the amount immediately. A pumping system then transfers the water into an approved outlet.
Romtec Utilities supplied this type of solution for a company park development located in Norco, California. A pumping system was required to empty the basin and discharge it into the stormwater network. The station was be constructed as part of the drainage infrastructure that is part of the development, and not as a separate piece of equipment.
“Package” Doesn’t need to mean Off-the-Shelf
A common misconception is that a package pumping system is simply a predetermined collection of components.
In the case of engineered infrastructure packaging may mean that the entire system of components are integrated into one system. Pumps, valves, meters, controls, communications, structural components, and other equipment can be selected around the requirements of the duty conditions.
This method is especially beneficial when a new system must connect to existing infrastructure. Industrial facilities and municipal facilities might not offer a large amount of space for installation or in good condition. Equipment may have to be placed around existing piping, structures electric systems, as well as operational plans.
Capacity Planning has real consequences
When facilities grow, undersizing is particularly expensive.
Romtec Utilities supplied a sewer lift station located at Portland International Airport for the PDX Next extension. The new station is designed to increase the capacity of peak flow of the existing system when airport facilities expand.
This illustration illustrates an important engineering concept: Design conditions must not be limited to the capacity of a facility. be able to handle during a typical afternoon. Engineers also have to be aware what happens during the times of peak demand.
The Job Isn’t Finished When the Equipment Arrives
At some point, drawings and calculations must become an operational system. Installation coordination, startup and testing, documentation and understanding are all vital to ensure long-term success.
A properly engineered pumping system is largely determined by what happens in the years following construction. The decisions taken during the initial design phase are evident when flows increase as major storms hit or when maintenance is needed.
Romtec Utilities integrates these choices into a pumping service which is unique to a specific project. This allows us to transform each piece of equipment into an infrastructure that is designed for the conditions they will face.