On paper, the idea of a pumping project might appear straightforward. Water is required to be pumped from one location to another. In reality there are a myriad of factors which can influence the distance between two locations, including elevation and flow rate, solids, pressure, storage capacity and maintenance access.
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For Romtec Utilities, designing a pump station begins by defining those operating conditions rather than selecting equipment from a standard catalog. The preliminary designs and budgetary data are then developed based on what the project actually requires.
Ask yourself: Where are we going?
The design is instantly changed.
The flow of domestic sewage is subject to significant variations throughout the day. When gravity conveyance fails or is insufficient or not sufficient, a wastewater lift facility is needed to move the wastewater. Engineers must therefore consider the expected flow, the conditions of peak the capacity of pumping, wet-well behaviour, discharge requirements as well as how the facility is operated and maintained.
Diverse challenges arise from industrial water. Fluids that are caustic or oily or have high temperatures or pressures may be required by a processing or manufacturing facility. Romtec Utilities designs systems for industrial applications, ranging from food processing and power generation to databases, pharmaceutical waste, petroleum and gas facilities.
Rainfall could create a completely different operating cycle
Stormwater systems might be able to endure long periods of a lack of activities, only to face huge quantities during a hurricane.
A stormwater liftstation connected to an existing detention basin should, for instance, work as part of the larger drainage plan for the site. The basin is filled with runoff temporary storage is responsible for the volume immediately and a pumping system then moves the water collected towards an approved discharge point.
Romtec Utilities supplied this type of solution for a business park in Norco, California. The project required a pumping system that would empty a reservoir into the public stormwater network. The station was intended to work as a component of the drainage system used by a developer, not as an isolated part of the equipment.
“Package” Doesn’t need to Be Off-the-Shelf
An erroneous belief is that a package pumping system is merely a predetermined set of components.
In the case of engineered infrastructure, packaging may also refer to coordinating the key components into one specific system for the project. Meters, pumps, valves and controls, communications structural components, and other equipment may be chosen based on the required duty conditions.
This method is especially beneficial in situations where a new system has to connect with existing infrastructure. Industrial plants and existing municipal facilities don’t always provide a lot of area for installation or clear conditions. There may be a need to alter equipment to accommodate existing structures, piping, electrical systems and schedules.
The Real Costs of Capacity Planning
Undersizing becomes particularly costly when facilities expand.
Romtec Utilities supplied a sewer lift station in Portland International Airport for the PDX Next extension. The station was designed to provide double the peak flow capacity of the existing station as the airport’s facilities increased.
This illustrates an important concept of engineering: design conditions should not only reflect what an installation handles during an average afternoon. Engineers must be aware of what happens when demand is high.
The job isn’t done until the Equipment arrives
At the point where drawings and calculations have to become an operational system. Coordination of installation and documentation are important to long-term success.
After a few years, the success of an engineered pumping system can be determined. The decisions made in the initial design are clear when the pump needs to be maintained, flows increase or storms strike.
Romtec Utilities incorporates these options into a pumping system which is unique to a specific project. This allows us to transform each piece of equipment into an infrastructure that is designed to withstand the challenges they have to face.