Quiet bypass pump a fit for lift station repair in urban area

Problem

 During a lift station pump repair in Hollywood, Florida, all sewer lines had to keep flowing. The homes are tightly squeezed in the palm-dotted area, making the job difficult.

Solution

 The city deployed a 6-inch BA150KS sewer bypass pump from BBA Pumps. The centrifugal pump with screw channel impeller handles up to 4-inch solids. The sound-attenuated pump prevented neighborhood noise disturbance. The city bought the pump under a Florida Sheriffs Association contract. The flow is controlled with autofloats connected to the lift station.

Result:

 As the sewer level rises, the pump starts automatically and stops when the level is low. This saves fuel and reduces run hours and related maintenance. 843-849-3676; www.bbapumpsusa.com

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Valves withstand corrosive hydrogen sulfide in digester gas service

Problem

 A large wastewater treatment facility in the eastern U.S. installed a digester system that breaks down biosolids with steam and pressure. The challenge was to find valves able to withstand the caustic gases and chemicals generated by the process, especially hydrogen sulfide, which can attack iron and other metals.

Solution

 DeZURIK 3-Way Plug Valves were specified for their ability to control and divert corrosive gases. The valves with lift-turn-reseat chainwheel actuators and resilient-faced plugs provide dead-tight shutoff, even with dirty solids in the flow. The heavy-duty bearings resist corrosion, prevent binding and assure lasting, easy valve operation. Multiple V-ring packing provides a reliable seal that rarely needs adjustment or replacement.

Result:

 The valves provided trouble-free service. The treatment plant produces 10 MW of electricity from biogas, nearly a third of the plant’s demand. 320-259-2000; www.dezurik.com

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Peristaltic pumping system designed to regulate pH levels

Problem

 A water treatment plant in Phoenix needed multiple peristaltic pumps to deliver treatment chemicals and regulate pH. The plant intended to use sulfuric acid to counterbalance sodium hypochlorite for odor removal and disinfection and finally sodium hydroxide to raise the pH.

Solution

 Flowrox created custom-designed package systems. Two of them have a single suction equipped with a standby for when tubes need to be changed on one pump. Enclosed in an engineered skid system, they offer plug-and-play operation. Each package included a calibration column, two pressure relief valves, two pressure gauges with a diaphragm isolator, and two pulsation dampeners.

Result:

 pH analyzers tied into SCADA communicate to the three chemical feed skids. The SCADA sends signals to increase or decrease flow based on the current pH levels. The pumps’ output controls signal alarms back to the control room such as tube failure, start/stop status and signal failure. The plant can treat groundwater or rainwater. 410-636-2250; www.flowrox.com

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Delivering big bypass needs on a tight schedule

Problem

For decades, a Midwestern city with almost half a million residents had been experiencing sanitary sewage overflows after high precipitation events. They needed a solution that would allow them to bypass a relief sewer that picked up wastewater to avoid basement backups or sewer overflows.

Solution

Partnering with a major construction company, Franklin Electric designed and built four custom Pioneer Prime 18-inch sound attenuated diesel pump packages — each engineered to handle 10,800 gpm. With a sound attenuated enclosure rating of 69 dBA, the units operated quietly, assuring they would not disturb the residents whose homes were located within 10 feet of the pumps. In addition, Franklin Electric manufactured and delivered the packages in three months.

Result:

The pump packages operated as anticipated on the job site and provided a reliable bypass pumping solution that exceeded performance expectations. The skid design has also been especially beneficial to the construction crew in decreasing downtime for maintenance and inspection. 866-271-2859; www.franklinengineered.com

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Flowmeter app makes installation and troubleshooting easy for polymer feed line

Problem

 Superior Analytical Instruments was tasked with finding a flowmeter from a sand mine’s polymer feed line for dewatering sludge in West Texas. The flowmeter would be used to quantify the effectiveness of various polymers.

Solution

 The company selected the 2580 FlowtraMag magnetic flowmeter from GF Piping Systems. Jon Cleveland, SAI owner, had used GF products on other installations. During setup, irregular flows were observed on the flowmeter. The installation of the GF back pressure valve eliminated the irregular flows and enabled more precise dosing. The backpressure adjustment was optimized using real-time data observed on an app. “The key reason the 2580 was chosen was its compact size for fitting into tight spaces,” says Cleveland. “Other factors included simple installation and setup, price, and the easy-to-use app.” The GF Configuration Tool Bluetooth app helps users configure and calibrate the flowmeter to the required parameters. Users can then monitor and adjust performance settings on their Android or iOS devices. 

Result:

 Using the app, Cleveland was able to remotely instruct field service technicians to install, commission, and verify calibration of the flowmeters. This gave the sand mine confidence in the measured flows. The app also enabled technicians to do troubleshooting and diagnostics. 800-854-4090; www.gfpiping.com

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Screw pumps show their strength over three decades

Problem

 In 1988 the Calhoun (Georgia) Wastewater Treatment Plant invested in two Lakeside Equipment 60-inch, 75 hp open screw pumps and two 72-inch, 50 hp screw pumps. Due to population growth, the plant needed more treatment capacity.

Solution

 Original concrete construction left an empty space for a third pump in each capacity. This space was filled in 2012 by a new 60-inch, 75 hp Lakeside screw pump. A year later one of the original 60-inch pumps was replaced; the other 60-inch pump was replaced the following year.

Result:

 John Banks, plant manager, observed, “The pumps were only beginning to wear out, but they were certainly not on their last legs. The original 60-inch pumps far exceeded their life expectancy and required very little maintenance. Once per week we check oil levels and our operators also monitor the grease levels on the bottom bearing. All very simple, and with Lakeside’s stainless steel tubing, we don’t have to worry about corrosion. These routine checks have seen our screw pumps work very reliably for 25 years plus.” 630-837-5640; www.lakeside-equipment.com

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Piston pumps used to pump dewatered cake

Problem

 Citizens Energy Group operates the Belmont Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant for Indianapolis; it treats a peak flow of over 300 mgd. Biosolids are dewatered by centrifuges to up to 30% solids and pumped to incineration. The existing Schwing Bioset piston pumps had been in service for more than 15 years and were approaching the end of their service life.

Solution

 Citizens Energy chose Schwing Bioset piston pumps as still the best technology to meet challenging pressure and flow requirements while keeping maintenance costs down.

Result:

 The new model KSP45 pumps transport cake at up to 30% solids to the incinerator feed ports. With increased automation and improved flow control, the new pumps reduce the need for staff attention. 715-247-3433; www.schwingbioset.com