On paper, a pumping plan might seem straightforward: water must be pumped from one area to another. In practice the distance between these two points can involve shifting flow rates, elevation variations, solids, pressure requirements storage capacity, control electrical equipment, maintenance access, and restrictions on the site.
Romtec Utilities begins the design of the pumping station with defining the operating conditions instead of choosing the equipment from an inventory. Initial designs and budgetary details can be designed based on what the needs of the project.
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Start by asking a simple question: What are we moving?
The solution immediately alters the technology.
The flow of wastewater in the domestic system is subject to substantial fluctuations in the course of a day. The wastewater lift station will be required in the event that gravity conveyance fails or is not working. Engineers must be aware of the following aspects: expected flow, peak condition, pumping capability, wet well behavior, discharge requirements and how equipment is operated and maintained.
The water challenges faced by industrial facilities are various. Processing or manufacturing facilities may require moving oily, caustic, high-temperature or high-pressure fluids. Romtec Utilities designs industrial systems for applications that range from food processing and power generation to data centers pharmaceutical waste, oil and gas plants.
Rainfall is a completely different operating process
Stormwater systems are usually inactive for prolonged periods of time and then suddenly confront massive volumes during a storm.
A stormwater liftstation that is connected to an detention basin must in particular, function as part of the larger drainage plan of the area. Runoff enters the basin, temporary storage controls the volume immediately, and a pumping system moves the water that is collected to an approved discharge point.
Romtec Utilities provided this solution to develop a Norco business park in California. A pumping system was needed to drain the detention basin and then discharge it into the stormwater network. The station therefore had to be constructed as part of the development’s drainage infrastructure, rather than being treated as a stand-alone 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.
Packaging is a method to integrate the main components into a project-specific system. Controls, pumps and meters and structures and other equipment can be selected in accordance with the requirements of the project.
That approach becomes especially useful in situations where a new system has to connect to existing infrastructure. Industrial plants and existing municipal facilities may not have a lot of area for installation or in good condition. There may be a need to adjust equipment around existing structures, pipes or electrical systems as well as schedules.
The Real Costs of Capacity Planning
The cost of undersizing rises as the size of the facility increases.
In Portland International Airport, Romtec Utilities developed and built an sewer interceptor lift station to support the PDX Next expansion. The new station was required been designed to have twice the capacity for peak flow when the airport was expanded.
This illustrates an important principle of engineering: the designs should not simply represent what an installation does during an average afternoon. Engineers must be aware of what happens during peak demand.
The job isn’t finished until the Equipment Arrives
Drawings and calculations may eventually evolve into an operating system. Coordination of installation, starting testing documentation, and user comprehension all play a role in long-term performance.
What happens after the construction of a pumping system defines its performance. When flows increase or a storm of major magnitude arrives or equipment needs maintenance, the decisions made during the initial design process become evident.
Romtec Utilities combines these decisions into a solution for pumping specifically tailored to the project. This allows us to transform each piece of equipment into an infrastructure designed to withstand the challenges they face.