Engineering would be much easier if the water would always arrive at the same time.

It isn’t.

The volume of wastewater that enters residential systems varies over the day. Commercial and industrial facilities may be experiencing operating peaks. Conditions for stormwater may drastically alter depending on the weather. The demand for clean water also fluctuates dependent on the use.

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As a result, designing a pump station isn’t simply a matter of identifying one flow number and selecting equipment capable of meeting it. Engineers must be aware of what kind of environment the system is likely to meet.

Be aware of the operating conditions and not only the maximum Capacity

It is obvious that maximum flow is an important factor however, it’s just one element of the functioning of an infrastructure. Imagine a wastewater system that was designed for a large peak flow. The majority of the time the flow inflow is less. When this happens it is necessary for the station to function properly.

This raises questions regarding wet-well size pumps, their operation and controls and head conditions as well as how the equipment will handle changes in demand.

A well-engineered package pumping system brings these factors together around the actual requirements of the site instead of thinking of maximum pump capacity as the entire design objective.

The daily rhythm of wastewater

The conditions that flow through the wastewater liftstation that serves households as well as businesses or municipal infrastructure could change in the course of the operation.

The system needs to be able to collect water and operate its pumps in accordance with the control strategy established by the station. The structural dimensions, pumping equipment, piping and pumps as well as electrical components and controls, all play a role in this process.

Other considerations specific to the site could enter the design. Romtec Utilities will incorporate any extra systems, including grinders vaults or odor-control equipment when needed. This results in a station built around the needs of the project, rather than a generic setup applied to every wastewater site.

Stormwater may change faster than you think.

Stormwater is a different operating environment. A stormwater lift station could be relatively quiet during dry weather conditions, but it will experience an influx that is significantly greater during a weather event. The station might be a component of a larger flood control strategy or as a detention, treatment or drainage plan.

When developing these systems, Romtec Utilities considers a variety of aspects, such as the flow rate needed and head condition, the dimensions of the system, site requirements and environmental factors.

A station serving a commercial project could, therefore, appear quite different from one engineered for a municipal stormwater application.

The Head Conditions are vital. Together with Flow

The issue of moving 1,000 gallons is not the only problem for engineering. Engineers need to understand the direction of that water and how much resistance it is likely to encounter.

The head of the pump is influenced by a number of factors such as elevation changes in piping configurations, discharge conditions, and various other system aspects.

This relationship between flow and head is yet another reason why selecting one’s pump purely based on its rating is not enough. Pump technology and station configuration must be adapted to the requirements of the whole application.

Design the station for the conditions that it will have to endure

Romtec Utilities designs and develops custom pumping systems designed to meet the demands of wastewater, stormwater management clean water, industrial applications, boosters, and many more. Its procedure may involve budgeting and design in the beginning, complete plans, system supply, documentation and startup testing, and commissioning.

The idea behind the system is as simple as this: pumping systems do not spend their entire lives working under the same set of conditions.

They should also take into consideration the project-specific hydraulic needs, in addition to the fluctuating flow, demand and requirements. A successful station has to be engineered for that reality.