On paper, a pumping plan may seem simple: water needs to be pumped from one place to another. In reality there are numerous factors which can influence the distance between two points, including: elevation of the ground, flow rate, solids, pressure, storage capacity and maintenance access.
For Romtec Utilities the process of designing the pump station starts by setting the operating conditions, instead of selecting the an item from a catalogue. The requirements for the project could be used to come up with sketches and budgetary details.
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Start with a simple question: What are we doing?
The technology is updated immediately.
There could be a significant fluctuation in the flow rate of wastewater that is used for domestic use. A wastewater lift facility must move that wastewater reliably whenever gravity conveyance isn’t available or insufficient. Engineers have to consider the following: expected inflow, peak condition, pumping capacity, behavior of the wet well, discharge requirements and how equipment is operated and maintained.
There are a variety of challenges that arise with industrial water. A manufacturing or processing facility may require the movement of high-temperature, caustic, oily, or high-pressure fluids. Romtec Utilities creates industrial systems that are utilized in applications that range from data centers to installations of oil and gas, food processing power generation, pharmaceutical waste.
Rainfall may create a completely different operating cycle
Stormwater systems can be inactive for long periods of time and then suddenly confront the possibility of a huge volume in the course of a storm.
For example, a stormwater lift station with a detention basin must be compatible with the larger drainage strategy for the site. The runoff enters the basin for detention, and the temporary storage handles the immediate volume and the pumping system transports the water collected to an approved discharge point.
Romtec Utilities offered this type of solution to an Norco, California business park. The pumping system was needed to empty the basin and discharge it into the stormwater network. The station was planned to work as part of the drainage system used by a developer rather than an individual piece of equipment.
Package Does Not Mean “Off the Shelf”
A common misconception is that a package pumping system is simply a predetermined collection of components.
For engineered infrastructure, packaging can instead mean coordinating the key components into one project-specific system. The valves and pumps can be chosen based on their use needs.
It is especially useful for connecting a new system to the existing infrastructure. In the case of industrial facilities and municipal buildings, there’s usually unlimited space available or a perfect environment to install. The equipment might need to be adapted around existing structures, piping systems electric system, as well as operating schedules.
Capacity Planning has real consequences
The cost of undersizing increases as the facility expands.
In Portland International Airport, Romtec Utilities provided an sewer interceptor lift station to support the PDX Next expansion. The new station was designed to double the capacity for peak-flow of the existing system as airport facilities expand.
It demonstrates a key engineering principal: design specifications shouldn’t be limited to what a facility can handle on a normal afternoon. Engineers also have to be aware what happens during the times of peak demand.
The job is not finished when the equipment arrives
In the end, drawings and calculations have to become an operating system. Coordination of installation, starting, testing documentation, and operator comprehension all play a role in long-term performance.
A properly engineered pumping system is largely determined by the events that occur after construction. The decisions made in the initial design phase are evident when flows rise as major storms hit or maintenance is required.
Romtec Utilities integrates these decisions into a solution for pumping that is specific to a project. This allows us to transform each piece of equipment into an infrastructure designed for the conditions they will have to face.