On paper, the idea of a pumping project might seem straightforward: water needs to be pumped from one area to another. However, there are many factors that influence the distance between two points, such as elevation as well as flow rate solids, pressure storage capacity, and access to maintenance.
Romtec Utilities initiates the design of a pumping station by defining the operating conditions instead of choosing the equipment from the catalog. The requirements for the project can be used to develop initial designs and budgetary information.
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Start with a simple question: Where are we doing?
The engineering changes immediately.
There can be significant fluctuations in the flow rate of the domestic sewage. A wastewater lift station must move that wastewater reliably when gravity conveyance is unavailable or insufficient. Engineers should therefore take into consideration the expected inflow, peak conditions the capacity of pumping, wet-well behavior, discharge requirements and how the equipment will be operated and maintained.
Industrial water has its own challenges. Processing or manufacturing facilities could require moving high-temperature, caustic, oily, 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 facilities.
Rainfall has a totally different operating process
Stormwater systems are often inactive for extended periods but then suddenly they have to deal with massive volumes in the course of a major storm.
For instance, a stormwater lift station with a detention basin is required to be in line with the drainage plan for the location. The runoff is absorbed into the basin. The temporary storage controls the volume instantly. The pumping system takes the water it collects into an approved outlet.
Romtec Utilities provided this solution for the creation of a Norco business park in California. The development needed the construction of a pumping station that would empty an existing detention system into the stormwater drainage system of the public. The station therefore had be constructed as a part of the development’s drainage infrastructure instead of being viewed as a stand-alone piece of equipment.
“Package” Doesn’t Signify “Off the shelf”
It is a common misconception that a pumping device for packages is merely a collection of components that are predetermined.
Packaging can be used to organize the primary components into a project-specific system. Pumps, valves and meters and controls, communications structural components, and other equipment can be selected around the requirements of the duty conditions.
This approach is particularly useful when a brand new system needs to connect to existing infrastructure. In the case of industrial facilities and municipal structures, there’s not enough space or a perfect environment to install. Equipment might need to be positioned around existing piping, structures, electrical systems, and operational plans.
Capacity planning can have real-world consequences
The cost of undersizing increases when the facility is expanded.
Romtec Utilities supplied a sewer lift station located at Portland International Airport for the PDX Next extension. The new station needed be constructed to provide double the capacity of peak flow since the airport had expanded.
It demonstrates a key engineering principle: design conditions should not reflect only the way a facility is able to handle during a typical afternoon. Engineers should be aware of the conditions that occur during peak demand.
The job isn’t done until the Equipment Shows Up
At some point, calculations and drawings will eventually become a functioning system. The coordination of installations and the documentation are vital to long-term success.
A properly engineered pumping system is ultimately defined by the results that take place years after construction. The decisions made during the initial design are clearly visible when equipment needs maintenance and flows increase, or a storm hits.
Romtec Utilities incorporates these options into a pumping solution which is unique to a project. This allows the transformation of individual equipment into an infrastructure that is designed for the conditions they will have to face.
