Tag: changes
Introduction to High-Volume Pumping Systems In the realm of municipal stormwater management and large-scale raw water intake, the axial flow (propeller) pump is the workhorse of the industry. However, these high-flow, low-head machines are notoriously sensitive to installation conditions and hydraulic environments. A surprising statistic from reliability studies indicates that nearly 60% of premature failures […]
Introduction One of the most persistent failure modes in municipal and industrial fluid handling isn’t mechanical overload—it is the mismatch between pump metallurgy and fluid chemistry. Engineers often rely on legacy specifications, copying and pasting “Cast Iron Construction” for applications that have evolved in acidity or abrasiveness, or conversely, over-specifying exotic alloys for benign services, […]
INTRODUCTION The vast majority of municipal flood control and large-scale raw water intake infrastructure in North America was constructed between the 1950s and 1980s. Today, engineers face a critical ticking clock: massive concrete volute or vertical column axial flow pumps are reaching the end of their second or third lifecycle. The challenge is rarely as […]
INTRODUCTION In municipal water distribution and wastewater treatment, the vertical turbine pump (VTP) is a workhorse, valued for its efficiency and small footprint. However, when paired with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) without rigorous thermal and mechanical analysis, these systems frequently suffer from premature failure. A surprising industry statistic suggests that up to 30% of vertical […]
Location: 1625 Sunset Avenue, Lansing, MI 48917Operating Authority: City of Lansing Public Service Department FACILITY BASIC INFORMATION Plant Name: Lansing Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Location: Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan Operating Authority: City of Lansing Public Service Department Design Capacity: 40 MGD (Secondary Treatment), 165 MGD (Peak Wet Weather with Retention) Current Average Flow: ~19 MGD […]
FACILITY BASIC INFORMATION Plant Name: WRA Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) Location: 3000 Vandalia Road, Des Moines, Iowa Operating Authority: City of Des Moines (Operating Contractor for the WRA) Design Capacity: 100 MGD (Average Dry Weather), 260 MGD (Peak Hydraulic) Current Average Flow: ~75 MGD Population Served: ~500,000+ (Metro Area) Service Area: 17 Metro Communities (Des […]
The authoritative technical resource for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s primary northern facility. FACILITY BASIC INFORMATION Plant Name: Terrence J. O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant (O’Brien WRP) Location: 3500 Howard Street, Skokie, Cook County, Illinois Operating Authority: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Design Average Capacity: 333 MGD Design Maximum Capacity: […]
FACILITY BASIC INFORMATION Plant Name: Stickney Water Reclamation Plant Location: Cicero/Stickney, Cook County, Illinois Operating Authority: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Design Capacity: 1,200 MGD (Average) / 1,440 MGD (Max) Current Average Flow: ~700 MGD Population Served: 2.3 Million residents Service Area: 260 square miles (Central Chicago + 43 suburban municipalities) Receiving […]
Introduction In municipal wastewater lift stations and industrial effluent sumps, the submersible pump is often the most critical, yet least visible, asset. Because these units operate beneath the liquid surface, visual inspection during operation is impossible. Consequently, engineers and operators must rely heavily on external data and performance anomalies to identify impending failures. A surprising […]
Clarifier Tanks: How They Separate Solids in Treatment Article Overview Article Type: Informational Primary Goal: Explain how clarifier tanks remove and concentrate suspended solids in wastewater, provide the engineering principles and design parameters used to size and operate clarifiers, and give practical troubleshooting, retrofit, and vendor selection guidance for municipal and industrial wastewater professionals Who […]