Tag: Engineering
INTRODUCTION One of the most persistent and costly errors in municipal water and wastewater engineering is the practice of “line-sizing” control valves. When engineers default to matching a control valve’s diameter to the adjoining pipe size, the result is almost always an oversized valve. A poorly sized valve operating continuously between 10% and 20% open […]
INTRODUCTION In municipal and industrial treatment environments, equipment survivability is dictated heavily by the presence of grit, rags, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and fats, oils, and grease (FOG). For consulting engineers and utility managers, understanding exactly How to Specify Valves – Construction Service for Wastewater Service (Materials Coatings and Standards) is a critical skill that directly […]
INTRODUCTION Water and wastewater pump station failures, pipe ruptures, and operator injuries often trace back to a seemingly simple, yet notoriously misapplied component: the check valve. An incorrect valve selection at the pump discharge can lead to destructive water hammer, severe valve slam, chronic ragging, and premature mechanical failure. For consulting and utility engineers, understanding […]
Introduction For municipal and industrial engineers, few phenomena are as destructive or as misunderstood as cavitation. Often described by operators as the sound of “pumping marbles” or “gravel passing through the pipe,” cavitation represents a violent phase change in fluid dynamics that creates shockwaves capable of eroding hardened steel, destroying mechanical seals, and causing catastrophic […]
Introduction In municipal water transmission and high-head industrial applications, the sleeve valve (often referred to as an axial flow valve or energy dissipation valve) is a critical asset. Designed to handle massive pressure drops and control flow with precision, these valves are often the last line of defense against cavitation damage and system over-pressurization. However, […]
Introduction For municipal and industrial engineers, few events are as frustrating—or as costly—as the premature loss of a critical lift station pump. While the symptom is often a grounded motor or a tripped breaker, the root cause frequently lies in the failure of the mechanical seal system. Industry reliability data suggests that mechanical seal issues […]
Introduction The rise of non-dispersible synthetic fabrics—commonly known as “wipes” or “rags”—in municipal wastewater streams has fundamentally altered the operational reliability of pumping systems. For decades, engineers relied on sphere-passing capability as the primary metric for solids handling. However, modern debris streams form long, tenacious ropes that defy traditional sphere-passing logic. One of the most […]
Introduction The failure of positive displacement pumps in municipal wastewater applications often occurs within the first 100 hours of operation, not due to manufacturing defects, but due to improper startup procedures and system integration oversights. Unlike centrifugal pumps, which may forgive a closed discharge valve for a short period, a rotary lobe pump operating against […]
FACILITY BASIC INFORMATION Plant Name: Great Lakes Water Authority Water Resource Recovery Facility (formerly Detroit Wastewater Treatment Plant) Location: 9300 West Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan Operating Authority: Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) Design Capacity: 1,700 MGD (Primary Treatment Peak), 930 MGD (Secondary Treatment Peak) Current Average Flow: ~615 MGD Population Served: ~2.8 million […]
The Authoritative Technical Resource for Engineers and Operators FACILITY BASIC INFORMATION Plant Name: James C. Kirie Water Reclamation Plant (Kirie WRP) Location: 701 West Oakton Street, Des Plaines, Cook County, Illinois Operating Authority: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Design Average Capacity: 52 MGD Design Maximum Flow: 110 MGD Population Served: ~217,000 residents […]