Tag: frequently asked questions
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 […]
Introduction In high-volume municipal flood control, stormwater management, and industrial water transport, the axial flow “propeller” pump is the workhorse of the hydraulic world. However, their unique specific speed characteristics and sensitivity to intake conditions make them prone to issues that differ significantly from standard centrifugal pumps. Engineers and operators frequently overlook the subtle precursors […]
Introduction In municipal and industrial water treatment infrastructure, the reliability of auxiliary equipment often dictates the resilience of the entire process. While massive raw sewage lift pumps garner the majority of capital planning attention, the failure of miscellaneous pumps—seal water systems, polymer feed pumps, sampling units, and dry-pit sump pumps—frequently triggers permit violations or costly […]
Introduction In the hierarchy of wastewater treatment equipment, process pumps often receive the bulk of engineering attention. However, the humble dewatering pump acts as the critical fail-safe for plant operations. Engineers frequently encounter a scenario where a tank needs emergency draining, or a gallery floods during a storm event, only to find the portable or […]
Introduction In municipal water and industrial wastewater treatment facilities, pressure instrumentation is the sensory nervous system of the process. Yet, a surprising number of process upsets, pump protection failures, and chemical dosing errors can be traced back to a single, often overlooked component: the diaphragm seal (or chemical seal). Engineers frequently treat these isolation devices […]
Introduction In municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, the precision of chemical dosing is directly linked to process compliance, yet the longevity of the dosing equipment is often compromised by material mismatching. A common point of failure in chemical feed systems is not the mechanical drive mechanism, but the degradation of wetted parts due to unforeseen […]
Introduction to PC Pump Intake Hydraulics One of the most persistent and expensive failure modes in municipal wastewater treatment plants involves the premature destruction of progressive cavity (PC) pump stators. While often blamed on “bad rubber” or manufacturing defects, a significant percentage of these failures are actually hydraulic issues rooted in the civil and mechanical […]
Introduction to Submersible Pump Metallurgy One of the most persistent and costly challenges in modern wastewater management is the premature degradation of submersible pumping equipment due to shifting influent chemistry. As water conservation efforts reduce flow rates, wastewater becomes more concentrated. Simultaneously, longer retention times in force mains and collection basins accelerate septicization, leading to […]
Introduction One of the most persistent and costly failures in municipal wastewater collection systems is not the mechanical failure of the pump itself, but the failure of the intake hydraulics. Engineers frequently specify high-efficiency, robust pumping equipment, only to place it into a geometry that guarantees reduced lifespan. A significant percentage of premature bearing failures, […]