Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
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Roi remains underwater. That plan involved constructing 11 hydraulic stations, five reinforced pumping stations and one completely new pumping station, in effect doubling pumping to 45.3m³/s. This infrastructure investment considerably increases the volume of water that can be drained and significantly reduces the length of time that water remains in overflow areas by draining the land more quickly. Due to the complexity of the project and the number of organisations and suppliers involved, construction did not start until 2011. Whilst there were many engineering and environmental assessments to be made, the central issue to the success of the project was the hydraulics and their infrastructure. It was here that pump manufacturer KSB took a lead role, having earlier extended the pump station at La Souteyranne / Liviers in 2006 with additional pumps from its Amacan range, and then securing the project contract in 2010. KSB's Amacan P is a close-coupled, wet-installed single entry axial open impeller pump where the impeller is located in a tubular casing immersed in the water. Explosion protected to ATEX II G2 T3, the pump has a maximum flow capacity of up to 7,000l/s and a maximum head of 12m. Low vibration hydraulics and a vortex-free flow due to the inlet ribs and wide bellmouth ensure that the pump is hydraulically optimised. Operating efficiency is provided by the slim motor that minimises discharge tube flow losses. From the outset of its involvement in the project, KSB recognised that its responsibilities would go far beyond merely supply and installing the required number of pumps. Technical adaptations to the various pumping stations would be necessary in order to provide optimum performance for the pumps. Examples of this include extending the La Fosse pumping station to increase drainage by a further 3m³/s; planning and equipping a new pumping station at the end of the Canal de Capette to increase drainage by a further 9m³/s and refurbishing the pumping stations at Souteyranne / Mas Livers, La Cave / Le Mole, Sylvéréal and Bourgidou / Aigues-Mortes in order to adapt to their At the la Cave/ Le Mole station, a special tulipshaped cone was designed and constructed at the end of the tube in which the pump was installed in order to give greater suction new drainage volumes. Each pumping station had its own special requirements, which in certain cases required KSB to simulate flow conditions to evaluate and test its civil engineering structures in order to ensure that the pumps would fulfil their duties. At Sylvéréal, it was necessary to construct special inlet chambers in the feed basin in which the pumps were installed to counter the vortex effects on the water surface which could damage the pumps. At the la Cave / Le Mole station, a special tulipshaped cone was designed and constructed at the end of the tube in which the pump was installed in order to give greater suction. Coupled with all these engineering works was the need to equip each pumping station with secure control panels for the remote operation of the pumps. At the completion of the engineering and construction programme, KSB engineers had installed and commissioned 13 Amacan pumps with flows ranging from 0.5m³/s to 4m³/s, increasing the drainage pumping capability of the Petit Camargue from 19.8m³/s to 45.3m³/s. For KSB, this project proved to an exacting examination not just of its pumps, but also its hydraulic and civil engineering capabilities. As a result of this major investment, the SMCG now has a robust flood prevention scheme that is capable of handling the flood levels encountered in 2003. ■ Pump & Hose Hire Sales & Service Specialists in Pump Hire & Sales • 1"-12" Diesel, Submersible, Hydraulic & High Head Pumps ire Pump H • Drip Trays & Settlement Tanks Road R • Layflat,WireArmoured & Rigid Delivery Hose • Vetter & Trelleborg Pipe Stoppers and Bypass Bags • Micron Filter Socks amp ble Inflata ers topp Pipe S • Road Ramp™ 24/7 Pump Hire Service Guaranteed! Vetter Approved r Distributo 11 Call 01246 2011 www.marispumps.com 01246 201111 January 2014 | WET News | 21