Water & Wastewater Treatment

The PumPing STaTion - PumP and ValVe SuPPlemenT 2016 7 especially suited to Heathrow's needs. The airport is dealing with vast amounts of water and so smaller applications can lack sufficient torque in the motors for the impeller to turn and pull the solids through. The hydraulic technology in the Flygt range removes the necessity of a larger, and by default higher energy- consuming, motor. The Adaptive N-impeller is designed to move axially upwards when needed, allowing the most bulky of rags and toughest of debris to pass through smoothly. A•er the debris has been passed, the hydraulic pressure returns the impeller down to its original position. The axial movement of this hydraulic reduces stress on the sha•, seals and bearings. It also utilises a unique N designed Pioneering for You For more information visit www.wilo.co.uk or call 01283 523000 Water Management by Wilo Wilo make your life easier by combining innovative technology, extensive support and a clear focus on customer service. Our experts give you personal support in every phase of the project, from planning and configuration through to commissioning. So when it comes to water management you really can trust Wilo. When you need an innovative partner. You can trust Wilo. impeller, all of which results in sustained improved efficiency over the pump's lifespan. "Should a solid object get caught on the leading edge of one of the vanes, it will simply slide along the N designed impeller towards the perimeter of the inlet, if a bulky rag appears it will simply li• and allow it to pass through – ultimately resulting in fewer block- ages, more consistent performance, and fewer maintenance call outs." The two SmartRun Intelligent Pump Controllers that accompanied the Flygt adaptive 'N' pumps are pre-programmed to provide sump and pipe cleaning functions which are automatically triggered. The SmartRuns have also enabled Heathrow's Water Services Section to monitor the specific energy use of the pumps during their normal pumping cycle. The controllers reduce a pump's speed on every pump cycle until the minimum specific energy is found, a continuous cycle which effectively adjusts the pump speed to ensure only the minimum specific energy available for that site is being used throughout the year. Three years on from the installation, Heathrow has witnessed some impres- sive results. "The pumps have per- formed around 8,000 hours to date, and are still running at their optimum efficiency of 30 - 33Hz," says Jolly. "This frequency equates to the energy consumption being cut by around 50 per cent over a five-year period at just one pumping station." "Additionally, the SmartRun Intelligent Pump Controllers have reduced maintenance call out incidents and virtually eliminated pump blockages. This is where the real value of the system comes into play: technician time is freed up for other tasks, as mainte- nance time is reduced to an annual four hours, as opposed to the previous 21 hours. In fact, the previous regime cost around £2,300 per annum, whereas the revised schedule is under £300, a saving of over £2,000. Previously, in the same twenty-month time frame, the wet well would have been fully cleaned three times due to ragging, fat and debris build up. "These are fantastic results and the system is still performing as effectively now as it did in the first few months of installation."

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