Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
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Powering the pumps: electric or diesel? The question of which power source to use for portable pump sets can be a difficult one, with both electric and diesel powered equipment having their strengths and weaknesses. Here, Wim Moors of Atlas Copco runs a rule over the available options The Knowledge www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | OCTOBER 2017 | 31 Wim moors, ViCE-PREsidEnT fOR PumPs, ATlAs COPCO PORTABlE EnERgY E lectric or diesel? When it comes to the choice of power sources, whether for road vehicles or industrial equipment, it is a debate that is becoming in- creasingly prevalent. Equally, it is a decision that applies to the choice of dewatering pump technologies for operations within utilities and municipal arenas. Both electric and die- sel de-watering pumps are recognised for their versatile performance and, particularly, their mobility. However, inside water treatment plants there are more likely to be per- manently sited installations that utilise industrial pumps capable of handling large sol- ids and, because of the ready availability of on-site power, they are normally electrically driven. These pumps will be employed primarily in duties such as water, liquid sludge or cleaned sewage transfer between tanks during planned maintenance operations or between point A to point B in instances of sudden unavail- ability of a process or holding tank. Equally important are external water industry de- watering applications which are more likely to involve diesel units. These would be employed for duties such as cleaning up a•er flooding or for protecting rivers from envi- ronmental impact by removing water treatment overflow. However, unlike the auto- motive debate, it is not a con- test of technical supremacy to establish an outright winner. It is a common-sense selection process taking into account factors such as required volume, flow/head specifica- tions and the constitution of materials to be pumped; and the variables of operational conditions, site access, project duration, environmental is- sues and much more. sturdily built for endurance and reliability, centrifugal pumps are designed for han- dling high volumes of water discharge. The operating flow range is typically between 50 to 830 m 3 h with a head of up to 51 metres. Capable of coping with a wide range of applications, fully automatic self-priming centrifugal pumps are con- sidered the ideal solution for transporting or raising water with abrasive solids in suspen- sion; such as in construction and mine site dewatering, floodwater, stream diversions and municipal applications. They can work with water that is clean or dirty as well as handle trash and fibrous materials. Their solids handling capacity can reach up to 76 mm in size thanks to features such as semi open impellers and abrasion-resistant pump casings. discharge connection diameters typically range from 75 – 200 mm. They are the de facto choice for delivering fast dewatering solutions to sites where an alternative power source, such as a mains feed or generator output, is not available. in addition, these pumps are able to operate in a high variable speed range, which enables them to cover different applications and flow/head combinations. Together with average fuel autonomy of up to 47 hours, continuous drainage is made possible even with significant volumes of air (snore condi- tions) thanks to an oil-free diaphragm vacuum pump's automatic priming. Cooler capacity enables continuous and safe operation even at high ambient conditions. With the exception of replacing wear parts and engine filters, maintenance is easy and simple. Part of this type of equipment's appeal to rental organisations is the inclusion of advanced controllers with data monitoring capacity. BenefiTs of diesel powered cenTrifugal pumps: l Versatile applications l self-priming capability and high hydraulic efficiency l Large discharge and high flow rates l Ability to handle large solids in suspension l remote site operation l robust construction l Easy maintenance l sophisticated control and data monitoring diesel powered cenTrifugal pumps diesel-powered centrifugal pumps are designed for handling high volumes of water discharge