34 Feature

WORLD PUMPS October 2018

Water & wastewater

Tips for correct

pump selection
umps are critical to the water industry and choosing
P the right pump for a wastewater process can seem like
a daunting task. However, maximising productivity is
essential if water companies are to remain competitive
and correct pump selection is key to this.

Whether for sludge handling, for use in piece of equipment and every part of the productivity, water companies must then
anaerobic digestion plants, for metering process is optimised, delivering greater consider the total cost of ownership
chemicals, or anything in between, pumps value for money to the operator. (TCO). Although some operators can be
are critical to the water industry. There are swayed by the initial purchase price, this
a number of different pump types on the can be a false economy. The lifecycle cost
market and choosing the right one is not Fit for purpose of a progressive cavity (PC) pump, for
easy. However, in today’s squeezed The most important criteria when speci- example, is typically ten per cent capital
economy, increasing productivity is essen- fying a pump is to ensure that it will be purchase cost, ten per cent maintenance/
tial to remain competitive. This is where fit for purpose. To do this, it is important spare parts, and eighty per cent energy
correct pump selection is vital. to understand the product to be costs (based on £0.10p per kW/hr over a
pumped, and the process involved. Is the 20-year period, using WIMES calculations).
Productivity is measured by the ratio of product in question liquid or semi-solid? To keep productivity high, it is therefore
output per unit of input. Many water Is it viscous? Will it need to be transferred essential to consider the TCO of a pump,
companies see it as a balancing act – over a long distance, or pumped to not just the purchase price.
how can they increase their output height, for example to storage vessels
without increasing their costs? It is closely and silos?
linked to efficiency, ensuring that every Energy efficiency
Other information must be provided for With such a high percentage of a pump’s
correct pump selection, too. For example, TCO coming from its running costs,
does the product contain solid selecting a pump which is energy effi-
particles? Consider also cient is key to enhancing productivity.
whether it is shear sensitive, Unlike piston, diaphragm and peristaltic
if the process needs a self- pumps, PC pumps produce low pulsation
priming pump, or whether flow and require smaller drives and
a suction lift is needed. motors for the same duty. And unlike
Also bear in mind the length of the air-operated pumps, they run on a direct
discharge pipework and the configuration energy source, without the conversion of
regarding bends and lifts. The more electricity to compressed air.
information an operator can provide,
the more likely they are to get the right This all helps to reduce the energy
pump for the job. required to run the pump. Some of the
more intelligent pumping solutions on
After thoroughly researching the options the market, such as SEEPEX’s Smart
available, it may transpire that more than Conveying Technology (SCT), deliver even
With 80% of a pump’s TCO attributed to running costs, energy- one pump design is fit for purpose. While greater energy savings. By optimising the
efficient Smart Conveying Technology pumps can a number of pumps may be able to do clamp between the rotor and stator, and
save operators money. the job, in order to ensure optimum using a variable speed drive, the SCT

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 Feature 35
WORLD PUMPS October 2018

Case study: productivity in practice at Anglian Water

Anglian Water uses an advanced heating, pasteurisation and hydrolysis (HPH) process prior to anaerobic digestion, which requires
thickened sludge at a dry solids (ds) content of 4-8% to be pumped through heat exchangers. However, at Basildon WwTW, the
original lobe pumps had a lower than expected flow rate and were unable to feed the heat exchanger efficiently.

Lobe pumps have a clearance between the pump elements and the casing allowing slip, which reduces volumetric efficiency. The
varying ds content and viscosity was resulting in reduced flow rates, heat exchanger blockages and, more importantly, decreased gas
yield from the digesters. The pumps also required full maintenance interventions every three months and complete overhauls of the
heat exchanger when blockages occurred.

SEEPEX supplied Anglian Water with a PC pump, which could deliver up to 72m3/hr through the heat exchanger to the digesters,
even when faced with a variable sludge ds% input. PC pumps have an interference fit between the rotor and stator and no slip,
ensuring pump efficiency even when viscosity varies. This resulted in a well-mixed, less variable sludge for digestion and an increase of
up to 100% in the volatile fatty acids (VFA). As VFA are an indicator of final gas yields, the SEEPEX pumps have improved energy
production as well as delivering reliable performance.

In the 12 months since the pumps have been installed, they have required no service interventions and caused no heat exchanger
problems. Not only have they reduced downtime, they have also increased the productivity of the digesters significantly.

pump can be up to 20 per cent more being liable to blockages as solid particles excellent suction lift capabilities, such as a
energy efficient than traditional PC can get caught behind the valves. In PC pump which can lift liquids from the
pump designs. contrast, due to their constant, virtually base of settlement tanks? Could water
pulse-free action PC pumps do not companies reduce the need for a
As maintenance and spare parts are require dampeners, and the interference conveyor by selecting a PC pump over
responsible for 10 per cent of the TCO of fit between rotor and stator negates the the alternatives, as they can easily pump
a pump, finding a solution that is easy to need for check valves, saving operators over long distances? A responsible pump
monitor and maintain is also important. money and reducing downtime. supplier will be able to work with an
Progressive cavity pumps can improve
whole life costs due the ease of replacing
parts and clearing blockages. The fact that
these pumps can be remotely monitored
also makes it easier to anticipate prob-
“The more information an operator can
lems, enabling predictive maintenance.
In addition, the use of variable frequency
provide, the more likely they are to get the
drives (VFD) means that speed can right pump for the job.”
also be controlled.

This is important because as the pump

performance drops over time, its speed In addition, high-pulsation pumps operator to specify the most cost
will increase to maintain flow; once this is increase the pressure rating of the down- effective solution for their needs.
identified, the SCT pump can be very stream pipework; the higher the pressure
quickly adjusted to regain its original generated, the greater the cost in terms
capacity, keeping efficiency high and of pipework and associated valves. PC A balancing act
providing more time to plan for mainte- pumps have a low pulsation action which While a low pump purchase price may
nance, resulting in less downtime for generates a lower pressure on discharge, appear attractive, with 80 per cent of the
operators. The use of level controls with reducing costs of pipework and valves – TCO coming from its running costs,
VFD to speed and slow pumps, and the when pumping viscous sludge, for keeping these lower over the lifetime of
regular, laminar flow created also helps to example, a PC pump reduces the oper- the pump will provide a greater return on
deliver a higher quality, more uniform ating pressure generated to one third investment in the long run. Whatever
pumped product. This reduces the of that generated by piston pumps. solution you choose, make sure to take
wear rate of the pump, extending its into account its energy efficiency, mainte-
service life. As well as keeping down the running, nance requirements and the costs of any
maintenance and system costs of a ancillary equipment before signing on
pump, water companies can also reduce the dotted line. Put simply, specifying
Ancillary equipment their initial purchase price by talking to the wrong pump could decrease your
Another cost consideration for water their supplier about the different options productivity – choosing the right pump
companies is whether a pump will require
the purchasing of ancillary equipment.
available. For example, could a smaller,
smarter pump do the same job as a
will almost certainly increase it. •
Many traditional pump designs such as larger, more expensive solution? Is it www.seepex.com
piston, diaphragm or other positive worth integrating a boundary layer injec-
displacement pumps require pulsation tion system to reduce pipework friction About the author
Lesley Eaton is the business development and
dampeners and check valves, all of which losses further downstream? Could labour marketing manager, SEEPEX
come at a cost to the operator, as well as costs be cut by specifying a pump with

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