Pump Station Improves Performance with Conditioning Pump

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Pump Station Improves Performance with Conditioning Pump

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The Otay River Pump Station in San Diego, California, which pumps 7 to 9 mgd of raw sewage to the South Bay Water Reclamation Facility for water recovery, had a problem in the large 50-feet long by 10-feet wide by 30-feet deep wet well. A floating blanket of grease and debris, sometimes as thick as 4 feet, would occur on a regular basis.

The city of San Diego had been contracting two vacuum trucks to clean out the station every three or four months at a cost of approximately $50,000 to $100,000 per year. The city had good experience replacing their clogging non-clog pumps with Vaughan Chopper Pumps in the past, and turned once again to the Washington state-based company for a more cost-effective solution.

Chopper pumps are ideal for use in pump stations and lift stations as conditioning pumps (patented with additional patents pending). When used as a conditioning pump, a submersible Vaughan chopper pump is fitted with a nozzle to provide high-velocity mixing, and is placed in the problem wet well on a portable stand. The purpose of the conditioning pump is to recirculate and chop the contents of the wet well.

Recirculating the wet well contents through a chopper pump chops and mixes not only the grease and debris that can accumulate as a floating layer, but also chops and re-suspends heavier debris that can accumulate on the wet well floor. This homogenization of the contents not only prevents buildup of grease/debris in the wet well but also helps to prevent clogging of the non-clog pumps typically used as dewatering pumps for these stations.

For the Otay River Pump Station, Vaughan Company selected an 8-inch submersible chopper pump with a 25 hp, 1,200 rpm motor with mixing nozzle and portable stand. In 18 months of use with the Vaughan Conditioning pump, the wet well has not required cleaning. Based on the cost of the pump and installation the pump paid for itself in 2 1/2 months of use.

Find more information on conditioning pumps at www.chopperpumps.com.



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