One of the most common problems lift stations and collection pits encounter is how to eliminate floating grease mats. If left unattended, the layer will continue to thicken until eventually a vacuum truck is required to suck out the mat. Over time, the frequent vacuum truck calls can result in thousands of dollars of maintenance and dumping fees. Alternatively, the proper solids-handling pump system can bypass the frequent service calls and contribute to a more cost-efficient lift station.

While most pumps in today’s market will effectively pump fluid, putting the variable of debris, thickened sludge and other solids into the mix drastically hinders the ability of those pumps to do their job. Furthermore, unclogging those pumps can be expensive and some pumps can even cost upward of $350,000 to replace if they clog beyond repair. The conditioning pump was created to help resolve this problem at a fraction of the cost.

A conditioning pump is a submersible chopper pump that is designed for use in several different scenarios to save on costly clean-out cycles and maintenance. Conditioning pumps are mounted on a portable stand and fitted with a high-velocity mixing nozzle to recirculate the contents of a wet well. The conditioning pump can be placed directly in the wet well to chew up all of the rags and solids so that the existing pump won't get clogged. Floating mats are removed and solids that have accumulated on the floor are resuspended. As the pump is mounted on a portable stand it can easily be used in multiple applications at a single job site, facility or municipality. 

Watch this CFD animation, demonstrating how a submersible S4S conditioning pump can mix a 12-inch layer of oil or surface matting into a 12- by 12- by 9-foot tank in five minutes.

For more information, visit chopperpumps.com, email info@chopperpumps.com or call 888-249-2467.