Product Spotlight - April 2021

Product Spotlight - April 2021

Despite repeated warnings about flushable wipes not really being flushable, they are still flushed, gumming up wetwell and manhole locations and causing pump fouling.

Answering an industry need, Duperon has launched the Dual Auger System, a solution that utilizes three separate technologies to remove flushable wipes at or near where they enter the collections system, before downstream equipment can be impacted. It can be installed in manholes as small as 17 inches.

“By installing the DAS at high-ragging locations such as nursing home discharges, hospitals, prisons, campgrounds, truck stops, industrial applications and certain residential areas, debris is removed before it becomes a system-wide risk,” says Steve Dill, a mechanical engineer at Duperon Corp.

Vertical dual augers lift wipes and other debris at the source. Then a flexible bar screen captures debris, cleaning itself without the need for additional brushes or liners. Finally, a discharge extension chute conveys solids to the surface, where an operator can easily transport the solids for safe disposal. With the system, emergency maintenance is replaced with simple and infrequent solids pickups.

The DAS captures, dewaters, compacts and conveys solids in a single system. It features completely contained screenings for odor control and aesthetics. Above- or below-grade discharge options offer flexibility for each application, and a built-in bypass eliminates sewer backup during power outages.

According to Dill, work on the project began in 2017 when one of Duperon’s customers complained of several small lift stations in its collections system that were experiencing pump fouling due to an insurgence of flushable wipes. A majority of the pump stations were operating satisfactorily, but there were a handful of problematic sites.

“After many more conversations with customers, we found this scenario was common,” Dill says. “Each municipality had a few sites that required the majority of their time and resources to address pump clogging and maintenance.”

According to Dill, initial customer feedback has been positive, pointing out that one site in particular revealed a potential cost savings of up to $40,000 in annual labor. “Before installing the DAS, the city serviced clogged pumps two to three times per week, which entailed operators working in a confined space to manually remove debris,” he says. “After installing the DAS, they had zero instances of clogged pumps. We’re now evaluating a broad range of opportunities from small manhole applications to campgrounds, cruise ports and industrial projects.” 800-383-8479; www.duperon.com.



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