Surge relief angle valves prevent surge damage on lift station

Problem: 

New freeway construction required an existing lift station to be relocated in the city of Phoenix. The new location was in a hilly part of town with some significant elevation changes that could potentially cause a damaging surge event.

Solution: 

APCO brand SRA surge relief angle valves from DeZURIK were installed on the lift station to prevent line damage from surges that occur when the lift station pumps cycle on and off. The valve is an elbow body-style surge relief valve that is held normally closed by a compression spring or system of nested springs. These valves are designed to prevent damage from water hammer in the system by opening when the system pressure exceeds the set shut-off pressure of the valve disc. As the disc opens, the surge pressure rise that caused it to open is spilled and dissipated through the open valve. When system pressure drops below the set shut-off pressure, the valve disc slowly closes against the oil contained in the cushion chamber and cylinder. The valves are designed with a smooth flow and minimal obstruction to flow for efficient surge relief. The surge valves at this lift station were installed and set to relieve system pressure at 135 psig.

Result: 

The lift station now discharges into a force main system. DeZURIK PEC eccentric plug valves are used as isolation valves on the lines. The valves continue to perform as designed. 320-259-2000; www.dezurik.com

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Flushed wipes plague high-rise until pump system saves the day

Problem: 

A 23-story, 320-unit Austin, Texas, high-rise residence building with a grocery store and restaurant experienced frequent pump clogs, with six faults in two months. The primary culprit: not so “flushable” wipes. The building management team needed a solution. Despite multiple notifications to the building occupants, the team had no control over what was being flushed, clogs persisted and pump service charges were piling up.

Solution: 

Installing an OverWatch Direct In-Line pump system from Industrial Flow Solutions saved the day by eliminating the wet well entirely. Now, wipes and fats, oils and grease are no longer a problem because influent is lifted directly from the gravity invert and they don’t have the opportunity to separate and solidify. Fibrous materials are contained in solution and ejected from the system before solidifying. Since the influent is also contained, it never becomes atmospheric, which eliminates odors and dangerous gases. The system also prevents grease buildup on basin walls that can cause leaching into the adjacent soil or groundwater.

Result: 

This technology not only eliminates the wet well, but also eliminates clogs, odors, gases and maintenance. The building management team is saving time and money with this installation. 860-631-3618; www.flowsolutions.com

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Combining radio and wireless broadband provides city with reliable SCADA system

Problem: 

The Public Works and Utilities Department of Duluth, Minnesota, manages all aspects of the drinking water, sanitary sewers and natural gas for the city and some of the surrounding communities. The department and city leaders realized that much of the SCADA infrastructure that the citizens relied on for these services had significantly aged and needed to be updated.

Solution: 

PRIMEX was selected as the contractor and integrator to develop and manage all aspects of the rejuvenation of the city’s SCADA infrastructure. The biggest issue was that the control equipment for all three entities (wastewater collection, drinking water distribution and natural gas distribution) was obsolete and not in working order. The 2 1/2-year project included control modification to every site, including radio telemetry to connect all remote sites with the central SCADA system running on Wonderware System Platform for all three entities. Historically, the topography of Duluth made radio communication a challenge. To solve this problem, PRIMEX developed a combination of radio and wireless broadband to provide redundant systems that ensured reliable communication.

Result: 

PRIMEX was able to deploy the Wonderware System Platform across all three entities and yet use only one application. Redundant servers and redundant communications links were used to ensure all communications and remote sites operated as desired. PRIMEX has been retained as the SCADA integrator for the city. 844-477-4639; www.primexcontrols.com