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New Grundfos SE pumps eliminate problems at Danish wastewater treatment plant
With the changes to the Working Environment Act in 1989, nitrogen and phosphorus discharge limits became considerably stricter. In the wake of this change followed many new requirements facing wastewater treatment plants in Denmark.
To meet the strict environmental requirements, Danish wastewater plants were modernised and discharge levels were reduced to an absolute minimum. Not all the solutions installed at the time were equality successful, however. Recently, problems with worn-down pumps and excessive delivery times for service and spare parts prompted the manager of the wastewater treatment plant in Farsoe, Denmark, to contact Grundfos for a state-of-the-art pump solution for the advanced wastewater plant.
The Situation
The wastewater treatment plant in Stistrup near the town Farsoe is designed to handle 18,000 PEs, but had become overloaded because the non-Grundfos pumps used were worn out and outdated. The pumps were no longer able to face demand and maintenance costs were too high. Often, spare parts for the existing pump installation were out of
stock and service calls were typically delayed by several weeks.
As a result, service and maintenance had become associated with too much hassle. It was time for a change. Grundfos’ positive reputation, inspirational brochures, and excellent test results prompted plant manager Kjeld Nielsen to contact Grundfos for an innovative and reliable pump solution.
The Grundfos Solution
While another pump supplier was also invited to submit a proposal, Grundfos ultimately won the tender. According to the manager of the wastewater plant, the unique design of the new SE pump, impressive test results, and a positive cooperation with the Grundfos staff determined the issue.
Grundfos supplied a total of 19 wastewater pumps. Of these, 11 pumps are dry-installed at the treatment plant (10 of them fitted with a frequency converter), 7 pumps are installed submerged in autocoupling systems, and one is a submerged ejector pump.
The Outcome
The SE pumps installed at the Stistrup wastewater treatment plant are pumping wastewater with a high content of sand – a demanding application area at the best of times. Here, the pumps have been in operation since March 2005 without any signs of problems.
Plant manager Kjeld Nielsen is very pleased with the Grundfos wastewater solution and the level of service he has experienced since the installation:
“During start-up we experienced motor problems with one of the pumps and Grundfos immediately solved the problem. And that was exactly the level of service we had hoped for,” he says.
At the moment, the revolutionary sludge treatment system at Farsoe also serves as a demonstration site for visitors from all over the world. The plant arranges theme days where specialists get a chance to experience the groundbreaking system and the technology behind it.