Article

Improving our planet: enabling safe wastewater management creates healthy communities

 

An alarming 80% or more of wastewater around the globe is released into the environment without adequate treatment, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Growing populations already pose challenges to ensuring there is enough safe water for everyone – so the availability of safe and sufficient water supplies is inextricably linked to how wastewater is managed, adds the coordinating body UN-Water.

Many communities in low- and lower-middle-income countries in Africa are at risk because of water pollution and contaminated drinking water – partly because of a lack of wastewater management systems, reports The United Nations World Water Development Report 2017: Wastewater, the Untapped Resource.

“Part of the solution is to improve the way we manage wastewater,” says UN-Water. “More than just an alternative source of water, safe wastewater management could help protect our ecosystems and give us energy, nutrients and other recoverable materials.”

It is therefore vital to optimise processes and improve efficiencies to ensure effective wastewater networks.

This is where Grundfos steps in, with intelligent, energy-saving systems that not only reduce the risk of overflow, enhance efficiency and safety, and reduce energy consumption and costs, but which also contribute to a more sustainable economy that values wastewater for its potential.

Here’s a look at five highly effective ranges of Grundfos wastewater pumps and their applications:

 

1. Small but tough: SEG grinder pumps perform the task

Sometimes, sewer systems or gravitation systems are simply not an option – for example, when it comes to pumping wastewater and toilet waste from single houses, small communities and less populated areas.

Submersible Grundfos SEG sewage grinder pumps (0.9kW to 4kW), with an autoflow adapt function, are the perfect choice as part of a pressurised pipe network. These pumps, fitted with a patented grinder system, are specially designed for pumping wastewater, sludge-containing water and sewage.

“Grinder pumps are required where a building’s or a house’s sewage system is at a level below a municipal sewer line or septic tank. Even if a building is at the same level as its sewer line or septic tank, the geography of the site may prevent sewage from flowing fast enough by gravity alone, making a grinder pump necessary,” says Andrew Brunette, Wastewater team leader at Grundfos Water Utilities.

He adds that the SEG range is “designed to reduce energy consumption and to keep downtime costs to a minimum while maintaining peak performance throughout the system life”.

These pumps are suitable for:

●       Domestic wastewater

●       Wastewater transport

Because they are meant to be used with smaller pressure pipes, they are cheaper to install and operate, energy-efficient and reliable – and very cost-effective.

Read more about SEG grinder pumps here: https://product-selection.grundfos.com/za/products/seg?tab=models

A CASE IN POINT:

SEG solves wastewater challenges for cooperative

A wastewater cooperative of private households in Finland needed to transport domestic wastewater from their housing estate to the municipal wastewater network, where it needed to be treated according to government regulations.

New, higher requirements for the purification of domestic wastewater meant the cooperative had to find new solutions to treat its wastewater – it needed 446 domestic pumping stations and 36 network pumping stations that had to work together in an efficient, reliable way.

Grundfos supplied all 446 domestic pumping stations, each consisting of an SEG Autoadapt wastewater pump (in a range of sizes) placed in a standard fibreglass tank. Each station included a control box with a plug socket for the SEG pump to enable easy reading of runtime information from the pump.

The clients said the solution was “perfect for the project” and that they were “extremely satisfied” with the end result.

 

2. Challenging applications: SE1 and SEV pumps will do the job

For the transfer of wastewater with a high content of fibres; drainage and surface water; domestic, municipal or industrial wastewater; or process and cooling water, you need pumps that are robust enough to ensure large solids and rags can pass freely without causing downtime and extra maintenance.

The Grundfos SE range of submersible pumps is designed to optimise system performance in challenging applications – for example, pumping wastewater from municipal network pumping stations, clarification pits in treatment plants, public buildings and factories.

They have fitted with IEC IE3 premium efficiency standard motors, from 1.1kW to 11kW, and there are two pump options: the SE1, fitted with an S-tube impeller, and the SEV, with a SuperVortex free-flow impeller. These features ensure minimum clogging and maximum reliability – ensuring 50mm to 110 mm free passage (depending on the pump type), and total system efficiency.

The pumps’ internal, closed-loop cooling system means they can also be used for dry installations, and as transportable utility pumps. They don’t need external motor cooling and can be permanently installed using an auto-coupling guide-rail system, or with a fixed-pipe connection.

SE1 and SEV pumps are suitable for:

●       Commercial wastewater

●       Flood control

●       Wastewater treatment

●       Wastewater transport

Both feature an integrated cooling jacket; stainless-steel clamp connection between the motor and pump housing for easy service; and double mechanical cartridge shaft seal for easy service.

Read more about SE1 and SEV pumps here: https://product-selection.grundfos.com/za/products/se?tab=products

 

3. If heavy-duty calls, SE and SL pumps are the names of the game

The SE and SL ranges of wastewater pumps can be described as the “bigger, stronger relatives” of the SE1 and SEV pumps featured above, says Hennie Hanekom, Branch Manager at Grundfos

With motors ranging from 9kW to 30kW, they provide the highest total efficiency on the market – “they can handle wastewater, process water and unscreened raw sewage in heavy-duty municipal, utility and industrial applications” Hanekom adds.

Grundfos combines intelligence, motors, hydraulics and functionality to maximise the electrical and mechanical efficiency of these pumps.

For applications with low operating hours, dry-matter content up to 5% and required spherical free passage up to 100mm, the pumps come with SuperVortex impellers. If the operating hours are high, dry matter content is up to 3% and free passage of up to 160mm is needed, choose the version with the robust S-tube impeller.

The SE and SL ranges can operate submerged or dry installed without motor cooling, are extremely reliable and easy to service.

SE and SL 9kW to 30kW pumps are suitable for:

●       Commercial wastewater

●       Industrial wastewater

●       Flood control

●       Wastewater treatment

●       Wastewater transport

Read more about SE and SL pumps here https://product-selection.grundfos.com/za/products/sesl-9-30-kw?tab=models

A CASE IN POINT:

Council reaps benefits of SE wastewater pump

Kilkenny County Council in Ireland experienced daily clogging problems at a municipal pumping station servicing industries, businesses and homes in Kilkenny. The resulting downtime meant a constant risk of overflow and high service costs.

The council decided to install a Grundfos 22kW SE wastewater pump with S-tube impeller, designed to handle rag-filled raw sewage, on a trial basis.

The results? Not one clogging incident in six months since installation, substantial savings in service and maintenance costs, a large reduction in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, and more.

The council was satisfied – so much so that it started converting other, similar sites to wastewater pumps using the S-tube impeller.

 

4. From construction-site drainage to dewatering tunnels, DWK pumps cover many needs

Not all wastewater is pumped from private homes, factories or municipal, industrial and public facilities.

Sometimes what is required is dewatering or drainage – from construction or excavation sites, tunnels or fish ponds, for example.

“The Grundfos DWK pump is designed for drainage and dewatering applications, comprising three different impeller types, and is a free-standing top-discharge submersible pump,” explains Lukas van Rooyen, Wastewater sales representative at Grundfos Water Utilities.

He adds that DWK pumps are commonly used in dewatering applications in the mining industry. One specific example is where this pump has been used on a barge to pump water at a South African mine.

The range is also a good choice for industrial wastewater due to its “robust design”, says Van Rooyen.

The DWK pump is particularly suitable for temporary installation. Its compact design, combined with high-pressure capability, makes it suitable for use in drainage pits, and its cast-iron construction and hydraulic design contribute to its durability and efficiency.

There are a number of variants available.

Read more about DWK pumps here: https://www.grundfos.com/za/search?query=DWK&search-type=sitewide&tab=all-results&pageNumber=1&resultsId=other-results-list

 

5. Easy to install and easy to use, the Unilift AP performs

“The Grundfos Unilift range of vertical single-stage, stainless-steel submersible pumps with a vertical discharge port and integrated submersible one-phase canned motor is ideal for small drainage applications,” says Van Rooyen.

He notes that clients “frequently choose these very effective pumps to pump drainage water in domestic applications or very small industrial wastewater applications”, and that they are sometimes used for municipal wastewater applications.

“They are fitted with a built-in float switch and stainless-steel housing, making them a good option to run autonomously.”

The range is designed for pumping non-aggressive water and grey wastewater such as drainage and domestic effluents with particles of varying sizes (depending on the pump variant/size).

These flexible, reliable pumps can be used as portable units, or be installed inside or outside buildings, to be used for many applications, including:

●       Water and rainwater in horticulture

●       Water from rivers and lakes

●       Rainwater, drainage water and water from flooding

●       Water for filling/emptying containers, ponds or tanks

●       Effluents from showers, washing machines and sinks below sewer level

●       Pool water

●       Ditch drainage water

●       Groundwater

●       Domestic effluents from septic and sludge-treating systems

●       Liquids containing fibres from light industries and laundries

●       Effluents from viaducts and underpasses

●       Drainage water from garage sprinkler systems

Read more about Unilift AP pumps here: https://www.grundfos.com/za/search?query=Unilift&search-type=search&tab=all-results&pageNumber=1&resultsId=other-results-list