Romtec Utilities designs and supplies pump stations for any type of water in many different applications. Each pump station project begins by creating a preliminary design. This design is created to provide a visual scope of the pump station and to review of the system configuration, componentry, and on-site footprint. In order to create the preliminary design, Romtec Utilities asks for specific design criteria in order to provide an accurate preliminary design. By getting the preliminary design completed accurately, pump station projects typically move much faster to delivery, construction, and start-up. Here are the typical design criteria we use to create a preliminary pump station design.
The first design criteria we need are the expected flow (how much water flows into the pump station), the pumping requirements or “duty point” (how much water is pumped out), and the Total Dynamic Head or TDH (the pressure being pumped against). Providing these details help size the system. This allows us to consider the basin size and pump curve in order to handle your flow and TDH.
In order to truly size the system, elevations are required. For the preliminary design, the most important elevations are the depth of the invert (also called the inlet pipe) and the force main discharge elevation. The depth of a pump station typically has the single biggest impact on the cost of the system, and the depth of the entire pump station is largely determined by the invert elevation and the discharge elevation.
After you provide the elevations, it helps the design to understand the type of water to be pumped. Knowing this detail helps get the design started correctly. If its wastewater, we can ask about solids-handling vs. macerating pumps or odor control requirements. For stormwater, we can ask about detentions ponds, pumping run-off, and other typical applications that can impact the design. Romtec Utilities has experience with all types of water from caustic water to oily water from industrial processes or booster stations. Knowing about the source and qualities of your water will help us ask the right question for your preliminary design.
Finally, electrical requirements are the last essential design criteria. There are many electrical requirements that can be provided, but in order to get an accurate preliminary design and price estimate, it is necessary to know the phase of the available power. Pumps and control panels operating with single or 3-phase power sources can impact the price of a system dramatically. These budgetary impacts hinge on other design criteria as well, so having single or 3-phase power in and of itself is not an indicator of system price. Romtec Utilities will provide you with a functional and affordable configuration depending on your available power.
Romtec Utilities will try to gain a complete understanding of your pumping goals, preferences, and site conditions in order to provide the most accurate preliminary design. Each of these design criteria will typically lead to other questions, but our expertise and experience will help your preliminary design even if you have incomplete information. Contact Romtec Utilities today to discuss your project and we will help you get a good preliminary design with budgetary pricing.