The Right Pump for Your Lift Station System

Duplex Vertical Turbine Pumps & Wet Well

In the world of pump and lift stations, there are a lot of pump types that can be used to move water. Romtec Utilities designs package lift stations for wastewater, stormwater, and industrial water applications, and we know how to select the right pumps for your job. Beyond a pump’s curve, there are many features that can make a pump desirable. Let’s look at some useful types of pumps to explore their benefits.

Submersible Pumps

Submersible pumps are very popular for a number of reasons. Submersible pumps are highly efficient centrifugal pumps. They carry low tolerances and can pump water at high flow rates and against high heads. High efficiency means reduced operation time for the pump, giving it less energy consumption and less wear.

Submersible pumps do not require frequent maintenance. Many modern designs for submersible pumps use water as both a coolant and a lubricant. As long as the pump avoids becoming air bound, the submersible pump will provide some self-maintenance through its normal operation. Submersible pumps also reduce the risk of cavitation because they operate below grade and do not have very many points where blockages can occur.

Self-Priming Pumps

Self-priming pumps are gaining a lot of attention in the pumping industry. Before the development of self-priming pumps, a lift station operator would have to manually prime an above-grade pump before the start of each pumping cycle. Operators chose to perform this labor because of the advantages that above-grade pumps provide.

Above-grade pumps are used because the entire pump assembly –i.e. motors, electrical conduit, and etc– is housed above the wet-well. With this configuration, key components are separated from potentially corrosive or abrasive materials, e.g. wastewater, petrochemicals, or mineral slurry. Self-priming pumps have the same advantage but do not require an operator for priming.

Self-priming pumps can be maintained without entering confined-spaces, which can require permits, training, and sometimes expensive ventilation systems. Operators can perform normal maintenance and diagnostics in the open air, saving time and costs. Self-priming pumps are also a great solution for many industrial pumping applications because they can be fitted with explosion-proof motors and do not place electrical components in volatile materials.

Positive Displacement Pumps

Positive displacement pumps come in a variety of designs, including screws, progressive-cavities, rotary lobes, pistons, and diaphragms. Positive displacement pumps operate by pushing quantities of a media through a pipe at a near constant rate. Flow rates are generally low with a positive displacement pump, but the total dynamic head (TDH) does not significantly affect the flow rate. Most models of positive displacement pumps will easily handle head conditions of over 200, with some rated into the thousands.

Positive displacement pumps are very useful for industrial pumping applications because high viscosity affects flow rates less in a positive displacement pump than in a centrifugal pump. Positive displacement pumps also maintain a high degree of mechanical efficiency while pumping highly viscous liquids. This makes positive displacement pumps great for oil, mineral slurry, or other viscous media.

Axial Propeller Pumps

Axial propeller pumps are almost the opposite of positive displacement pumps. Axial propeller pumps provide extremely high flow rates but quickly lose efficiency with increasing head conditions. Some pump designs can even change the propeller angle to reach peak efficiency for varying conditions. These pumps can move a large volume of clean water in a short time.

Axial propeller pumps are suited for amusement applications and some industrial processes. The high flow rates of axial propeller pumps can be applied to different attractions for water parks or even fountains and man-made waterfalls. Axial propeller pumps are used to flood refrigeration lines or supply water to evaporators in some industrial and power operations.

Romtec Utilities can design systems with any pump type you require, but our expert engineers can also advise your project to employ some of these specialized pumps. The right pump type can greatly improve the performance of your lift station, so be sure to specify unique aspects about your project and we will find the right pump to do the job!

New MarCom Director

Romtec welcomes its newest employee, Greg Ekborg! He is joining Romtec and Romtec Utilities as the new MarCom Director, completing our Creative Department. Brad Clifford and Billy Burt comprise the rest of the department by generating web and written content respectively. This addition represents a big step forward for the Romtec companies, which value digital marketing as primary source for reaching out to customers.

“My primary work experience is doing marketing through digital media: graphic design, videos,” said Ekborg, “I think there’s a lot we [Romtec] could be doing to simplify our message for our customers.”

Romtec and Romtec Utilities have long been web-driven companies, where the majority of sales are initiated through the websites. The Creative Department is tasked with keeping the websites modern and on pace with the current modes of web-based commerce. The addition of Ekborg brings the leadership and experience needed to maintain Romtec’s position at the forefront of the restroom industry. The Creative Department will also promote Romtec Utilities to new clientele as the burgeoning water infrastructure market continues to grow.

“I look forward to the challenges of taking Romtec and Romtec Utilities to new heights and creating a platform tailor-made to our customers,” said Ekborg.

Although there are many complexities unique to these industries, Ekborg is confident that he will learn quickly and be able to contribute immediately. Overall, this is an exciting time for the Romtec companies. Having an entire creative staff in-house, web, copy, design, has been a goal for a long time. Bringing in Ekborg is a precursor of big things from Romtec and Romtec Utilities, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him join our family. Welcome Greg!

Contractors – Let us make lift stations easier for you!

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Contractors become involved in pump station projects at various phases. Romtec Utilities works with these companies to ensure that the best pumping system design can be supplied to the contractor, delivered on time to the project site and installed efficiently by the contractor.
Often, a contractor is quoting the supply and installation of a pump station design that originated with a engineer representing the municipality or other owner.  It can be a real headache for everyone if the contractor tries to “piece together” the pump station.  When purchasing multiple components from multiple vendors, figuring out who is responsible for what can be very confusing.   Read more

Overview of the Romtec Utilities’ Scope of Supply and Design Submittal

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The Romtec Utilities Scope of Supply and Design Submittal (SSDS) is a comprehensive document that contains shop drawings, data sheets and details of the products and services supplied by Romtec Utilities. The SSDS is created specific to each pump station project for review and approval by the customer, site engineer and reviewing agency. Read more

Electrical Connection Methods in Wet Well Design

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Electrical Connection Methods in Wet Well Design

In pump station system design, it is common for some aspects of the electrical design to be given less than adequate attention.  This article focuses on electrical connection methods. Specifically, the designer must consider the connection of electrical equipment inside the underground wet well to the above-ground electrical control system.   In wastewater pump stations, the wet well is classified as a hazardous area, due to the potential build-up of explosive gas. Egress of electrical cables from the wet well can be tricky business, since there are a variety of ways to run the cables and make electrical connections. Romtec Utilities has devised three methods for electrical connection; direct connection, above-ground junction box and below-ground junction box.

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The Ground Has Been Broken – Suncadia

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Romtec Utilities has opened it’s doors to a whole new side of our pump station scope of work. In March, 2010 Romtec Utilities added a construction/installation branch to our vast pump station industry. Suncadia, LLC in Cle Elum, Washington was our first construction/installation project, and a very successful first project. Suncadia Resort, with its breathtaking views of the Washington Cascades, asked Romtec Utilities to design and build a 10ft diameter by 16 1/2ft deep pump station with a valve vault and pig launcher ( for flushing objects out of the 8 inch forced main ).

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Hazardous Area Classification for Pumping Stations

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One of the first, (and most important consideration) in system design is area classification.  Area classification, will at a minimum, dictate the required components necessary to meet code.  NFPA 820 along with NEC defines the classifications for Wastewater Treatment and Collection Facilities.  It is important to note NFPA 820 covers “Pumping Stations” which is a broad term and is inclusive of most waste water pump systems.  For this reason NFPA is pertinent in nearly all in ground waste water pumping systems.

In general, residential collection systems serving 5 or less dwelling units are “Unclassified” and thus fire and explosion hazard is not applicable.  NEC still applies for general guidance in these systems.  For systems larger than 5 residential units sewers are categorized by usage type. Read more

Fish Love Pump Stations

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Romtec Utilities supplies, designs and installs waste water and storm water pump stations.  Wastewater is generated by homes, industry and schools.  Storm water runoff occurs when rain fall or snowmelt flows over parking lots and across driveways. The wastewater picks up everything in its path, eventually flowing into rivers and streams.  Stormwater runoff is hazardous to fish and other aquatic life.

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Developers – Romtec Utilities is your hassle free answer to pump stations!

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Before the recession, Romtec Utilities built lots of pump stations for developers.  Folks building pump stations these days are more often municipalities, public agencies, and private companies that need pumping systems for industrial situations.  However, as the housing market regains its strength and developers start building more homes, it is highly likely that they will need pump stations.  Why?  Well, most of the land that “slopes” to central wastewater treatment facilities has been built on.  These new developments often require some type of “lift” to get the wastewater from the homes to the treatment plant.

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Suncadia pump station installation

Romtec Utilities contracted with Suncadia, LLC in Cle Elum,

Washington to install a pump station.  The pump station will address the needs of a prestigious and growing vacation resort community, nestled in the Central Cascades between Seattle and Spokane.  Italics Construction of Portland, Oregon was selected as the Primary Subcontractor. Italics was chosen for their vast experience and efficiency on underground projects. They did not disappoint and were on site and moving quickly, clearing, grubbing and preliminary excavating on Monday, May 3rd as the northwest wind blew snow flurries all day.

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