Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP) go down from time to time due to outage or scheduled maintenance. At these times, having a bypass pumping solution is crucial to keep the water flowing; These water pump systems comprised of heavy duty, large volume trash pumps and drive units take the place of sewage treatment plants and essentially reroute the water around the main facility until the problem can be fixed, or updated. Outages can be caused by numerous issues from clogged or leaking pipes to emergency weather events which could knock out power or cause flooding. Scheduled maintenance is necessary to keep WWTPs running smoothly, and it’s always good to have your backup bypass pumping system planned ahead of time to the proper specifications, and ready for such an event. Our bypass pump rental team outlines some of the capabilities of pipe flow during bypass pumping in more detail below.
The Importance of Pipes in Bypass Flow
Contractors are responsible for bypass flow. To successfully reroute wastewater without interruptions, bypass pipes must be able to handle maximum flow capacity. As a result, the pipes will promote constant flow. All bypasses will differ; site conditions, distance, amount of water to be pumped, and pressures put upon the bypass system will determine yours. Thus, you must make a plan before you implement your operation if possible. Without a plan, for example, you may not know where to discharge the water. This affects what type of bypass system—open, closed, or a combination—to design, as well. Furthermore, if the pipes and pumps can’t handle peak flow, then you put yourself at risk for overflow.
Pumps and Valves
Bypass valves regulate and divert flow in pipes, and they also prevent flow reversal. Before you include pumps in your bypass operation, determine the number of pumps needed for your site, as well as their capacities. A typical bypass operation of a sewage treatment plant requires the amount of pumps to handle the peak flow, which will happen during a large rain event, this information will be obtained from the plant manager The amount and size of pumps to handle the peak flow will be the amount needed. Many plants will require 100% redundancy. Example, four water pumps to handle the peak flow and four standby pumps for 100% redundancy, although pumps such as the MWI H3NC can accomplish the same operation using only four 24” pumps, standby and primary will accomplish 100% redundancy and can pass 6” solids. These pumps will maintain the overall bypass, and aid in diverting flow around your worksite. They should be able to handle various flow ranges, including low-flow periods, peaks, and the average daily flow as well as be able to handle solids with a diameter of at least 3”. If you’re on the search for pumps for your specific applications, consider bypass pump rental through MWI. We offer our high-quality, expert-tested pumps and 24/7 service at affordable prices.
Additional Bypass Operation Tips from Industry Professionals
- Of course, it helps to conduct a job walk before you bid on a site. This is key for proper equipment installation and smooth operation. Plus, it’s an easy way to find any concerning barriers early on.
- For optimal efficiency, always monitor the bypass on site, as most pumps must run 24/7.
- If you need to minimize noise, equip your pumps with sound attenuating enclosures if possible.
- Your bypass system must reach a specific TDH at your pumping location; therefore, all pipe hose should be pressure rated and sized properly for the TDH calculations.
- When flow in a line is blocked, treat the line right away to prevent future damage.