Three ITT Flygt brand Model 3202 pumps in the sewage lift station serving the Town of Lake George.
Click here to enlarge image"We drove to the upper pump station and we went about three stories underground to view the pump installation. By examining the upper pump station with Merino, it was evident the existing pump units were oversized. The long shaft arrangement had excessive vibration which would shake the parking lot and surrounding homes," Marshall said.
Reviewing the pump arrangement, Marshall also learned that the discharge valves had to be closed approximately 90% so that the pumps could operate adequately.
Reviewing the application with Merino, it was evident that the existing maintenance problems and high energy costs could be eliminated with the incorporation of ITT Flygt brand dry pit pump units controlled with the ITT PumpSmart® controller.
In an effort to drive down the extremely high maintenance and energy costs of the existing lift stations, it was agreed to test one 70 hp Flygt Model 3202 pump in the upper station. At the heart of the pump is the proven N-impeller, a unique, self-cleaning semi-open impeller design that reduces the risk of clogging and maintains high pumping efficiency. The new pumps also include an improved cooling jacket, which extends component life.
Although specified for use in a dry-pit application, the Flygt pump is also submersible. If the sewage lift station was flooded, the pumps would continue to operate.
Pump Control
In an attempt to address the seasonal changes in pumping demand, it was also agreed to install the Flygt pump with the PumpSmart v5.0 control system as a way to handle the different volumes of flow and provide pump protection. PumpSmart is ITT's award winning intelligent flow system that works with any pump. It uses a "smart" VFD controller and proprietary control software to provide advanced process control that can increase reliability, reduce life cycle costs and significantly lower energy costs - up to 65%.
Unlike standard drives that must be designed for a wide array of equipment, PumpSmart was designed for pumps and as a result the set up is very simple and intuitive. With Smart Flow™ - or sensorless flow measurement – the control system is able to programmatically derive the specific speed design of a pump and can accurately define the pump flow rate by leveraging torque and speed.
PumpSmart knows exactly where a pump is operating on the performance curve and will protect it from dry running, low flow recirculation and run out cavitation conditions - all of which are detrimental to pump performance.