New Grundfos Hydraulics: Reducing Clogging and Enhancing Confidence in Wastewater Handling
In the East of the Netherlands, the Water Authority Vechtstromen oversees the wastewater management for 23 midsize cities. With a focus on maintaining reliable service while minimizing operational costs, they recently faced a significant challenge when replacing a decades-old wastewater pumping station. This task was not only about upgrading technology but also about improving long-term efficiency and reliability—key goals for the region's water authority.
The Problem: Costly Clogging and Unreliable Operations
The old wastewater pumping station had been in operation since 1987 and was nearing the end of its lifecycle. With pumps that often clogged multiple times a month—and sometimes several times a week during heavy rainfall—this led to unpredictable downtime and expensive maintenance. Each clog required dismantling the pumps for cleaning, creating additional operational costs and increasing the risk of overflow to the environment. For Vechtstromen, this was no longer a sustainable way to manage their wastewater infrastructure.
The pumps' failure to handle demanding wastewater flows without clogging meant that Vechtstromen needed to find a reliable, long-term solution for their new pumping station, which would need to meet stringent demands for clog-free performance and low life-cycle costs for the next 25 years.
The Solution: Grundfos S-Tube® Impeller
Vechtstromen's operations team knew that the traditional technology was no longer sufficient. They turned to Grundfos for a more robust and efficient solution. After an assessment of the needs and conditions at the pumping station, Grundfos proposed the S-tube® impeller, a revolutionary hydraulic technology designed to handle challenging wastewater flows while minimizing clogging issues.
The Open S-tube® impeller offers several advantages:
- High operational reliability: It ensures minimal clogging, even in demanding conditions.
- Energy efficiency: The impeller provides high wire-to-water efficiency, improving overall system performance and reducing energy consumption.
- Durability: Designed to withstand tough conditions, the impeller offers long-term durability and requires minimal service intervention.
The solution for Vechtstromen was clear: a new SL pump equipped with the Open S-tube® impeller would be the ideal replacement for the outdated pumps in the old station. The new pumping station, dubbed “Erica,” was designed to meet the challenges of modern wastewater treatment while ensuring the highest level of serviceability.
The Results: Clog-Free and Reliable Performance
The new pumping station began operation in September 2020, and the results have been nothing short of impressive. Since the installation of the Grundfos SL pumps with Open S-tube® impellers, the station has experienced zero clogging incidents. This is a major improvement compared to the old pumps, which required up to three to four service interventions per week.
Ivo ten Brinke, Senior Process Operator at Vechtstromen, reported, “So far, the SL pumps have run for around 1000 hours, and intervention has not been required. We carry out a yearly inspection of our pumps, and if the pump with the new impeller continues to operate in this way, we are very interested to see the state of the wear parts at that time.”
This level of performance provides peace of mind for Vechtstromen, as the new technology has eliminated the need for frequent maintenance and repairs. The Open S-tube® impeller has not only improved reliability but has also helped reduce the total cost of ownership for the pumping station over its expected lifespan.
Long-Term Confidence in Wastewater Management
With the success of the new pumping station, Vechtstromen now has a reliable, low-maintenance solution that will continue to serve their wastewater management needs for decades. The installation of Grundfos’ innovative S-tube® impeller has proven to be a game-changer in addressing the critical issue of clogging in wastewater pumps.
This partnership with Grundfos has not only saved Vechtstromen significant maintenance costs but also ensured environmental protection by preventing overflow events that could affect the local community.
For Vechtstromen, this new pumping station is a significant upgrade in both efficiency and reliability. With the introduction of cutting-edge technology, they now have a system they can trust to manage the wastewater needs of 23 cities, effectively meeting current and future demands without compromising on performance.
Grundfos is proud to be part of this transformative project, and we remain committed to delivering innovative, reliable solutions that help utilities worldwide improve their water and wastewater infrastructure.
