1

Dry well installation pumping station:

1. The dry well installation type consists of two separate underground chambers, the
sump or the wet well containing the liquid to be pumped and the dry well where the
pump, motor and associated pipe work are located. This type usually has an
associated superstructure where the control gear is located.
2. Two pumps connected in parallel. One Duty and one stand-by.
Under normal operating conditions the pumps operate automatically, being brought into
operation by water level detecting devices. These range from electrodes and mercury tilting
switches to ultrasonics. The operating levels are determined from consideration of inflow,
outflow and sump capacity.
All the electrical switchgear is connected to a control panel which can be used to control the
station manually if required. The panel will normally keep a record of operational
information such as hours run etc.
Dry well pumping station
2
Dry well pumping station general arrangement
Typical rising main layout
3
Pump Performance curves:
System resistance
This curve is obtained by computing the total static head (HTS) and the total friction head (hfs
+ hfd) for a range of flow rates. The results are presented graphically.
Duty point
The duty point may be found by plotting the two curves (System resistance and Pump curve)
on the H/Q axes:-
Flow rating for sewage pumps
This is related to hypothetical dry weather flow which for domestic foul sewage can only be
determined in litres/sec from
DWF =
60 x 60 x 24
d h/ 2001/ property x / persons 3 x properties of No
Number of pump units
This will generally depend upon the size and variability of the flow. For low to medium
flows two 100% (ie required capacity) units should be used. For larger inflows, three 50%
flow units (or a greater number if correspondingly smaller inflows) are suggested to give
flexibility in respect of variable inflow rates. However, this is subject to a single unit being
able to produce self-cleansing velocities of 0.75 m/sec in the rising main.
4
Sizing of rising main
There are three major factors influencing the rising main sizes:
1) Cost of pipeline: Generally the smaller the diameter the less the cost.
2) Frictional resistance: The smaller the diameter the greater the friction head to be
overcome (as H
f
2
v ) and hence the larger (and more expensive) pump
required.
3) Self-cleansing velocity.
Factors influencing selection of station type
In general there are five main areas of consideration which are listed below:
1) Civil Construction Costs
The main parameter that affects civil costs is the area and depth of excavation.
Secondary considerations are the loadings on the floors and the size of the
superstructure. Dry well stations are the most expensive being the largest in plan
area and usually have substantial superstructures, incorporating lifting beams and
hoists.
2) Initial plant costs:
Generally speaking there isnt much to choose between the actual pumps
themselves, submersible pumps tending to be marginally more expensive. However
extension to drive shafts, intermediate support, and level detecting devices,
additional valves and bends will influence costs.
3) Running costs (power consumption):
Generally the types of pumps found in dry well installations tend to operate most
efficiently (this is mainly related to the energy losses in the thrust bearing) thus they
tend to have the lowest running costs.
4) Reliability:
The degree of reliability of an installation is not directly related to the plant
arrangement. It is influenced more by the hydraulic, mechanical and electrical
design of the equipment. In the endeavour to keep down costs a design may be
adopted that will not have a degree of safety sufficient to permit variable operating
conditions, possibly resulting in failures. Overall dry well installations tend to be
more reliable, perhaps because of factor more than any other reason.
5) Maintenance:
Dry well stations have advantages in terms of accessibility and ease of maintenance.
5
Sewage pumping systems design criteria
1. The recommendations in Sewers for Adoption should be generally applied.
2. Single pump to cater for the design flow, the standby pump should be of equal
capacity
3. Unless special circumstances dictate (Eg: directly upstream of a water supply intake)
standby motive power should not be provided
4. Alarm in the event of failure should be provided
5. Stations should be designed to that in the event of total failure, mobile pumps may
be substituted temporarily.
6. As an ultimate fail safe device, an emergency overflow discharging either directly or
indirectly into a watercourse should be provided. The overflow pipe should be at the
highest possible level consistent with no resultant flooding upstream.
7. The complete installation should be designed so as to prevent septicity and siltation,
whilst noise levels and scour should be kept to a minimum.
8. Wherever possible, pumping stations should not be sited where there is a risk of
flooding from adjacent watercourses. Should there be no alternative, then
precautions against damage by flooding should be taken.
9. All electrical installations should be positioned above the possible flood level within
the station.
10. Provision should be made for pedestrian and vehicular access.
Pumping Station Sump Design
1. Sump divided into 2 compartments. Incoming pipes enter in middle broadside on.
Adequate ventilation should be provided.
2. Sump base should slope promoting uniform flow and carriage of solids to pump
suction
3. Benching should slope to a channel from which pump suction draws upwards
4. Clearance between channel bottom and suction pipe lip should allow passage of
solids but not so great as to allow their accumulation.
5. Sump depth to ensure highest starting level below incoming sewer and preferably
above pump priming level
6
6. Stop level higher than suction pipe inlet by inlet velocity head or inlet bore
whichever is greater.
7. Dissolved oxygen level must be maintained, min 0.5mg/Litre. Inlet drops and large
surface area can assist.
9. Sulphide problems must be minimised and septicity avoided.
10. Inlet design either free fall or submerges depending on sulphide content of incoming
sewage.
Pumping station design stages:
1. Determine peak and dry weather flows to station
2. Select station type factors above
3. Select rising main diameter and determine friction and static head lift
4. Select Number and configuration of pumps
5. Determine sump plan area for chosen configuration
6. Determine maximum water level in station based on incoming pipe invert level
7. Determine volume required in sump for various operational scenarios based
8. Work out stop and start levels for control purposes
9. Determine exact chamber configuration
10. Check station & rising main for night flows
Design Basis:
The below parameters are arrived:
Estimated Peak design Flow (Metres cubed per second)
Minimum Discharge Level (Meters)
Maximum Discharge Level (Meters)
Suction Level (Meters)
Minimum Suction Level (Meters)
Maximum Suction Level (Meters)
Pump Axis Level (Meters)
7
Pump Selection:
The following details listed below are the basis for Pump calculation:
Pipe roughness coefficient is considered to be 0.3mm.
One Duty and one Stand-by pump.
Minor Loss Factors for fittings (K) are taken from the Perry Data Hand book.
Frictional Factor (f) is calculated using Swamee & Jain equation which is the
simplified form of Colebrook-White equation. Friction factor can also be arrived from
Moodys chart.
Vendor data:
Manufacturer
Pump Model No.
Pump curves
Pump quotation.