Pump volute damage caused by grit trapped on wires.
By Shannon Gallagher & Alfredo Melendez
Metropolitan Industries recognizes that the utility services that supply our water are essential for transporting sanitary waste from our homes and facilities to nearby wastewater plants. The process requires collecting, treating, disinfecting, and reuse and involves complex pumping systems and equipment. Over time this equipment can become susceptible to unnecessary wear or premature failure resulting from foreign objects entering the wastewater stream. This is where the importance of public awareness comes into play.
Even though we can provide solutions that minimize the issue, educating the public about the implications of their actions is the first step toward a solution. An increase in the number of cleaning and hygiene-based products labeled as “flushable” has increased the clogging problems with pump systems. As a result, “flushable” products now routinely put down the toilet in bathrooms leave wastewater field personnel and building maintenance crews alike to shoulder the burden.
Metropolitan Industries’ field service personnel routinely find everything and anything imaginable while servicing equipment malfunctions, from clothing and scrubs to dirty diapers, utensils, and more.
“Flushable” wipes clump stuck inside an inline grinder.
Photo courtesy of Shannon Corn
Metropolitan Industries strives to design systems and/or provide solutions to give municipalities and commercial buildings the best fighting chance against inorganics. Given the multitude of options available and factors to consider, having a trusted expert in your corner ready to assist is highly valuable. Our experience in this subject matter has grown from successful installations of various solids handling systems. These systems range from grinders and choppers to specialized impellers designed to minimize clogging. We also utilize materials with coatings specifically engineered to withstand the additional wear and tear. This wealth of experience allows us to effectively navigate the vast array of options and identify the most suitable equipment for your needs. Whether it’s an inline twin shaft grinder or a special multi-vane impeller with high hydraulic efficiency, each component is chosen to alleviate the issue.
At Metropolitan Industries in partnership with KSB we offer KSB’s patented Amarex ARX submersible pump with D-max technology. This was specifically developed for reliable operation and high efficiency, even when faced with the challenge of processing modern day ‘flushable’ materials, and difficult contents such as long, fibrous materials, heavy solid concentrations, and other materials found in today’s municipal and industrial waste stream. The rugged and innovative D-flector suction cover provides smooth inlet entry into the semi-open, multi-vane D-Max impeller, thus enabling easy passage for consistent, worry-free performance. Built for longevity with the end-user in mind. This work horse pump brings an increased focus on: best-in-class hydraulic efficiency, clog free operation, increased durability, robust Double Mechanical Seals, and a flexible and modular design. The ARX pumps are designed for material longevity in the face of high operating pressures, various fluids, solids, fluctuating temperature, and abrasion. To meet these high demands, KSB’s foundries, and design and engineering teams take a scientific approach to materials testing, chemical and flow analyses, alloy development and manufacturing technology.
KSB D-max impeller uncoated.
At Metropolitan Industries we continually invest and utilize modern technology to improve the efficiency of municipal wastewater and commercial building sanitary sewage systems. Our latest evolution of intelligent and cloud-based controls allows field personnel to remotely monitor and identify issues ahead of equipment failures or service disruptions. The combination of state-of-the-art programmable logic controls, high quality pumps with a variety of impeller designs, options for wastewater processing, and an extensive inventory of parts allow Metropolitan to assist any customer or partner with the best possible solution to combat these challenges.
While successful water and wastewater pumping outcomes are our business at Metropolitan, we are all individual users amongst family and neighbors with a dependency for reliable water and wastewater operations. Sharing the knowledge of the cost impact on community members can be the key factor to ensuring such that vital services remain affordable for all of us.
Pictures of the D-max impeller and D-flector suction cover.
