Floor Mounted Lifting Stations versus Below Ground Pumping Stations – A Comparison.
Most contractors are familiar with the concept of floor mounted lifting stations and below ground pumping stations, but may not always be sure which is best for an application. So here is some useful information from David Johnson, Business Development Manager of Aldermaston Based Pump Technology Ltd, to help.
Considerations that effect a pumping solution choice might include – how far, how high and how much to pump, as well as tank holding capacity in the event of a loss of mains electricity for example.
Other factors can include – site layout (is there adjacent land available to carry out civil works to submerge a tank), water table, the need to excavate a basement floor etc.
Floor Mounted Lifting Stations:
Generally, these are positioned in a basement or plant room and used to pump wastewater and sewage from individual sections of the building, such as changing rooms for example, to a nearby outside public sewer.
Whilst contractors are familiar with the common sizes of the Jung Pumpen lifting stations such as the EffluMaxi / Compli 400 or the 1010, the larger EfluMaxi Compli pumping systems like the 1500 and 2500 might be new to them. The tanks on these models have a storage capacity up to 500 Litres and two tanks can be manifold together to double this.
These larger capacity stations can therefore be a solution which mimics that of a below ground pumping station, pumping all waste from the building. They offer the waste volume storage and pumping capabilities associated with discharging wastewater and sewage over relatively long distances to the public sewer This is particularly beneficial when Civil works for a below ground pumping station would be difficult due to lack of outside space or the cost of excavating a basement.
The large EffluMaxi Compli pumping systems can be floor mounted within a basement or plant room. They also have the advantage of the pumps being mounted external to the tank. This “dry-well” configuration provides its own advantages. For example, inspection and maintenance savings. With the pumps on the outside of the tank they can be easily isolated and removed for maintenance if required. They are obviously cleaner to handle and the health and safety risks, associated with working over deep pits or confined spaces, are eliminated.
Below Ground Pumping Stations:
The below ground pumping station collects all wastewater and sewage that has come from the building and needs pumping to a public sewer connection point. These tanks are usually sited outside the building and have to be buried underground. When compared with a floor mounted lifting station there is a greater choice of tank sizes and pumps available and the product cost less, but when the full civil works is considered and the, potentially, more costly maintenance, the lifting station can prove more suitable.
The combination of application, type of building use, quantity of waste fluid to be pumped and site layout will generally lead the selection process to a clear conclusion between floor mounted or below ground.
Pump Technology Ltd’s below ground “PumpMatic” pumping stations are manufactured in house by a Pump Technology Ltd. group company. This enables the company to ensure that the specification, build and on-time delivery of these units is assured.
A wide range of standard modular tanks or custom tanks to suit almost every site elevations and inlet or inlets positions can all be factory rigged.
An extensive selection of submersible pumps from leading European manufacturers are available, including vortex or cutter designs.
To support Engineers with sizing of either the floor mounted EffluMaxi / Compli or their below ground PumpMatic pumping stations, Pump Technology Ltd has its own in-house qualified pump consultant, Steve Murphy.
Steve will work with engineers to discuss the application, site and future maintenance requirements. He will then size either (or both) options to allow contractors to select the system best suited to a particular installation.
Pump Technology Ltd, is currently celebrating its 30th Year specialising in wastewater and sewage pumping solutions. As the largest Jung Pumpen GmbH, authorised distributor and stockist in the UK, they have extensive and in-depth knowledge of the Jung Pumpen product range which is second-to-none.