Lower specific energy and reliable flow estimates in wastewater networks

Large amounts of infiltrating water swell the water volume in the pipes to around 10 million m3 a year. As the local water and wastewater utility, Provas, only gets paid for handling 2 million m3, this is bad for business. Solving the problem required a detailed overview of flow patterns at every single pumping station. To resolve this issue, Provas and Grundfos tested the Grundfos Dedicated Controls pump controller using the energy optimisation feature and the flow estimation feature. After three months of testing, flow estimation was correct to +/-5% and specific energy was reduced by 36% at one of the test pumping stations. Monitoring energy consumption over time showed potential energy savings at Provas’ 150+ network pumping stations. Provas benefitted from operational savings, a better system overview and project plans now based on actual operating data and flow estimates.