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Wapakoneta
Replacement of screw pumps with compact screw pumps
Background

Wapakoneta, best known as the home of the astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, is located along I-75 in western Ohio.

Wapakoneta's forefathers built the City's first wastewater treatment plant in 1936 with several improvements since then, including a major upgrade in 1984. In addition to the expanded wastewater flow capacity, the plant features the latest technologies for providing advanced secondary level treatment of wastewater.

The setup included a raw sewage lifting station designed for three Screw Pumps. Originally Wapakoneta WWTP installed two enclosed Tube-type Screw Pumps with internal flights, leaving space for one additional pump.
The case

In 1992, capacity restraints required the third screw pump installation. However, the maintenance of existing tube-type screw pumps was very difficult. Also, the internals of the existing tube-type pumps were found to be heavily corroded.

The Wapakoneta plant, headed by its Superintendant Rob Burns, had to find a long-term solution while keeping the existing pumps in operation for as long as possible, so that any interruptions to the influent pumps station operation were kept to a minimum.
The Preassembled compact Screw Pump (right) next to the old Tube-type Screw Pump  A typical Factory Preassembled compact Screw Pump includes the trough, body with flights, upper and lower bearings, flexible coupling, speed reducer and motor  A typical installed Preassembled compact Screw Pump
The solution

BBS Engineers, acting on behalf of the City of Wapakoneta, considered different alternatives, including other tube pumps, different screw pump designs and centrifugal pumps. After a detailed study, they selected Spaans Babcock and the compact Screw Pump, as the best solution for Wapakoneta WWTP.

The compact preassembled, prealigned screw pumps are easy to install, provide capital cost savings and are easy to access for maintenance.

In 1992 the Spaans Babcock compact screw pump, provided through its-then licensee Asdor, was installed next to the two existing pumps.

In 1998, after witnessing side-by-side pump operation, Wapakoneta WWTP decided to replace the remaining two tube-type screw pumps with two Spaans Babcock preassembled compact Screw Pumps. In 1995 Spaans Babcock had introduced a new greased-for-life lower ECO bearing which was incorporated into the new pumps installed in 2002.
The Benefits

Rob Burns and his team were pleased with the project implementation and the new compact Screw Pumps. Superintendant Burns commented: “Spaans Babcock solved a major problem for us. Their technical knowledge and customer service were exemplary. We were especially pleased with the ease with which the old pumps were replaced. The new Screw Pumps have a noticeably better performance and are much easier to maintain and operate.”

Replacing existing tube-type screw pumps with internal flights, with the Spaans Babcock preassembled compact Screw Pump offers many advantages:
  1. Lower overall capital cost since very little civil work is needed. Unlike traditional screw pumps, the compact screw pump comes completely preassembled and prealigned.
  2. Lower installation time and cost. This also ensures minimum interruptions to the pumping station and plant operations.
  3. No additional work or changes required on existing systems (grit removal, screening, etc).
  4. Improved Maintenance: The screw pump body, flights, trough and the coating are readily availably for maintenance, when compared with a tube pump.
  5. Improved Operations: Increased pumping efficiency, since the tolerance between the flights and the trough is factory controlled.
  6. A simpler structural design for pumping stations requiring only a foundation support at the top and bottom of the pump.
  7. Ideal for storm water control as the pumps can be mounted in remote locations and would require little attention.
Owner:
Consultant:
Installation date:
No. of pumps: 		City of Wapakoneta
BBS, Columbus, Ohio
1992-2002
3
Application: Raw sewage lifting station
Capacity (each):
Diameter:
Lower bearing:
Lift:
Incline:
Motor: 		131 l/s
1000 mm
ECO Bearing
7,62m
37.1°
18.5 kW
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