COVER STORY
A leader in fluid control solutions, APE Pumps was appointed by Umgeni Water to manufacture, supply, deliver and commission Pump 4 at Verulam Pump Station.
Valves, actuators and instrumentation
18 HC) – complete with piping, auxiliaries, valves, instrumentation and a motor. The pump was specifically designed to fit into the footprint of the old pump,” says Peter Robinson, a director at APE Pumps who managed the entire project.
Variable-speed drive (VSD)
Pump 4 was fitted with a 650 kW VSD, where, instead of running two pumps in line, only one pump would be used. This is because Pump 4 can deliver in excess of what the two pumps could currently achieve. “The VSD will help to minimise life-cycle costs because the pumps will not be switched on and off repeatedly. By reducing the pump speed, the water flow is reduced and the reservoir level is maintained. The pump will therefore run for longer at lower speeds and heads. Then as water demand increases, the pumps will run at increased speeds to meet the demand,” explains Robinson.
New mechanical/ electrical installation at Verulam and La Mercy Pump Station
L
ocated in La Mercy, the Verulam Pump Station lies within eThekwini Municipality about 27 km north of Durban, close to King Shaka International Airport. The Verulam and La Mercy Pump Station is part of the Hazelmere Water Treatment Works and has six pumps – four pumps dedicated to the La Mercy area and two pumps for the Verulam area. Water from
the Verulam side of the pump station is pumped to a holding tank at Grange that distributes to surrounding areas. The La Mercy side of the pump station also acts as a backup to the Avondale Pump Station that supplies Ballito. Water from the Verulam side services a population of 70 000 people. “APE Pumps replaced a split-case pump with a new vertical turbine pump (APE
ABOVE Pump suction and delivery lines, manufactured by APE FAR LEFT Peter Robinson, director at APE Pumps LEFT Kelwyn Davidson, project manager at OBS
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JUL /AUG 2021
