Rehoming operational pump equipment
Desal upgrade delivers historic first flow for rural town
First and foremost – welcome to 2024. I hope you all have had a great start to the year.
The weather lately has been fantastic and I think it’s safe to say we have all been revelling in the warmth despite autumn kicking off. Although still close to the beginning of 2024, the industry has hit the ground running and has been busy with a number of events and conferences.
Pump Industry Australia Incorporated C/-340, Stuarts Point Road Yarrahapinni NSW 2441 Australia Ph/Fax: (02) 6569 0160 pumpsaustralia@bigpond.com www.pumps.org.au
PIA Executive Council 2023
James Blannin – President De.mem – Stevco
Joel Neideck – Vice President TDA Pumps
Kevin Wilson – Treasury/Secretary (outgoing) Executive Officer
Alan Rowan – Councillor Executive Officer – Publications and Training, Life Member
Ken Kugler Executive Officer – Standards, Life Member
Steve Bosnar – Councillor Franklin Electric/Pioneer Pumps
Jamie Oliver – Councillor Grundfos Pumps
Mat Arnett – Councillor Ebara Pumps
Michael Wooley – Councillor Tsurumi Pumps
Luke Biermann – Councillor Mechanical Seal Engineering Pty Ltd
Tim Yakup – Councillor Regent Pumps
Alex Caladoukas – Councillor Pump Strategy
Keith Bowen – Councillor Xtron Pumps Australia
The Pump Industry Association (PIA) had a small presence at the recent Water Industry Operations Conference and Exhibition, held in Bendigo from 28-29 February. This year’s show, the 85th WIOA event in Bendigo, boasted a record number of visitors, and attendees were able to view some fantastic pump displays. Visitors were also given the opportunity to test equipment and other peripheral equipment and services.
Also in Victoria, the Australasia’s Processing and Packaging Expo (APPEX) event was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 12-15 March, with more than 400 exhibitors representing various sectors, including machinery, ancillary equipment, materials and packaging, food processing and industry services. This show had a wide range of equipment and services from overseas and locally, everything from plastic containers, food vacuum systems and, of course, pumping equipment, mainly the hygienic variety.
In news closer to home, the PIA’s search for a replacement for Kevin Wilson – our long time secretary/ treasurer – is ongoing. The role is a paid position, and we would love to hear if you or anyone you know is interested in being involved with helping the PIA grow.
As usual the PIA will look to run some breakfast networking events in various states and if you would like to host or know of a good company that can cater to 30-plus people, please let us know.
Also, we would love to hear from members and non-members alike on what the PIA can provide to its membership base to offer more value. We are currently looking at creating a forum for pump/application questions and are investigating the best platform to try and launch this on.
On the project side of things, the New South Wales Government and Kempsey Shire Council are contributing a combined $7.814 million to a jointly funded wastewater and treatment plant in Kempsey, with the proposed new facility expected to meet the needs of the region’s future population.
I and the team at the PIA hope you have had a great start to the year and that 2024 is a great year for the pump industry as a whole.
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Cover image: New Zealand Fur-seal. Image credit: Zoos Victoria
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Managing Editor: Laura Harvey
ISSN: 2201-0270
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SA Water made changes to the design for its proposed desalination plant at Billy Lights Point in response to feedback and scientific analysis.
The utility said it reworked the design to reflect its commitment to minimising impacts to the coastal and marine environment following early engagement and analysis.
The proposal involves building a small-scale plant designed to provide long-term water security for the people of the Eyre Peninsula and ensure the ongoing health of the Uley South Basin, which provides the majority of the region’s drinking water.
The design changes include using a trenchless construction method for the installation of the plant’s intake and outfall pipes (where seawater will be drawn in and concentrated seawater will be dispersed), and the placement of these pipes in a deeper area off the coast of Billy Lights Point within a higher flushing zone.
SA Water Senior Manager of Capital Delivery, Peter Seltsikas, said the work forms part of a comprehensive process with early contract involvement partner ACCIONA.
“We have listened to and responded to feedback from the Project Reference Group and other key community groups, our regulators and various other government agencies, which highlighted the importance of minimising disturbance to the Billy Lights Point coastline and avoiding the shallow waters of Proper Bay,” Mr Seltsikas said.
“We will need to conduct additional geotechnical studies to refine the scope of the trenchless construction method, and from early next month, we will use a barge and small drill rig off the coast of our existing nearby wastewater treatment plant to collect soil and rock samples from the ocean floor.
“This will enable a better understanding of the site’s geology to determine the exact type of construction method, which could include directional drilling or tunnelling.”
The geotechnical work is expected to take several weeks to complete. SA Water said the results will help inform a detailed concept design, which will be incorporated into its development application for the project, to be lodged with the State Commission Assessment Panel in early 2024.
“The Uley South Basin is the primary source of drinking water for Port Lincoln and the lower Eyre Peninsula, but the Basin is under stress so a desalination plant is essential to augment supply,” Mr Seltsikas said.
“A combination of long-term lower groundwater recharging of the Basin and ongoing extraction rates to meet community demand means the aquifer’s water levels are likely to reach historically low levels by the mid-2020s.
“We need to build the desalination plant at Billy Lights Point to protect the health of the Basin and provide an alternative climate-independent water source to deliver drinking water to the local community.”
SA Water said it will also be undertaking further hydrodynamic modelling within the preferred marine zone and a re-run of the particle tracking model to support the geotechnical studies, which will add to existing knowledge of mussel spat movement and narrow down the exact alignment and location of the intake and outfall pipes.
“We are planning to place the pipes in a zone to the east of Billy Lights Point, up to 1.5km offshore and more than 2.5km from existing mussel leases,” Mr Seltsikas said.
“This location is near a commercial shipping corridor which extends from the marina to Cape Donnington, and is within water around ten to 15m deep.
“The outfall for our Port Lincoln Wastewater Treatment Plant sits outside of this zone further to the south, and our extensive monitoring to date has demonstrated no negative impact to the local marine environment from this marine infrastructure.”
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The failure of two cooling pumps was identified as the likely cause of an incident that took place in Corio.
Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) was called to an incident at Viva Refinery on Refinery Road, Corio in January. Firefighters arrived within six minutes to find a larger than normal burn off flare, issuing more smoke and flames than usual.
The issue is believed to have been caused by the failure of two cooling pumps after seaweed became blocked in the system.
Another pump remained in operation and work to rectify the fault was successful.
A Community Advice Notice was issued for smoke in the area at the time.
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The New South Wales Government and the Kempsey Shire Council are contributing a combined $7.814 million to a jointly funded wastewater and treatment plant in Kempsey.
The next phase of work will deliver designs for an upgraded and centralised sewage treatment plant to replace the three existing plants at West Kempsey, South Kempsey and Frederickton which are no longer fit for purpose.
$1,953,500 from the New South Wales Government’s Safe and Secure Water Program has now been confirmed to bring the project one step closer to being tender ready, with the remaining $5,860,500 coming from Kempsey Shire Council.
The proposed new Central Kempsey Wastewater Treatment Plant is expected to be able to meet the needs of the region’s future population and keep up with stringent national effluent quality requirements.
The New South Wales Government said the new plant will offer a modern and sustainable approach to wastewater management in Kempsey and will improve environmental impacts on the Macleay River and surrounding communities.
The New South Wales Government is also funding more than $3 million worth of projects across other parts of the North Coast in the hopes that it will help boost drought resilience and future-proof critical water and sewerage services, including:
Pumping systems and equipment at wastewater treatment plant. Image credit: New South Wales Government.
• $2.31 million towards the newly completed $2.62 million Nambucca Drought Response project which has delivered an upgrade to Nambucca Shire Council’s treatment plant with a high-tech disinfection system to secure the region’s safe water supply
• $392,000 towards the completed $811,000 concept designs and pre-tender works for the Evans Head Sewage Treatment Plant Augmentation as part of Richmond Valley Shire Council’s long-term plans to double the plant’s capacity to cater for population growth
• $230,000 to drill two new bores in Bonalbo with one already commissioned to supplement the town’s existing water supply during drought. The funding also installed two new bores in Tabulam, ready to be commissioned if and when they’re needed
• $115,000 to deliver detailed designs of the proposed Dorrigo Water Treatment Plant upgrade, with the other funding half coming from Bellingen Shire Council
• $62,500 to bring the replacement Grafton North Sewage Treatment Plant to tender-ready phase, with Clarence Valley Council funding the remaining $187,500
New South Wales Minister for Water and New South Wales Minister for the North Coast, Rose Jackson, said Kempsey is a growing community that continues to attract thousands of visitors every year, which is why the New South Wales Government is working to ensure the town is better equipped with 21st century infrastructure to unlock economic opportunities moving forward.
“The proposed new Central Kempsey Wastewater Treatment Plant will produce much higher quality effluent that will be maintained to the top industry standard, which is crucial in an environmentally sensitive region like the MidNorth Coast.”
Kempsey Shire Council Mayor, Leo Hauville, said, “The three existing wastewater treatment plants have serviced the Kempsey area for many years. Over the coming years they will be replaced with modern and more efficient equipment.
“Slimming down from three plants to one will provide better service to the community. It’s great news that our incredibly dedicated Water and Sewer staff will have the necessary modern facilities with sewage management for the Kempsey area at the one location.
“Planning work is already underway to ensure we are ticking all the right boxes and getting the details right from the outset. We’ll continue to keep locals informed every step of the way.”
The Western Australian Government has announced that a pivot irrigation development will be supported by a 420-hectare land transfer to the Yawuru people.
The land will be used for fodder production for the Roebuck Export Depot and Kimberley fodder market.
It will be transferred to Nyamba Buru Yawuru Limited (NBY) in conditional freehold. The pivot irrigation development will create local jobs and supply fodder to support the Kimberley pastoral industry.
The land transfer is subject to the successful negotiation of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement and will support the diversification of NBY’s agriculture operations to generate new and sustainable income for the Yawuru community.
The conditional freehold tenure will give Yawuru long-term secure ownership, along with their Native Title rights, over the land area in a boost to attract more investment into NYB’s business proposals while also improving the economic viability of ongoing livestock production activities.
Western Australian Lands Minister, John Carey, said, “I want to acknowledge NBY for developing new business ventures that benefit their communities, sustain their cultural heritage and provide more opportunities and better outcomes for traditional landowners.
“The Cook Government is committed to working with Traditional Owners to ‘close the gap’ by supporting social,
cultural and economic opportunities for communities and Aboriginal businesses.”
Kimberley MLA, Divina D’Anna, said, “This is a great outcome for the Yawuru community and demonstrates the Cook Government’s commitment to supporting new opportunities for Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley.”
Ms D’Anna said that subject to the successful negotiation of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement, the land transfer will provide NBY new commercial and business opportunities to benefit their local community.
The Northern Water Supply Project (NWSP) in South Australia has advanced to its next phase of study, with BHP joining the State Government and other industry players on the project.
The desalination pipeline proposal is being developed in partnership between government and industry to be a multiuser facility, available to many sectors and businesses in the state’s Upper Spencer Gulf and Far North regions.
The studies will examine the construction of a 260mL per day desalination plant on Eyre Peninsula and a 600km pipeline to transport desalinated water to the Far North.
BHP’s Asset President Copper South Australia, Anna Wiley, said, “The Northern Water Supply Project is strategic infrastructure with the potential to benefit multiple sectors and businesses.
“We are pleased to partner with government and others in industry to progress further studies as we work towards a commercially sound, multi-user water project.”
Ms Wiley said that global demand for copper is growing fast, and the opportunity for South Australia is significant.
“BHP has created an integrated copper province that we hope will bring the scale required to economically and sustainably produce and process more copper here in South Australia and deliver it to global customers.
“The Northern Water Supply Project will support our South Australian copper operations and growth ambitions.”
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Pump facilities and water tank infrastructure across South Australia have received a makeover, as seven vibrant new murals were added to SA Water infrastructure assets in 2023.
From Minlacowie on Yorke Peninsula to Loxton in the Riverland and Lochiel Park in Adelaide’s north-east, these murals are welcome additions to the utility’s growing gallery of public art.
SA Water’s Manager of Brand and Community Marketing, Kellie McDonald, said that SA Water has collaborated with many artists, community groups and councils to bring these artworks to life over the past year, who all bring colour, culture and creativity to the masterpieces.
“Each of these projects was made possible through the hard work and fantastic support of various councils and community groups,” Ms McDonald said.
“These collaborative efforts have transformed blank walls into eye-catching canvases, showcasing a local connection to water including with Traditional Owners, and the rich tapestry of South Australian culture such as elements of local history, nature and community spirit.
“From a vibrant night scene to Aboriginal art celebrating the region’s cultural heritage, each mural tells a unique story that resonates with the local community.”
The murals painted on SA Water infrastructure in 2023 include:
• Loxton water pump building – showcasing birds native to the area, including the Regent Parrot, Mallee Ringneck and Willy Wagtail, this mural celebrates the picturesque Riverland landscape and the local feathered friends, captured by a local Loxton artist
• Swan Reach pump house – residing on the bank of the River Murray, this pump house has transformed into a starry mural of Australia’s only dark sky reserve. The sparkling night sky over the river glistens in the background, while the region’s iconic birds, including the Australian Pelican, Blue Wren, Mallee Ringneck and laughing Kookaburra take centre stage in the foreground
• Wool Bay water tank and neighbouring shed – this mural depicts the Narungga connection to the land and waters, power of the landscape over time, highlighting agricultural scenes, the natural elements and iconic local historical sites
• Lochiel Park water tank – a family of Black Ducks, a Purple Swamphen and an endangered Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon have now taken up residence on this water tank, thanks to a working party of five local artists. The design embraces the local wetland environment, with a few subtle acknowledgements to the local groups and wildlife that frequent Lochiel Park
• Minlacowie water tank – recognising the region’s Traditional Owners, the Narungga people of Yorke Peninsula, this 6m-high tank is now a kaleidoscope of colour, displaying the four Narungga totems, the shark, eagle, kangaroo and emu. This mural recognises the value of the Narungga people’s knowledge, experience and contribution to the region
• Oodnadatta water fountain shelter – next to the iconic Pink Roadhouse stands an SA Water drinking fountain, providing free access to high quality water from Oodnadatta’s new desalination plant. A mural on the shelter surrounding the fountain was designed by a local year eight student, and all school students picked up a paintbrush to help bring the design to life. This mural tells the story of the flow and activity of water amidst the scorching outback landscape, and its importance to the Oodnadatta community
• River Torrens outlet wall – where the river meets the sea stands a striking mural with fairy floss coloured skies, playful pups on the beach, and an important message promoting the protection of the Hooded Plover’s nesting sites in the surrounding sand dunes. The mural was designed by an Adelaide Hills artist, who welcomed the local community to let their own creativity flow, to help transform this cement canvas into a treasured community masterpiece
“These SA Water assets continue to play an important role in delivering safe, clean drinking water to homes and businesses around South Australia, and now also provide a visual connection to their communities,” Ms McDonald said.
A well-known seals and pumps supplier has joined forces with another industry leader and is operating under a new name to provide high-quality products and exceptional service.
If you really want to have a good day and you’ve got a tricky issue dealing with pumps or rotating equipment, give AESSEAL NSW a call.
Having been a trusted supplier to the New South Wales market for decades and trading as Stevco Seals and Pumps and Australian Engineering Sales & Service (AESS), end users may already know and value the quality of design, manufacturing, service repair and leading-edge mechanical seal technology the company provides.
Now, it’s even better.
Since March 2022, the company has joined forces with AESSEAL, the world’s largest homogeneous designer and manufacturer of mechanical seals and a group that is setting its sights on being the best reliability company in the world.
The resulting company – AESSEAL NSW – is not just bigger; it’s better.
This alliance makes the entire product and service portfolio of both AESSEAL and AES Sealing products available to serve the Australian sealing market to the highest global standards. What does this mean for customers?
AESSEAL is a company centred on reliability, service and environmental responsibility, with numerous awards and a reputation second to none in an industry sector that is sometimes accused of taking customers for granted.
In case you missed the name change and aren’t sure where to get the exceptional quality of service, below you’ve got AESSEAL’s number.
Give AESSEAL a call on (02) 4629 6500 and let it show you what service at the next level looks like, or visit www.aesseal.com
For those working in the pump industry, John Inkster has been a familiar face and has been involved in the industry for 38 years, including a stint as the President of the Pump Industry Association. Pump Industry Magazine caught up with Mr Inkster ahead of his retirement to reflect on some of the highlights and changes he has experienced throughout his career, and find out what’s next for him post- retirement.
Following the announcement of his retirement at the end of April, the last few months have been a whirlwind of activity for Mr Inkster. As is important when things come to an end, Mr Inkster took some time out of his busy schedule to reflect on his 38-year career in the industry
The path to pumps
When asked to think back to the steps he took in his career, Mr Inkster said there was a very clear path that led him to the pump industry.
Prior to joining Brown Brothers Engineers in February 1986, Mr Inkster worked for a firm of engineering consultants in New Zealand called Royds Sutherland and McLeay – now known globally as Stantec.
“When I was working for that firm of engineering consultants, I was doing design and project management of rural water supply schemes in New Zealand, both on the north and south islands. In the later years there, I was more involved in pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for irrigation that were afforded by large hydro schemes.”
It was during this time that Mr Inkster spent two years in Western Samoa as part of New Zealand's Bilateral Aid Program with the Government of Samoa, where he was involved in building small, village-based water supply schemes primarily throughout the island of Upolu and Savaii.
It was through this engineering background and working with consultants and consultancy that Mr Inkster had an early introduction to pumps.
“I wanted to get away from project management and into a management role. An opportunity came up in Christchurch, New Zealand, for General Manager – Pumps Division at Brown Brothers Engineers. I applied for the role and was successful in getting it and, 38 years later, here we are.”
With his background in engineering consultancy and prior work with local authorities, Mr Inkster said it was a natural progression for him to go and work for Brown Brothers since he had a bit of a head start when entering the industry.
“I was often dealing with the same people; I was still liaising with the local county clerks and county engineers, so it was a bit of a logical, natural progression.
“I grew to enjoy the industry and the rest is history. That's the connection – that’s where it all came from.”
As with many industries, the pump industry has undergone significant changes in recent decades and Mr Inkster pinpoints the introduction of variable speed drives (VSDs) in the 90s as one critical turning point for the industry, as well as the evolution that the increase in smart pump technology has triggered.
“These pumps nowadays are very smart – they've all got engineering degrees or they're very IT-literate. Pumps and pump controllers themselves are very intelligent, offering significant efficiency improvements with energy costs and so forth, and that applies to motors as well. We're all very energy conscious and that reflects in our industry.”
Mr Inkster said that when he first entered the sector 38 years ago, he could never have predicted where the industry would be today, almost four decades later.
“It's not just our industry – technology has taken off everywhere. With smart pump technology and the intelligence of pumps, they can talk to each other.
“I'll often say when we go to hotels now, there's no reason why the pressure in the shower or the flow in the shower should be poor. That's a bygone era that should no longer apply. The technology is there now to make sure that it doesn't matter whether we're on the third floor or the 80th floor, we should enjoy good pressure and flow at all times because of the technology we've got now.”
Having witnessed so much innovation and transformation across the industry throughout his career, it’s hard for Mr Inkster to single out the biggest change.
“In life, nothing stays the same and the same applies to business. It's constantly evolving, and probably what I'm seeing more of nowadays is a consolidation of companies and industry.
“We're seeing a lot more activity in the mergers and acquisitions sector now. We've been part of that ourselves, with acquisitions and being acquired ourselves.”
As with most industries, significant change is not without its challenges, a factor that Mr Inkster himself has observed, highlighting that enticing young people to the industry continues to be the biggest obstacle.
“It's not a sexy industry; it's just the pumps are there and they're inside a shed or they're under the ground – you don't see them – so getting young people to come into the industry and then retaining those people is a challenge.
“Everybody's having problems in employing people at the present time; there seems to be a shortage of skilled people in every sector. In the industry, there's a lot of older people now nearing retirement like myself, and I just don't see that there's younger people coming in to replace them.”
Mr Inkster also flagged that training is a big challenge for the industry, with significant changes in the way companies are training nowadays compared to when he first entered the industry.
“Many years ago, probably decades ago, a lot of the companies would do a lot of training for several weeks, but that doesn't really happen now. Some of the larger pump companies in Australia probably do their own internal pump training, but you have to be a large organisation to do that, with the capacity and resources to do it. A lot of businesses don't have those resources.
“Attracting people to the industry, retaining them and having training protocols in place for them are the biggest challenges facing the industry.”
Reflecting on his time in the industry, Mr Inkster said that although he doesn’t have a favourite project he’s worked on, he’s always enjoyed the acquisition aspect of the industry
“I mark highlights by virtue of stepping stones that the company's made as opposed to winning this project or that project.”
In keeping with this theme, one of the clear highlights for Mr Inkster was the decision to move across the pond and “dip a toe in the water in Australia” with Brown Brothers Engineers.
Mr Inkster said they were invited to make the move by Goulds Pumps Inc who owned Lowara at that time.
“They asked us if we would like to do something in New South Wales and being a young guy, I said, ‘Yep, let's do it.’"
Mr Inkster said that establishing a branch and establishing Brown Brothers Engineers Australia in Sydney in late 1994 was a key highlight for his career. The establishment of a Melbourne office followed in 1996 once again, at the request for a Goulds Pumps Inc; at the same time Brown Brothers Engineers picked up Tasmania – giving them access to most of the eastern seaboard.
In May 2004, the company acquired an industrial company called Kelair Pumps Australia, and then in 2007, it acquired Lowara Pumps Queensland (LPQ), making Brown Brothers Engineers the distributor for Lowara on the eastern seaboard of Australia as well as New Zealand where it had been selling Lowara since 1990.
“Those movements would be the highlights. The next highlight for me later in my term was the acquisition of Brown Brothers and Kelair by AxFlow – a Swedish company – at the end of September 2018.”
“What has been hugely successful about the move is the fact that we did it and we maintained it and now we're a significant entity within the industry in Australia. It doesn't happen very often, but that was a huge achievement.
“One of the takeaways from everything is that up until now it's always been a Kiwi who has been Manager, General Manager or a CEO of Brown Brothers and for the first time in the history of the company, we now have an Aussie.
“This is how things don't stay the same, they change.”
Looking to an industry role model
Throughout his career, Mr Inkster developed strong working relationships and friendships with a lot of people across the industry – some of which he described as “real characters”. Of these people, one who had a significant impact on Mr Inkster was his boss, Ted Mace.
“Ted was a big influence on my career, and he and I had a very close relationship; there was a lot of trust between us. He had a huge impact on my life.”
Mr Inkster said that Mr Mace supported what the Brown Brothers team was trying to do by establishing itself in Australia and then in Victoria, and that he understood what was required to achieve it.
Looking back, Mr Inkster said it’s easy for him to pinpoint what his biggest takeaway from his career in the industry has been: the opportunity to work closely with a great bunch of people, forming lasting relationships – relationships that Mr Inkster knows will go beyond his retirement from the industry.
“When you've been in a position like I have for such a long time, it's the people you meet on the journey that make the job so enjoyable. And I enjoy the company of other people.
“Pumps don't talk back to you, but you can have a conversation with a person.
“The big takeaway from my time is just the opportunity to have worked with a great bunch of people and to know them very well. We've been very blessed within our organisation with a stable workforce and we're a very family-orientated company, we're not openly corporate.”
During his career, Mr Inkster spent four years as the President of the Pump Industry Association (PIA).
“When I came across to Australia in January 2000, nobody knew who I was and I didn't know who anybody else was. There's a lot of people in the industry and Brown Brothers, at that stage, was still in its infancy.
“We'd been there for five-plus years, so I joined the PIA so I could actually get to meet other people, other industry colleagues, and it worked very, very well for me. Then people got to know who John Inkster was and who Brown Brothers Engineers were because it was a New Zealand company.”
Mr Inkster is optimistic for the future, and hopes that there will be more young men and women attracted to the industry, fully trained and leading to better opportunities of retaining them.
“I hope we can teach them somehow that it is a good industry to be in. It's an essential industry, I think we're going to see a lot more innovation in time. I would suggest that in years to come, maybe five plus years, we'll be seeing products on the market that are not available now. The pumps will still be there, but how they work and the technology associated with them – they're going to get smarter and smarter.”
Despite his plans to retire at the end of April, Mr Inkster’s departure from the industry appears to be more gradual; he will be attending the next Managing Directors meeting in Stockholm in June for a more formal handover process.
Travel – both for work and for personal reasons – is at the top of Mr Inkster’s retirement agenda.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked what I'm going to do in retirement, but millions of people do it around the world every day, every week, every month, so I'll do the same. My wife and I want to do a bit of travel, and this time she can have some travel where I don’t say, ‘We've got a flight tomorrow morning,’ and we're only there for a day and a half. Now we can go and we can actually relax, without me having to be somewhere else at a certain time.
“It used to annoy her a lot, but it just went with the territory. Now we can travel at our leisure and we do have a big trip to Europe planned in September.”
Family will also firmly take front seat in Mr Inkster’s retirement, with plans to investigate his family tree and visit family down in Melbourne. Even with all these things to keep him busy post-retirement, Mr Inkster has no intention of becoming a stranger to the people he met throughout his career.
“When I retire, most of all, I will have fond memories of the people I worked with. There's some great people and we had some great laughs and great times – visiting factories overseas in Europe and the US – and the enjoyment of meeting all those other people. I have many, many great memories.”
Ebara Pumps Australia has introduced energy saving pumps – K series equipped with a new variable frequency drive E-SPD+ (plus) to the Australian market. This new product allows users to save on energy costs with optimised operations according to the system’s requirements and contribute to a sustainable society.
With rising energy costs and concerns about climate change, energy efficiency and environmental conservation have become increasingly significant topics in the world.
Pumps are everywhere and sustain our lives and industries by means of supplying water and other mediums. Surprisingly, pumps account for over ten per cent of the world’s energy consumption. Due to this, the Ebara Group aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and contribute to the creation of a sustainable society.
Thus, Ebara Pumps Australia has introduced a new variable frequency drive E-SPD+ (plus) to provide energysaving solutions to the pump market. The E-SPD+ (plus) is mounted on the terminal board of electric motors from 2.2kW up to 11kW, and can be used with horizontal and vertical Ebara centrifugal pumps. It’s capable of varying the speed of pumps continuously and operating on any duty points, consequently optimising performances and energy consumption according to the system's requirements.
The model ranges of E-SPD+ (plus) are as follows:
• E-SPD+2200MT: 230V single phase input/three phase output with up to 2.2kW nominal power
• E-SPD+4000TT: 400V three phase pumps input/three phase output with up to 4kW nominal power
• E-SPD+11000TT: 400V three phase pumps input/three phase output with up to 11kW nominal power
The special features of the new solutions are:
• Innovative LCD display for viewing and changing operating parameters and for keeping track of the history of the key parameters, faults and alarms. Its cover can be rotated 180° for easier reading
• System protection against over currents, input voltage fluctuations, dry running and losses in the system
• Easy installation and programming thanks to the highly-intuitive and user-friendly software
• Connectivity is provided by four configurable digital inputs, two ports for configurable digital outputs, two ports for analogue 4-20mA inputs, one port for 0-10V input, and one port for motor thermistor PTC input
• Two RS485 ports for communication and parallel operation of up to eight pumps
• Connecting to monitoring systems with ModBus connection Finally, E-SPD+ (plus) is available as energy saving pumps K series vertical multi-stage inline pumps EVMS-K, horizontal multi-stage electric pumps MATRIX-K and self-priming pumps
JEX-K. K series enables it to be applied to different types of systems and used in various applications.
Pump control systems:
• Fixed speed
• Constant pressure for pressure boosting systems
• Differential pressure for circulation systems
Applications:
• Water supply
• Pressure boosting
• Irrigation systems
• Filtration and reverse osmosis
• Industrial cooling or heating systems
• Fountains
Thanks to the cutting edge technology of E-SPD+ (plus) and a new variety of energy saving pumps, K series enables Ebara to move toward reaching carbon neutrality goals to contribute to a sustainable society.
New generation inverter with air cooling, installable on the motor terminal board, which can be used with horizontal and vertical EBARA centrifugal pumps, and mounted on motors from 2.2kW up to 11kW. Inclusive of two RS485 ports for communication and parallel operation of up to eight pumps, and for connecting to monitoring systems with ModBus connection. Versatility of this solutions can be applied to di�erent types of system and applications.
Features
Simplicity
Assisted set-up, thanks to particularly user friendly software
Innovation
LCD display for ease of set-up, fault identification and alarm monitoring
Safety
Integrated protections for major common issues
Flexibility
Installable on horizontal, vertical
Pumps Australia Pty Ltd
likely to attract the attention of the industry.
As such, the Australian industry has come to rely on Franklin for the quality, reliability and performance it provides.
Franklin’s commitment to serving the industry is demonstrated to its customers daily through the company’s Five Key Factors for Success:
• Quality
• Availability
• Service
• Innovation
• Cost
Since 1962 Franklin has been dedicated and committed to providing reassurance to the Australian industry through the abilities of highly-qualified individuals, able to resolve situational problems and to fix your pumping needs.
Abattoir in Northern Victoria
Franklin continues its ongoing work to supply high-quality solutions around the country.
A recent build for an Abattoir in far northern Victoria put the teams’ skills to the test, with the build of a Sextuple EV Booster Pump-Set, with space on the skid for a future pump install.
This complex system was supplied as two Triplex Pump Sets for ease of freight and installation. In addition to this was Franklin’s DrivE-Tech VFD Controllers, which
are intercommunicated to form a multi-pump constant pressure system. The drives enable control of pumps individually – allowing for energy efficiency and better operational performance.
Franklin is proud of its ongoing support to local communities. A key relationship underscoring this dedication and support is Franklin’s partnership with the Williamstown Seagulls Football Integration Development Association (FIDA). According to Franklin, this partnership is at the forefront of what it stands for as a company.
In the past Franklin has provided ongoing support to the team and its coach, Glenn Evans.
Speaking about Franklin and the partnership, Mr Evans said, “We are grateful for Franklin's contribution to the club.”
Franklin looks forward to continued endeavours from the team and hopes they can pursue their goals into the future, with Franklin Electric playing a small part of such successes –now and into the team’s future.
Based in Dandenong, Victoria, the team at Franklin strives to meet the current and future needs of its industrial water systems customers, providing not only an extensive range of reliable water pump and submersible motor products, but also delivering great customer service.
As the world’s driest inhabited continent, Australia has always faced challenges in terms of meeting its water consumption needs and the twin challenges of climate change and population growth only compound the country’s inherent water scarcity.
ifm’s IO-Link solution is helping innovative wastewater treatment companies, like Aerofloat, tackle these challenges –saving time, money and water.
Each state and territory has its own regulatory frameworks when it comes to recycling water, with criteria governing wastewater handling including the wastewater source, site constraints, treatment methods and the quality of effluent needed for proposed end-uses of treated water.
Accounting for these factors means there is no one-sizefits-all solution.
Senior Applications Engineer at ifm, Grant Smith, said that the challenge for wastewater treatment operations is to run plants effectively along the entire cycle – producing a result that is economical, effective, safe and in line with environmental regulations.
“At ifm, we understand the customers’ needs and focus on offering scalable solutions that are the best fit for the application,” Mr Smith said.
“We offer solutions for water and wastewater treatment plants, including physical hardware. We take a consultative approach, which helps us understand the customers, and we know that every application and project is different.”
Pressure sensor innovation
Mr Smith said ifm has supplied various IO-Link Solution wastewater treatment projects, providing hygienic pressure sensors that continuously detect the tank’s pressure, temperature, level and flow.
IO-Link is a short-distance communications network that connects smart sensors and actuators back to an industrial control system, allowing for richer and more transparent data monitoring.
ifm’s National IoT Business Manager and Digital Strategy Leader, Freddie Coertze, said that where traditional sensors
would each have to be wired through separate channels, IOLink has just one channel with all the information about an operation, including variables such as pressure, temperature, level and flow.
“In the past, conversion losses and EMC interference during the analogue signal transmission of the level caused inaccuracies and errors. IO-Link utilises purely digital transmission of the measured values. That way, the exact measured value is transmitted to the controller, eliminating any risk of signal interruption,” Mr Coertze said.
With IO-Link, screened cables and associated grounding and expensive analogue input cards are no longer necessary. Instead, data can be transferred via industry-standard cables.
Fronting the charge
ifm has collaborated with water treatment companies using sensor and control systems for many years. One such enterprise is Aerofloat, an Australian industrial wastewater treatment specialist that ifm has been working with to help provide customers with affordable, Australian-compliant treatment services.
Aerofloat’s General Manager of Engineering and Operations, Michael Anderson, said that the company is committed to innovation and sustainable solutions, with several patented technologies, and an R&D focus.
“Relationships like the one we’ve built with ifm are critical. We’ve done some reliable wastewater treatment plants exclusively fitted out with ifm instruments.”
Mr Anderson said that because ifm has so many instruments in its portfolio, there are always new products that can be added to Aerofloat’s arsenal in servicing its wastewater plants.
“With IO-Link, we can add a new instrument later without upgrading the control panel. We can quickly and efficiently get the instrument into one of the field modules with a digital system.
“Having that scalability, flexibility and ease of add-on functionality is critical. It not only helps us respond to customer demands but also allows us to adjust to regulatory changes within the industry.”
Are you ready to take your water facility to the next level of performance, quality, and efficiency?
With IO-Link, you can enjoy the benefits of digital communication and data access for your process instruments.
IO-Link is a simple, flexible, and cost-effective way to connect your sensors and actuators to your higher level controller.
Here are some of the advantages of IO-Link for your water facility:
Elevate Your Operation: Harness reliable, precise data.
Save money by eliminating the need for analogue input cards and shrinking your control cabinet size.
Increase your efficiency with bidirectional data exchange between your devices and your controller.
Improve your machine uptime by replacing faulty devices quickly and easily with the automatic device replacement feature of IO-Link enabled sensors.
Don’t miss this opportunity to upgrade your facility with IO-Link, the smart solution for intelligent digital transformation. Contact us today to find out more!
Industry is driven by productivity, productivity is driven by efficiency, and efficiency is driven by integration.
Keeping this in mind, WEG has developed WEGmotion Drives – an integrated and flexible package that combines motors, drives, gears and digital solutions to improve productivity of manufacturing plants.
The results include better reliability, better control of machines and equipment, more intelligence in operational processes and more efficiency for each industry.
With robust technical support, WEG guarantees the efficiency of your process, contributing to increased operational gains.
The main features of WEGmotion Drives are:
• Offering the combination of three innovative products in one integrated package from one supplier
• WEG verticalisation provides full control of manufacturing and quality processes
• Solutions for a range of applications from a wide product portfolio
• Flexibility allows for competitiveness of highly customised packages
• The integrated package assists in driving efficiency and sustainability
With WEGmotion Drives it’s possible to combine the quality of its motors, the strength of its gearboxes and the reliability of its inverters in a flexible and integrated package for the most diverse applications across a wide range of industrial segments.
If your company seeks total process control, regardless of your machine’s design, WEG provides fully integrated and flexible WEGmotion Drives solutions that can maximise the performance of your machines – whatever their application.
WEG. Getting you ready today for tomorrow’s challenge.
To learn more about WEGmotion Drives, scan the QR code:
Optimal control of pump speed helps to significantly reduce energy consumption.
The Grundfos CUE is a variable frequency drive for the effective speed control of any Grundfos pump without integrated drives – irrespective of size or area of application.
Perfectly suited for pump applications in industrial pumping solutions, Grundfos CUE keeps pump speed optimal and reduces energy consumption.
New functionality means that an additional 5-15 per cent of energy is saved in applications with stable flow rates.
Maximum convenience and advanced user interface Grundfos CUE is an integral part of Grundfos iSOLUTIONS. Offering simple installation and operation coupled with extensive control and monitoring possibilities, Grundfos CUE is perfectly suited for pump applications in the water or wastewater network, building services, or industrial pumping solutions.
Dedicated functionality for industrial pump systems
With dedicated functionality for industrial systems, Grundfos CUE ensures fully optimised operation in these applications:
Industrial water supply
• Pipe fill mode improves system reliability, prevents water hammering and is specifically designed for both vertical and horizontal pipe systems to increase system performance and prevent water hammer in the application
• Low flow stop function offers improved energy optimisation, easy configuration and high comfort
• Built-in cascade control of two fixed-speed pumps allows increased flow by simple cascade option of up to two fixedspeed pumps and easy set-up from the start-up guide
Industrial processes
• High overload and constant torque – the torque characteristic is normally set to variable torque for centrifugal pumps. However, Grundfos CUE offers a constant torque characteristic optimised for:
» Higher starting torque
» Screw spindle pumps
» Load shocks in machine tool pumps
• Stop at minimum speed function, which ensures that the pump will stop after a selected time when the controller is in saturation, forcing the pump to run at minimum speed Do you have a fixed-speed pump system running all the time? Contact Grundfos and the team can help you to optimise your installation by adding a CUE frequency driver.
How validated carbon reduction targets can safeguard your business Grundfos is the first water solutions company to receive validation of its long-term 2050 net zero target and near-term 2030 emission reduction targets from the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
grundfos.com.au
Let’s work together towards decarbonising industry!
A filter housing serves as the frontline defence against contaminants, safeguarding downstream users and equipment. Choosing the wrong one can lead to performance issues, increased maintenance costs and potential system failures.
That’s where Maxaflex Filter Housing Kits come in – a first-class solution designed to set a new standard in filter housing flexibility.
Flexible connectivity for diverse systems
Maxaflex Filter Housing Kits redefine flexibility by seamlessly connecting into a wide array of pumping systems. The range is multipurpose and interchangeable with other filter systems. Whether operating an agriculture site, a water treatment plant, an industrial facility or a residential water supply system, Maxaflex adapts effortlessly to specific requirements.
Low-cost, high-quality assurance
Say goodbye to the trade-off between cost and quality.
Maxaflex offers a budget-friendly option without compromising on excellence.
Backed by Global Water Solutions (GWS) and Southern Pumping – Australian specialists in pumping since 1974 – Maxaflex Filter Housing Kits provide a reliable and affordable solution.
Certified safety and easy installation
Safety is paramount and Maxaflex reinforces this by being certified to Australian and International standards – WaterMark AS/NZS 4020 and ANSI/NSF 42.
Installing Maxaflex Filter Housing Kits is a breeze with complete, ready-to-install kits saving time and effort in the setup process.
Extended lifespan with free grooved filter cartridge
Maxaflex goes the extra mile by including a free grooved filter cartridge in each housing.
Boasting 80 per cent more surface area than standard filter elements, this cartridge ensures a longer lifespan, minimising pressure and flow rate drops over time. It's a cost-effective solution that enhances the overall efficiency of your pumping system.
Experience a new standard in water filtration with Maxaflex, designed for optimal efficiency, durability and versatility.
Upgrade to the Maxaflex Water Filter Housing Kits and elevate your water filtration experience.
Maxaflex Filter Housing Kits – the new standard in filter housing flexibility.
Flexible – connects into more systems and suits multiple filter cartridge types
Economical – competitive pricing without compromising on quality
Safe – certified to Australian standards AS/NZS 4020
Easy – complete kits ready to install
Trusted – backed by GWS and Southern Pumping, Australian specialists in pumping since 1974
Multiple sizes – available in single and dual housings across three size options
Free grooved filter cartridge included per housing – 80 per cent more surface area than standard filter elements, giving longer lifespan, less pressure drop and less flow rate drop over time
Melbourne Zoo is highly regarded for the vast array of species it hosts and its dedicated conservation efforts, but perhaps less well-known is the work being undertaken behind the scenes to uphold the high sustainability standards it prides itself on, including an onsite water treatment plant and VSDs supporting crucial Aquatic Life Support Systems.
Melbourne Zoo is renowned for its rich biodiversity and is located within the heart of the city. As you wander through the world of wildlife, visitors will notice the diversity of species that call the Zoo home – species that are representative of a diverse range of landscapes, from tropical rainforests to the Australian bush.
Melbourne Zoo is also a botanical garden with complex needs and maintaining a microcosm of the world in the one precinct presents its own set of unique horticultural challenges and requirements. In response to this, the Zoo has some groundbreaking systems in place that are being used to conserve water onsite.
As many endangered animals are vulnerable to climate change and habitat loss, Zoos Victoria is determined to be a world leader in environmental sustainability, recognising the key role sustainable practices play in its mission to fight extinction. Zoos Victoria is committed to reducing water consumption, while maintaining the diverse environments for the more than 200 species that call the Zoo home.
Melbourne Zoo’s Zac Saber, is Sustainability Manager at the 160-year-old cultural location, where a large part of his role is water management.
At Melbourne Zoo, 90 per cent of the water used is collected from the Zoo grounds and processed onsite through a water treatment plant. This has considerably decreased the Zoo's use of potable water when its consumption is not needed. The water is captured across the entirety of the zoo – from stormwater drains, wastewater, animal exhibits and moats.
“Our ability to utilise recycled water and avoid potable water use has been a huge achievement,” Mr Saber said.
“Recycled water accounts for approximately 50 per cent of our annual usage onsite by having this plant.”
Among the Zoo’s team of Horticulturists, Plant Operators and Water Technicians, one person looking after the complex water needs of Melbourne Zoo is Irrigation Specialist, Giuseppe Greco.
Hailing from Catania, Italy, where his family still operates an organic citrus farm, Mr Greco’s agricultural roots led him to study Science and Technology, where he produced a thesis on biomass and energy. Mr Greco holds an intimate knowledge of the Zoo’s varied landscapes and the science behind effectively managing its most precious resource: water.
“I make sure we efficiently deliver water to maintain our diverse landscapes to keep them happy and healthy,” Mr Greco said.
Mr Greco explained that the Zoo has a very sophisticated network, starting at what he has dubbed its ‘headquarters’: the water treatment plant.
The recycled water captured onsite is delivered with an automated system to the grounds via a complex irrigation network to all the gardens managed by the horticulture team, as well as to various water bodies across the property, including the Asian elephant pools and Pygmy hippopotamus pools.
“We have a reticulation system of approximately 15,000 sprinklers throughout the Zoo, which I utilise to maintain our gardens and tree collections,” Mr Greco said.
“Some of these trees are listed on the City of Melbourne’s Exceptional Tree Register, so we need to ensure we are receptive to the trees’ needs.”
Mr Greco and the team have developed a modelling system with soil probes and other environmental monitoring devices, some attached to the canopies of trees.
“Each area behaves differently, but we know how much water goes through the soil layers. The monitoring system provides us with data on the volumes of water needed in particular areas, allowing us to be efficient in our watering.”
Mr Greco said that a day with a 34°C forecast with some wind means there will be a significant amount of water loss from transpiration in the tree canopy.
“For example, the 105-plus years old Ficus tree (Ficus Macrophylla) at Carousel Park has a wide canopy and will lose roughly 1,000L of water on a very hot day.”
To counteract these heat events, Mr Greco and the team proactively forecast the climate and prepare soil before time.
“This site is complex to manage because there are so many different landscapes and water requirements. My role is to ensure we have a system that supports both our habitats and animals.”
The Zoo has a whole range of different pumps that are within the variety of the systems in use, the specs of which are dependent on the system they are feeding and the optimal flow rates required for associated life support systems.
Many of the Zoo’s filtration systems are retrofitted into areas that may not have always been water bodies – as is the nature of a constantly changing 160-year-old zoo – so depending on the differing needs, the Zoo will employ submersible or end-suction pumps.
The Wild Sea Precinct
Mr Saber and his team also manage Aquatic Life Support Systems within the Zoo’s Wild Sea Precinct.
Wild Sea showcases Victoria’s coastal environment and the marine life that calls it home. These species include Australian and long-nosed fur seals, little penguins, fiddler rays, seahorses and other fish species. With an unmissable conservation focus, the area highlights the threats to Victoria’s coastal areas and underscores what people can do to help protect them.
An extensive web of 24-hour life support systems maintain the quality of numerous bodies of water for the animals of Wild Sea. These life support systems are comprised of pumps, chillers, UV Sterilisers, Ozone Generators and filters that process around 1.5 million litres of water several times a day.
Wild Sea is also reusing water onsite with its backwash recovery system. Water that goes through backwash is sterilised through sand filters and injected with ozone.
Once the water is cleaned, it goes into saltwater distribution before filling up the seals and penguins’ systems. One backwash of the systems that services the seals and penguins uses approximately 30,000L of water that is then able to be reused.
Wild Sea pumps in play
Many of the systems in use at the Wild Sea Precinct will have corrosion resistant pumps as saltwater and ozone often eats away at various components. This also prevents any trace metals entering the water as some of these systems have fish and elasmobranchs in them that could be sensitive to any corrosion by-products.
The Wild Seas systems are designed with multiple circulation pumps so ideally the Zoo doesn't lose the entire Life Support System if one pump was to fail. Similarly, the Zoo’s stormwater plant has multiple pumps for the filtration
stages, as this is particularly beneficial for systems that are running submersible pumps as failures are less likely to be identified early.
Even with such sensitive and critical systems, the Zoo’s commitment to sustainability is never far off. Most of the circulation and filtration at Wild Sea was designed with VSDs to achieve flow-rates rather than throttling valves – this allows many of the automation processes to be controlled from the Programmable Logic Controller, aids in longevity of pumps, and is beneficial to our energy consumption for the precinct.
While VSDs were less involved in the overall design of the Zoo’s stormwater treatment plant, the pressure pumps and any booster pumps that are built into the system do use VSDs for the same reasons, and would likely be a consideration for any future replacements.
While water circulation and filtration are significant power consumers onsite, Melbourne Zoo strives for best practice in this space wherever possible – it aids the Zoo in aiming for its sustainability targets, but also makes the most sense from an asset management point of view.
The biggest complications faced by the team at the Zoo are critical failures and more often than not, systems are run with multiple pumps either in a Duty-Standby arrangement or they are designed in such a way that a pump failure does not mean the entire plant is down.
Due to the large demand for recycled water at the Zoo, any plant failures must be dealt with quickly to avoid impacting operations and most importantly animal welfare.
Most of the pumps in use onsite have relatively low maintenance requirements – with occasional greasing and
more of a focus on monitoring and inspecting. In spite of this, there are also a handful of critical spares the team would need onsite to keep them out of trouble. The team is equipped to handle ornamental water bodies stopping for a period of time, but there’s no room for complete life support failure.
“Problem solving any plant failures can take precedence over what was planned for the day. Addressing a burst pipe is far more time sensitive than responding to an email!” Mr Saber said.
“Most of our systems are automated with a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and Human Machine Interface (HMI) system – from the Wild Seas Life Support Systems through to our organics processing and HotRot Machine, there’s a lot of technology that we use daily.”
“It also helps a lot to have remote access to identify faults. On a big day, I might walk ten kilometres around the Zoo between all of the plant rooms, so having the tools to remotely check if something is running is very useful.”
Many of the upgrades the Zoo has undergone have actually been through software and programming changes. The team didn’t always have the ability to adjust the speeds of some filtration pumps through the PLC systems, and these changes have allowed for slight tweaks resulting in better water quality parameters for the Zoo’s exhibit inhabitants.
Zoos Victoria’s sustainability commitment reflects its identity as an ecologically mindful conservation organisation.
“We do a lot of work in conservation, but also recognise that our power, waste and water will have an impact on the planet. By reducing that footprint, we are better equipped to fight extinction and reduce habitat loss,” Mr Saber said.
“You can’t campaign for the conservation of endangered species if you aren’t practising it in your own backyard.”
In an age where environmental responsibility is no longer a choice but a necessity, Wellington Shire Council made a concerted effort to integrate sustainable design principles, including repurposing equipment, into its $23 million redevelopment of Aqua Energy Leisure Centre in Sale.
Wellington Shire is the third largest municipality in Victoria, with an expansive 16 swimming pools across six locations and almost 11,000 square kilometres. This leaves Wellington Shire Council with one of the most extensive outdoor pool portfolios in the state.
Given this portfolio scale, it became imperative from the outset to adopt a sustainable approach to the Aqua Energy Redevelopment, aimed at both cost-saving measures and the efficient repurposing of perfectly functional equipment within its regional pool facilities. With stage one of the redevelopment almost complete, Wellington Shire Council believes that this is what has been achieved, demonstrating a commitment to environmental stewardship and promoting sustainable practices across the organisation and community. Rescuing functional equipment
For Council, the project objective was clear – to create a modern and accessible facility that promotes health and wellbeing and aligns with sustainable practices without compromising on budget constraints.
In November 2023, as demolition crews commenced their work on the centre, the 25m chlorine dosing system, including a pulsar precision control panel and chlorine feeder, found a new purpose at the nearby Heyfield Outdoor Pool.
With a current value of $10,000, the system – designed to automatically regulate water pH and chlorine levels – was a savvy cost-saving initiative for the Council.
The chlorine dosing system was installed alongside the filtration system. Return water is tested using the Pulsar Strantrol unit, which monitors current pool levels and triggers chemical balancing with chlorine or CO₂ for pH stabilisation. The unit undergoes testing and calibration in accordance with manual testing and calibration procedures. After testing and balancing, the set points are locked to maintain chemical levels.
Since its installation at Heyfield Outdoor Pool, routine maintenance on the chlorine dosing system involves recalibrating levels and set points, cleaning testing probes and clearing chlorine feeder and return lines.
The surplus of equipment that resulted from the redevelopment also included a pump system and prior to their removal as part of the redevelopment, the pump system and chlorine dosing system were flushed and meticulously cleaned.
The surplus pump system contained two 3kW Grundfos circulation (couple end-suction) pumps. The Grundfos circulation pumps were sourced in Australia and originally installed by local Gippsland contractor AC pools.
Wellington Shire Council intends to utilise the two Grundfos circulation pumps to replace a single pump at the Maffra Outdoor pool. This change will provide redundancy, ensuring continuous circulation even if one pump malfunctions.
Among the other salvageable items awaiting reuse are solar panels with an estimated value of $100,000. These panels are ready to find their next home, with potential destinations ranging from local recreation reserves to sporting change rooms, aged care facilities, library and customer service hubs –all of which are earmarked for future enhancements.
Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Ian Bye, said Council is committed to finding new and innovative ways to make the most of pool equipment that still has life left in it.
“The decision to repurpose and integrate equipment into smaller pool facilities became a natural choice for us.”
Despite project constraints, such as a partial rebuild of the existing facility and budget limitations, Wellington Shire Council has remained committed to its promise to sustainable practice – most notably, the decision to retain significant existing infrastructure, including air handling units a mere 18 months old.
By focusing on elements such as insulation, airtightness, and ventilation with heat recovery, Aqua Energy Leisure Centre aims to create a healthier and more comfortable environment for visitors while simultaneously reducing the facility's carbon footprint.
Wellington Shire Council’s commitment to enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability is demonstrated in the comprehensive measures implemented across its facilities and assets. A recent initiative involves certifying Project Engineers
in ‘Passive House Building Standards’. This official accreditation in sustainable building design makes it easier for project teams to integrate this crucial aspect into future projects, benefiting the entire community by focusing on energy efficiency, comfort, and affordability.
Additionally, incorporating passive house design principles reduces a building's overall energy demand, making it easier to transition to other heating sources in the future.
In a notable achievement, Council now boasts the highest number of certified 'Passive House' designers across the Gippsland region.
Additional strategies, such as reducing thermal bridges and implementing airtightness testing to enhance ventilation efficiency, are currently being utilised. Incorporating high levels of building insulation along with thermally efficient double glazing, as well as utilising natural daylight and LED lighting, further aids in energy conservation.
levels, while also leveraging natural features like proximity to open spaces, including large red gum trees and nearby Lake Guthridge.
Water-efficient fixtures, the reuse of existing solar panels, and installation of new ones with future expansion capability aim to maximise available rebates.
The $23 million facility upgrade has been made possible thanks to the Victorian Government, including $2 million from the Local Sports Infrastructure Fund and $10 million from the Community Sports Infrastructure Loan Scheme, $950,000 from the John Leslie Foundation, with the remainder of the project funded by Wellington Shire Council. Council is also utilising funds from the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.
As a key asset for the community, Council placed emphasis on creating a comfortable building environment, characterised by even temperatures, reduced draughts, and lower noise
“Our commitment to sustainable design reflects our dedication to creating a positive impact on the environment while providing a state-of-the-art facility for our community,” Cr Bye said.
"Our focus extends beyond the construction phase, and we are dedicated to maintaining a sustainable approach throughout the lifecycle of the leisure centre."
When reviewing the Wellington Shire Council Plan, it is clear that four strategic directions and priorities have shaped its work over the past four years: Environment and Climate Change, Economy and Sustainable Growth, Liveability and Wellbeing, and Services and Infrastructure. It appears this redevelopment has showcased these elements.
Irrigation Australia is thrilled to present the Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition in conjunction with the 9th Asian Regional Conference of Irrigation & Drainage and the 75th International Executive Council (IEC) Meeting.
With less than six months to go, the countdown is on to the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest irrigation event. There is still time to be part of this event and here’s a sneak preview of what attendees can look forward to.
Huge combined event
At least 1,000 delegates and around 100 exhibitors are expected to attend the event from 1-7 September. The event will be held at the spectacular Sydney International Convention Centre in the heart of Darling Harbour.
A unique aspect of this combined event is its size and scope; it brings together world-renowned researchers and policy makers, leading manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, water managers, installers, designers and others from Australia and further afield all under the one roof.
Rich conference program
The conference promises a rich program, with presenters from around the globe, based around the theme: ‘Irrigation’s role in delivering economically viable food security and sustainable urban spaces in an increasingly unpredictable climate’.
The conference themes and sub-themes promote inclusion but also celebrate the significant skills and expertise the irrigation industry offers, along with the benefits of international collaboration.
exhibition approach
In 2024, Irrigation Australia has taken a fresh approach to the exhibition, making some big changes to ensure it is as interactive, fun and productive as possible for both delegates and exhibitors.
In 2024 the event will have:
• More space, with all meals incorporated into the exhibition hall
• Two-hour lunch breaks with plenty of activities, including promotions and competitions
• An ‘interactive zone’ where exhibitors can demonstrate their products
• A networking lounge
• Exhibitor competitions
There’s still time to secure your exhibition space. The exhibition is an unparalleled opportunity for organisations to come face-to-face with customers, to increase visibility and to showcase products and services.
Irrigation Australia is excited to welcome Franklin Electric as its principal partner and major sponsors include Brown Brothers Engineers Australia, Davey Water Australia and Rain Bird Australia.
It is not too late to get involved as a sponsor and there are a range of packages available.
As always, you can look forward to a selection of sideevents: workshops, technical tours, social and networking events. Among these is the ‘Women Working in Water’ Breakfast, which was one of the highlights of the 2022 event. Attendees will also have plenty of time to catch up with old friends and colleagues and forge new connections at the welcome ceremony and the conference dinner, which will feature entertainment by Aus rock band, Classic Oz. Irrigation Australia looks forward to welcoming you!
To find out about sponsorship or exhibitor opportunities, contact Robert Gunn 0497 800 962 or Abdul Khan 0433 159 345, irrigationpartnerships@theeventgap.com.au Visit the event website at https://irrigationconference2024.com.au/exhibition-opportunities/
For the first time in history, residents and businesses in Marla, South Australia, can access safe and clean drinking water directly from their taps, with SA Water’s new desalination plant now operating in the South Australian town.
Located just over 1,000km north-west of Adelaide, Marla is at the junction of the Oodnadatta Track and the Stuart Highway, with around 70 people calling it home.
The town’s water supply has historically been designated as ‘non-drinking’, with residents previously sourcing their own drinking water from private rainwater tanks, water carting or from purchasing bottled products.
The town’s small-scale desalination plant is now producing drinking-quality water for locals to use in their kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and gardens.
A suite of projects
SA Water’s General Manager of Sustainable Infrastructure, Amanda Lewry, said that this project is the utility’s second drinking water upgrade for a remote town in the past 12 months.
“Having delivered a new desalination plant for our customers in nearby Oodnadatta last August, it’s exciting to see yet another of the state’s iconic outback towns enjoying
safe, clean drinking water flowing through their pipes for the first time,” Ms Lewry said.
“Whether it’s greening the garden or topping up the kettle straight from the tap, we recognise the significance this upgrade is already having on promoting health and hydration, along with the positive social and economic opportunities it’s providing.
“Marla’s desalination plant – constructed inside a shipping container to help protect the infrastructure from the sometimes harsh weather experienced in the area – can produce up to 87,000L of water each day.”
Drawing water supply from the largest groundwater basin in Australia – the Great Artesian Basin – the plant’s reverse osmosis technology pushes the sourced supply through a semi-permeable membrane designed to separate the water and salt molecules.
“The purified water continues through the membrane for further cleaning and treatment to make sure it meets the requirements under the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
(2011), before being stored inside an onsite 539,000L capacity tank, for distribution through a network of pipes to the town.
“The brine byproduct created in the desalination process is diverted in the other direction, to be stored in the large onsite evaporation basin.”
According to Ms Lewry, it took an extensive planning and delivery process to reach the plant’s first water milestone.
“Delivering a remote facility of this size and scope is a sizeable task, including the necessary design, procurement, community engagement, construction and testing required to ensure our customers’ supply meets the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act (2011) and the Safe Drinking Water Regulations (2012).
“Adding into this complexity are the challenges that come with distance – with Marla’s far north location more than 1,000km north of Adelaide’s CBD.”
Ms Lewry said that having delivered a total of 12 desalination plants across the state – five of which service remote Aboriginal communities in the state’s Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands and Far West Coast – SA Water is well-experienced in the requirements to not just deliver plants such as this, but sustainably operate them for decades to come.
“We’ve worked closely with the Marla community to get to this historic point throughout the important project, and we encourage locals and tourists passing through the South Australian outback to give Marla’s new desalinated tap water a try.”
More outback upgrades on the way
In the face of climate change, SA Water recognises the importance of delivering resilient and secure drinking water sources, including desalination.
Marla is one of three outback communities confirmed for an upgrade to their non-drinking water supply during SA Water’s 2020-24 regulatory period, with the township of Oodnadatta’s new desalination plant producing its first flush of drinking water for around 200 residents in 2023.
While both town’s new facilities harness ultrafiltration feed pumps, dosing pumps and systems, and reverse osmosis pumps with production levels ranging from 1.5 to 4L/s, each site is individually designed to reflect the location’s unique conditions.
“Having seen the positive benefits Oodnadatta’s upgrade has delivered for the town, including the iconic Pink Roadhouse, we are incredibly excited to see the same outcomes reaped by our customers in Marla,” Ms Lewry said.
“We’re not done either, with a small-scale desalination plant set to be producing safe and clean tap water in coming months for the Marree in South Australia’s Far North.
“We recognise the important role a sustainable drinking water source plays in maintaining health, supporting hydration and facilitating future growth and development, and we look forward to delivering these important initiatives for our remote customers.”
Additionally, progress is continuing on water quality upgrades to existing water supply systems in the regional towns of Yunta, Manna Hill and Terowie in the state’s northeast, with each set to be completed by mid-2024.
“These important upgrades will improve both the quality and reliability of supply for our local customers through the construction of new storage tanks and disinfection treatment stations to better maintain water quality throughout the local pipe networks.
“Yunta, for example, is currently supplied by water carters drawing from our existing water network in Peterborough –approximately 80km south of the town,” Ms Lewry said.
“The new disinfection unit will add another point of water treatment, helping to maintain a more consistent quality of supply from when the water is first treated at the Morgan Water Treatment Plant to our customers’ taps.”
Northern Territory utility provider Power and Water has completed a refurbishment of the Tiwi Sewerage Pump Station as the third facility in its pump station renewal program, which is ensuring that critical infrastructure across the Territory is regularly assessed and maintained.
Arenewal of the Tiwi Sewerage Pump Station was undertaken in order to maintain the delivery of safe and reliable water and sewerage services to its customers, which include the Darwin Hospital Precinct (Royal Darwin Hospital and Darwin Private Hospital), Tiwi and parts of Brinkin.
The new Tiwi Sewerage Pump Station is expected to prolong the life of the asset by 50 years as well as reducing the risk of failure and overflows and minimising potential safety and environmental incidents and compliance breaches.
The project required approximately 15 specialised subcontractors and during peak construction periods there were close to 30 people working onsite to deliver the upgrade. Unpacking the upgrade
Power and Water’s Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Water Services, David Rossi, explained that the existing pumps at the facility, KSB Ajax K200/360 fixed speed units, had water cooled motors and that the cooling circuits were prone to blockage.
Power and Water also noted that during site tests, the motors would run quite hot on these units. As well as this, the old switchboard was not up to Power and Water’s standards and needed to be replaced, along with all of the pipework.
TIWI PUMP 1 KSB UNIT PERFORMANCE Works Test Results Vs. 2018
FLOW L/s
Figure 1.
Mr Rossi said that the pumps selected for the station refurbishment, N series Flygt impellers provided by Xylem, were chosen for their high-efficiency, glycol closed loop cooling systems and their innovative self-cleaning ability.
“When solid objects such as stringy fibrous material and modern trash enter the inlet of a conventional pump, it tends to get caught on the leading edges of the impeller vanes.
“This material build-up reduced the impeller’s efficiency, resulting in a reduced flow rate or an increased power draw. Both of these consequences lead to drastically reduced pump efficiency and higher pumping costs.
“As solids continue to build-up inside the impeller, motor thermal protection may trip the pump, causing it to stop and this can lead to costly, unplanned service calls.
“When a conventional wastewater pump runs intermittently, the solids build-up will often be removed by the naturally occurring back flush each time the pump is shut off at the end of the operating cycle. When the next pump cycle begins, efficiency typically returns to its initial value since the impeller is free from solid objects.
“The high efficiency of a Flygt N-pump is sustained over time due to its self-cleaning ability, keeping energy costs to a minimum and reliability to a maximum.”
The typical inflow to the Tiwi Pumping Station is in the order of 14L/s. At 50Hz, single pump operation flow is in the order of 80-160L/s. The station is considered to be somewhat oversized for typical dry season inflows, but in the wet season the pumping capacity may be necessary to prevent overflows.
Mr Rossi said that the DN375 rising main requires a flow in the order of 110L/s for 1m/s cleansing velocity and 70L/s for the minimum 0.65m/s.
To minimise the pumping costs, three of the same Flygt variable speed drive (VSD) units were used for normal pumping at a minimum speed of 50Hz. These new variable speed pumps provide an efficient operating range with single pump operation between 110L/s and 160L/s.
Additionally, the control program was altered to run the VSD pump at no less than 50Hz and bring on additional VSD pumps in peak periods as needed.
Figure 2 illustrates the system curves for the Tiwi Pumping Station with the Flygt Pump running at 50Hz and a KSB unit running alone at 50Hz.
Figures 3 and 4 below show the curves for single pump and two pump systems based on pumps similar to those used in the renewal.
“You can see for both scenarios that the pumps are running near peak efficiency,” Mr Rossi said. Renewal impact and what comes next
The renewal was completed within the expected timeframe and within budget, and has successfully increased the lifespan of the pumping station by up to 50 years.
Mr Rossi said that the upgrades to the station’s suction and discharge pipework were conducted with future growth in mind, enabling it to be further enhanced should the need arise.
TIWI PUMP SYSTEM CURVES
Using Flygt 3201.180 or Single KSB unit
“Power and Water is committed to providing safe and reliable water and sewerage services in urban and remote locations across the Northern Territory.
“Our sewerage pump station renewal program ensures that critical infrastructure is regularly reviewed and continues to operate safely and without impact to customers, stakeholders and the environment.”
Power and Water’s CEO, Djuna Pollard, visited the project site to see firsthand the advanced technologies and innovative asset replacement strategies.
“I am really impressed with the safety and design features of the new Tiwi Sewerage Pump Station. Readings can be taken remotely from Ludmilla and air-conditioning has been installed in the switch room, providing a better working environment for our people,” Ms Pollard said.
“Congratulations to our Water Services Infrastructure Delivery Project Manager, Phillip Lo Castro, and the project team for their dedication and efficient project management to deliver the works on time, within budget and without any incidents.”
With the works on the Tiwi Sewerage Pumping Station now complete, the renewal project will move on to its next phase, the Mindil Beach Sewerage Pump Station. Works on the Mindil station are expected to begin in June 2024.
The $5.5 million upgrades to the Wauchope Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in New South Wales have been completed, with the final stage of the project – a new $1.7 million chlorine dosing facility – helping to secure the region's water supply and increase drought resilience.
Aspokesperson for Port Macquarie Hastings Council said the upgrades to the Wauchope WTP were implemented in part due to the prolonged 2018 and 2019 drought.
“At the time, Council had estimated that without above average rainfall, our water supply would be exhausted before the end of 2020,” the spokesperson said.
The Port Macquarie Hastings Bulk water supply scheme – which supplies Port Macquarie, Bonny Hills, Camden Haven, Kew and Kendall – is an unfiltered water supply, which significantly restricts Council on the water quality that can be extracted from both the Hastings River and two bulk storage dams. This is especially the case during drought when dams and river water quality is impacted.
Upgrading the Wauchope WTP from a 7ML/d treatment plant to a 21ML/d plant was pinpointed as the best option to mitigate water supply challenges.
The Wauchope WTP is a membrane filtration plant and expanding the plant would allow Council to extract higher turbidity water and treat it through microfiltration to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG). Although the WTP would usually only provide water to Wauchope, in emergency situations the filtered water can also be supplied through the bulk supply mains to the Port Macquarie bulk water supply scheme.
The total upgrades have been jointly funded with $1.4 million from the New South Wales Government’s Critical Drought Initiative and $4.1 million from Port MacquarieHastings Council.
The upgrade breakdown
The upgrade works to the Wauchope WTP were split into two major deliverables:
• The installation of two additional membrane filtration plants
• The construction of a new chlorine dosing facility and baffle curtains in the Clearwater tank
Membrane filtration plants
Two additional membrane trains were installed within the existing WTP.
The original design of the WTP was built to accommodate an ultimate capacity of 21ML/d, made up of three DuPont Memcor filters which have a capacity of 7ML/d each. While only one filter was installed at the time, all the ancillary works had already been installed, so the expansion required Council to simply install two additional filtration skids into the existing building.
This project contract was awarded to DuPont Memcor and included design of the stainless steel cell to hold the membranes, procurement and installation of two additional filtration skids and the pumps, instrumentation and ancillary equipment to run the filters.
The additional membranes installed were Memcor S10N PVDF membranes, the same as the existing membranes. Each filtration train also included the installation of a filtration pump and backwash pump. The pumps installed were KSB pumps MCPK 250-200-315 with a 30kW TEFC motor mounted on a galvanised MS – Steel Bend Type – baseplate.
As part of the upgrade, Council also upgraded the two pumps on the existing skid to larger pumps which improved the ultrafiltration performance as the existing pumps were assessed as undersized for the backwash flow.
The Council spokesperson said that when the works commenced Council was in ‘crisis’ mode, as it was responding to the drought conditions.
“Initial planning and contract procurement was undertaken on the membrane filters with the inclusion of these already catered for within the original WTP build. It was a fairly straightforward engagement of DuPont Memcor who supplied the original membrane filter unit.”
A new gas chlorine facility, including a new building, was built to provide sufficient disinfection up to 21ML/d, to match the upgraded capacity of the WTP.
This was completed as a design and construction (D&C) project which was awarded to Building Heights Construction with chlorination specialist West Water as subcontractors to do the chlorine design and construction.
The chlorine facility has been designed to store three 750kg chlorine drums and the auxiliary equipment to manage chlorine gas pressure dosing. In particular the facility was built as a chlorination rail system for managing the chlorine drum delivery and disposal of empty drums.
The project also involved installation of baffle curtains within the Clearwater Tank to improve mixing of chlorine downstream of the point of dosing.
The spokesperson explained that, unlike the membrane filters, the existing plant facility wasn’t initially designed to accommodate the upsizing of the chlorine dosing facility.
“We were considering options for gas chlorine or other forms of dosing and how we would house the dosing facility and meet the hazardous chemical storage requirements. This complicated this upgrade, so Council chose to separate this work from the membrane upgrade, and tender the chlorination upgrade project works as a Design and Construct project.”
Building heights teamed up with a Western Australian treatment plant process specialist called West Water and Stowe Electrical to deliver the project.
The spokesperson said that proof of performance testing was undertaken to confirm the performance of the membranes and that pumps met the specifications.
“The gas chlorine dosing system was provided with a low load chlorinator (4kg/h) for normal operation and a high load chlorinator (8kg/h) for times of high demand. Each chlorinator is fully adjustable within the range of operation.
“Operators are continually monitoring chlorine levels in downstream reservoirs and making adjustments to optimise the dosing rate. It is planned to do some die tests to confirm the effectiveness of the baffles in the Clearwater Tank for mixing.”
Ongoing servicing and maintenance for the membrane plant includes:
• Regular backflushing of membranes
• Routine maintenance of pumps, valves, pipework and fittings
• Routine maintenance of control systems and instrumentation
• Routine maintenance of electrical systems
• Regular cleans, routine clean in place and pressure decay monitoring
Ongoing servicing and maintenance for the chlorine dosing facility includes:
• Calibration of load cells
• Calibration of chlorine sensors
• Adjustment and fine tuning of chlorinators
• Routine maintenance and calibration of water sampling and analysis equipment
• Routine maintenance of pumps, valves, pipework and fittings, fans and louvres, drum rails and carriage
• Routine maintenance of control systems and instrumentation
• Routine maintenance of electrical systems
• Delivery of chlorine gas drums
“The company that did the pipework fabrication was based in Albury-Wodonga and they were originally engaged to do the installation as well,” the spokesperson said.
“However, coming from Victoria, under the COVID-19 border crossing restrictions, they were required to isolate in Sydney for two weeks. This would have caused additional delays but in the end they found a Sydney-based company to do the installation on their behalf, and the delays were minimal.
“With only a small operational team in Council, managing our water supply, we also had to ensure there was isolation from our team and the contractors to minimise COVID-19 contamination risks while they were onsite.”
The spokesperson explained that the installation of the baffle curtains in the clearwater tanks also presented a complicated challenge, as it needed to be completed by divers whilst maintaining the quality of the drinking water.
“The work by the divers was quite taxing, both with having to manage the amount of time they were underwater and also making sure they worked in decontaminated dry suits so there was no risk of contaminating the water supply.
“The diving company had staff working with CCTV outside of the tank, providing instructions to the divers on how to complete the work. The divers had to make two trips to Port Macquarie to complete the work, due to the restrictions on how long they could work underwater.”
Although it has not yet been required, the plant’s new full capacity of 21ML/d means that the Port-Macquarie Hastings area is well prepared for future drought conditions and will be able to ensure that residents and businesses have access to high-quality water even during long dry spells.
Western Australia’s largest water resource recovery facility (WRRF), the Woodman Point WRRF, is undergoing an upgrade which is set to greatly increase the facility’s capacity and its sustainability. Here, we delve further into the upgrade and take a closer look at the pumps and equipment that support the WRRF.
Water Corporation’s Woodman Point WRRF treats wastewater generated in Perth’s largest catchment area. In an effort to ensure the facility will continue to serve the area’s rising population in the years to come, works have already begun on a $238.5 million upgrade that will see the facility’s capabilities increase from its current 78t of dry solids per day (tDS/d) sludge treatment capacity.
Additionally, the upgrade seeks to enhance the facility’s sustainability credentials, with the addition of more onsite renewable energy generation.
According to Water Corporation’s General Manager – Assets Planning and Delivery, Evan Hambleton, sludge volumes were increased significantly by converting the facility from a batch treatment process to a continuous stream treatment process through an 180ML/d upgrade that occurred in 2019.
“To maintain the existing quality of treated wastewater and to cater for future growth within the catchment area, upgrades are required to ensure sludge treatment continues to meet biosolids classification standards for beneficial reuse,” Mr Hambleton said.
“This project will increase the existing solids load capacity of 78tDS/d to 120 tDS/d, which will provide capacity until 2040 and match the capacity of the liquid stream of 180ML/d.”
Work on this latest upgrade kicked off in mid-January 2024 and Mr Hambleton said that the design is 50 per cent complete and procurement is 35 per cent complete.
“Construction work to date includes bulk earthworks and service relocation. Preliminary work on the Dissolved Air Floatation Thickeners (DAFT) has also commenced.”
Mr Hambleton explained that wastewater is pumped into Woodman Point WRRF from Munster Terminal Pump Station.
“Wastewater from the catchment collects at this station and pumps to the ‘head of the works’. The wastewater stream is generally a gravity process through screens and various stages of settlement and aeration.
“The new upgrade consists of two streams of treatment for the solids stream, the Primary Sludge Stream, and the Excess Activated Sludge (EAS) stream.
“Pumps on the Primary Sludge Stream are generally of the Progressive Cavity/Helical Rotor design. These provide a measured consistent flow. The gentle nature of the pumping method ensures more efficient sludge thickening and dewatering.”
Mr Hambleton said that pumps on the EAS stream are usually dry mounted immersible pumps or end suction centrifugal pumps up to the DAFTs.
“Up to this point, the stream has a low solids content and behaves in a similar fashion to water – beyond the DAFT pumps is similar to the primary stream and will be progressive cavity pumps.
“Pumps on the EAS stream will be pumping sludge up to 16.5 per cent dry solids content. This presents some challenges, requiring methods to reduce friction losses in-line, including the use of injection rings to create a boundary layer along the pipe wall of either reclaimed wastewater, or polymer and injection of air pockets into the line to break the sludge cake into plugs along the transfer line.
“The heart of the new process is a Thermal Hydrolysis Plant (THP) on the EAS stream which processes sludge at high temperatures, providing the added benefit of a better
rheology for pumping (a thicker hydrolysed sludge behaves like a thinner conventional sludge) and boosts residence time in the downstream digesters.
“The remainder of the process is conventional thickening and dewatering technology commonly used in the water industry (DAFT, Inclined Screw Thickening and Centrifuge Dewatering).”
Expected outcomes of the upgrade
Water Corporation said that the project will support the organisation's target of achieving net zero emissions by 2035. The upgrade is expected to do this by:
• Increasing the Woodman Point WRRF’s ability to treat organic matter by 54 per cent, allowing Water Corporation to produce higher quality biosolids in a more efficient way
• Allowing the continued recovery of solid waste which supports Water Corporation’s state-wide target of 74 per cent solid waste recovered for reuse, as stated in its Waste Recovery Strategy
• Allowing nearly 50 per cent of the facility’s energy requirements to be produced onsite through the capture and reuse of biogas
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by around 5,600t CO₂-e annually as less grid power will be needed to run the plant
• Contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gases by decreasing flaring, which will see the plant go from 54 per cent flaring to only flaring in emergency circumstances
“Now seen as a source of valuable resources, wastewater is treated and recycled as a fit-for-purpose resource to alleviate pressure on valuable scheme water supplies. This project will ensure we continue to maintain water supply to the Kwinana Water Recycling Plant which provides 16ML/d of high-quality recycled water to customers within the Kwinana Industrial Precinct,” Mr Hambleton said.
“This is especially important in Western Australia where the impacts of the climate are placing increasing pressure on drinking water supplies.
“In 2002-23, Water Corporation recycled 20 per cent of all wastewater treated across Western Australia. Water Corporation aims to recycle up to 35 per cent of all wastewater in the metropolitan area by 2035.”
Mr Hambleton said that this project demonstrates how a growth mindset and whole-of-business support can lead to positive outcomes in recycling a waste product into multiple sustainable resources and deliver a world-class Resource Recovery Facility to create a positive legacy for the
In the face of a potential climate crisis and the stride to net zero, individuals and companies alike are looking to implement sustainable practices wherever possible. In the world of HVAC, heat pumps are an increasingly popular choice due to their energy efficiency.
Heat pump technologies are many and varied and each has its own benefits. All heat pumps, however, work on the same basic principle of pumping heat from one location to another with this process utilised to offer both heating and cooling.
To warm an area, heat pumps gather heat from outside and warm it to a higher temperature before pumping the heat inside. To cool an area, this process is reversed – the heat pump extracts heat from inside and pumps it outside to lower the temperature indoors.
Heat pumps are a sustainable option because they work by transferring heat
from the ambient air, as opposed to traditional heating and cooling systems that rely on the generation of heat, often by burning fossil fuels.
In addition, because they are able to provide both heating and cooling with minimal energy consumption, heat pumps are a more energy efficient solution to alternative methods that rely on combustion or resistance.
The main types of heat pump technologies in Australia include air-source, geothermal, absorption and desiccant heat pumps and the differences in each lie in where they source their heat from.
Refrigerants: the heart of the heat pump
Refrigerants are essential to heat pump systems because they enable heat to be transported from one component to the next.
Though they have been widely used since the 1920s, refrigerants have been subject to a range of changes and upgrades over the last 40 years to bring them in line with modern sustainability expectations.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were the first refrigerants to hit the market, however were eventually phased out in the 1970s due to their high chlorine
content and the consequences this had on the earth’s ozone layer.
In the 1990s, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) were developed as an alternative to CFCs because they had a lesser impact on the ozone layer. Despite this, it was later discovered that the global warming potential of HFCs was 1,430, which means that they have the potential to trap as much as 1,430 times the amount of heat in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. As such, HFCs are also being phased out.
Since then, CO2 and HFO are among the new wave of refrigerants that have been introduced that are far more environmentally friendly than their
predecessors, paving the way for the continued uptake in heat pumps as an energy efficient method of heating and cooling.
Air-source heat pumps
Air-source heat pumps are the most common type of heat pump and utilise solar heat that is stored in the air outside in the form of thermal energy that is stored in the air outside. They use this air as either the heat source or the heat sink depending on whether they are being used to heat or cool an area.
Air-source heat pumps absorb ambient air into a refrigerant and then compress it to increase its temperature,
before the hot refrigerant is passed through a coil that transfers the heat into the heating system.
There are two configurations of air-source heat pumps: integrated and split systems. In an integrated system, all of the components used for heat generation are located inside the heat pump, whereas a split system separates the tank and the compressor.
Geothermal heat pumps
Geothermal heat pumps utilise the heat from the ground or a water source to provide heating and cooling and work well in climates with extreme conditions. This is because solar heat is absorbed
by the surface of the earth through the ground, which maintains a relatively constant temperature throughout the different seasons.
source heat pumps
Ground-source heat pumps extract the heat from the ground and use it as either a heat source or heat sink to regulate the temperature indoors.
They absorb heat from the ground and then transfer it indoors by using a loop of underground piping filled with a refrigerant. The refrigerant’s temperature is increased as it moves through a compressor before it’s eventually transferred into the indoor heating system.
Water-source heat pumps
Water-source heat pumps are very similar to ground-source heat pumps, however, they use a body of water as the heat source or sink.
Water-source heat pumps can use either a closed-loop or an open-loop system to heat and cool an area.
Closed-loop systems pump a mix of water and antifreeze through a closed system that circulates the fluid through the pipes, with the same fluid travelling through the pipes over and over again.
In comparison, open-loop systems pump water to the heat exchanger, circulating directly through the heat pump, before being directed elsewhere to drain.
Absorption heat pumps
Rather than using air or water to generate heat, absorption heat pumps use heat – or thermal energy – as their energy source.
They can be driven with a variety of heat sources, but are most commonly powered by natural gas, propane or solar energy to drive a chemical process that extracts heat from the air or water.
Once they have extracted the heat, absorption heat pumps work by absorbing the heat into a refrigerant which then moves through a compressor to increase its temperature before transferring the heat inside.
Desiccant heat pumps use a desiccant material such as activated charcoal, silica gel or calcium chloride to absorb moisture from the air, with calcium chloride most commonly used.
By their very nature, desiccant materials absorb water and promote dryness and as such, desiccant heaters are primarily used in humid climates due to their ability to effectively dehumidify indoor air.
A heat source such as electricity is used to heat the desiccant material to release the absorbed moisture before the heat is pumped indoors.
Other heat pumps can also utilise this process to improve the overall efficiency of the system.
Round up: heat pump pros and cons
Each kind of heat pump has its own individual advantages and disadvantages. For example:
• Air-source heat pumps have lower installation costs than ground-source heat pumps, however they are less efficient in colder temperatures
• Ground-source heat pumps offer higher efficiency in cold temperatures but have higher installation costs
• Water-source heat pumps present an alternative to air-source and groundsource heat pumps, however they rely on the availability of a nearby water source
• Absorption heat pumps provide higher efficiency than traditional heat pumps but are more expensive to install and maintain
• Desiccant heat pumps allow temperature control in humid environments however they also have higher installation and maintenance costs
Energy efficiency
One of the major benefits of modern heat pump technology is the energy efficiency they provide. Heat pumps require significantly less energy than traditional heating technologies because they transfer heat instead of generating it.
The performance of a heat pump is represented by its coefficient of performance (COP), which is the ratio of energy input it requires versus the useful energy output it provides. Modern heat pumps often have a COP of around three, which means for every one unit of energy consumed, they produce three units of heating or cooling.
To further increase energy efficiency, heat pumps can be integrated with renewable energy sources such as solar panels.
As individuals and businesses across Australia continue to look towards integrating sustainable practices, heat pumps can offer an economical and energy-efficient solution to both heating and cooling.
Australia has seen a sustained increase in the uptake of heat pump installations throughout 2023, with consumers turning to more sustainable options to replace existing gas and electric heating systems. However, in order to maximise the efficiency of these systems and reduce costs in a tough financial climate, there are several factors consumers need to consider when it comes to choosing, installing and using their heat pumps at home.
With colder weather approaching on the horizon, many Australians will be about to enter their first cooler season with a heat pump system installed in their home, or will be considering which heat pump solution will best meet their needs. While heat pump technology, such as reverse cycle air conditioning, has seen a steady rise in recent years, Australia has also seen a rapid uptake of heat pump hot water systems, with the Clean Energy Regulator reporting a total installation of 94,000 systems over the first three quarters of 2023 alone.1
The recent increase in the uptake of heat pump technology in Australia can in part be attributed to government financial incentives to install cost-effective and energy efficient equipment in Australian homes, with many consumers jumping at the opportunity to ease the pressure on their pockets and minimise their environmental impact.
Choosing the right heat pump
Heat pumps, as opposed to conventional heating options, transfer and amplify heat rather than generating it. The energy output from these systems is considerably higher than the energy needed to power them, making them an efficient alternative, particularly when paired with rooftop solar.
However, heat pumps are not a one-size-fits-all solution — to reduce costs and maximise comfort, selecting the right model for the space is imperative.
Air-source heat pumps
One of the biggest mistakes that consumers make when selecting a heat pump to control indoor air temperature is size. Installing an oversized pump can make heating unnecessarily expensive and lead to problems with moisture in humid climates.
Heat pumps that are too powerful will push large amounts of hot or cool air into a space in a short period of time, turning on and off repeatedly to meet a set temperature. This not only requires more energy, but also reduces the lifespan of the system by working it unnecessarily hard. In these cases, because the system isn’t running long enough to properly dehumidify the space, it can also lead to rooms feeling cold and wet, creating the perfect environment for mould.
The size that a user selects should match their heating needs, while also taking into consideration how large and airtight the home is, the climate and the number of residents. As a general rule, consumers should select a minimum capacity system to meet the home’s cooling load on its warmest days.
To select the right system, consumers need to accurately determine their heating and cooling loads through conversations with their contractor or an energy consultant, or can calculate these themselves using a range of online estimating tools that are available for this purpose.
When it comes to choosing a heat pump hot water system, users should also speak with an energy consultant about factors such as the size and flow rate required, particularly if they are going with a tankless water heater. It’s also important to consider how many hot water appliances will need to work simultaneously and what water temperature will be required from these appliances to allow them to function appropriately.
Another consideration is the heater’s first-hour rating, which refers to the output of hot water the pump can manage every hour, starting with a full tank. This will differ depending on the size of the tank and the environment it’s being used in. The greater the capacity of the tank, the more hot water will be produced, so finding a tank that accurately meets the household’s needs will be both convenient and cost-effective.
1. Heat pump installs surge to record highs as households go electric, quit gas: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/heat-pump-installs-surge-to-record-highs-ashouseholds-go-electric-quit-gas/#:~:text=The%20Clean%20Energy%20Regulator%20says,Small%2Dscale%20Renewable%20Energy%20Scheme
After identifying which pump best suits their requirements, users should consider the importance of correct, professional installation to maximise efficiency and performance.
Heat pump installation requires expert electrical and refrigerant handling and needs to meet a set of standards and regulations. Although it may seem cheaper to take on a DIY installation, professionals warn against it, with incorrect wiring and handling of materials or faulty sealing of ductwork leading to significantly impacted performance, increased running costs and non-compliance with regulations and warranty requirements.
While the selection and setup of a heat pump is an important start to ensuring efficiency, consumers can see significant ongoing benefits to cost and operation by understanding how to use their system’s settings.
While it may seem easiest to trust the system’s ‘auto’ mode, this can cause the system to regularly switch between heating and cooling modes, which requires more energy. Air source heat pumps will run more efficiently if they are set to the ‘heat’ setting in cold weather and the ‘cool’ setting in warmer months.
It can be tempting to turn the temperature on a heating/ cooling system up and down depending on the outside temperature or the time of day. However, a heat pump will work most effectively by maintaining a set, comfortable temperature. A low setting of between 18 and 20 ̊C is generally recommended to keep a space comfortable.
Heat pumps are most efficient in a space when they’re used for as much of its heating as possible. Users may benefit from experimenting with opening doors to expand the system’s reach and closing off areas which don’t need heating at certain times of the day. To heat a large space efficiently, it’s
recommended to increase the fan speed to a higher setting.
While legend has it that leaving a heat pump running all day could boost efficiency by preventing a heat pump from working harder to repeatedly heat or cool a space, the consensus amongst professionals is that the numbers just don’t add up. For the longevity of the system and for users’ wallets, it’s beneficial to turn a system off if it’s not being used.
It’s also worth noting that spaces with better insulation will better maintain temperature and, in turn, increase the heat pump’s efficiency.
The prime temperature range for heat pump hot water systems is generally considered to be between 49 and 60 ̊C. This is because heat pump systems work better with a higher water temperature which allows them to extract heat from surrounding air more effectively.
This temperature is also optimal for general household usage, providing a safe and comfortable temperature for showers and an effective temperature for washing machines and dishwashers.
As well as choosing a water temperature that is efficient and effective, it’s important that consumers select a temperature range that’s safe. This range is proven to prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria such as legionella, and will also prevent scalding.
According to research2 from the Department of Energy in the US, the difference in energy consumption from a properly maintained heat pump and one that has been extremely neglected, can range from ten to 25 per cent.
Users can combat this by undertaking regular at-home maintenance. Dirty filters can significantly reduce airflow, so cleaning air filters, as well as removing any debris, plant matter and clutter from around the outdoor heat pump, will prevent obstructions and maximise the efficiency of a unit. If maintenance is neglected in an ongoing way, it can lead to the system’s compressor becoming damaged, so it’s important to undertake monthly cleaning maintenance.
As well as regular home maintenance, heat pumps should be professionally serviced at least once a year. A licensed professional will diagnose problems and undertake maintenance to correct them. This may include:
• Checking the ducts and filters for obstructions
• Measuring airflow to measure performance
• Checking for and sealing any duct or refrigerant leakages
• Inspecting electric terminals and cleaning or tightening connections
• Lubricating motors and checking belts for signs of wear
• Checking that the thermostat is operating correctly.
With the right system installed, maintained and used properly, users can enjoy maximum comfort over the cooler months, while saving on running costs.
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Variable speed drives (VSDs) are used across a vast range of industries to control the speed of pumps and motors and maintain optimal operational efficiency. Here, we dive further into how they work, the differences between the types of drives and the purposes they serve.
VSDs are used in a variety of operations to control the speed and torque of an AC motor by converting fixed frequency and voltage input to a variable frequency and voltage output. This is useful for increasing system performance and efficiency by controlling the speed to precisely match the load.
Greater system optimisation brings long-term benefits of reduced wear and tear on motors and pumps, as well as reduced energy consumption. Where process output requirements vary by 30 per cent or more, matching the load with a VSD can reduce energy use significantly.
These improvements lead to significant savings, not just due to reduced energy costs but also because reduced strain on equipment means less maintenance costs and less downtime, boosting overall productivity.
Motor systems fitted with VSDs can bring other benefits, including:
• Accurate control of pressure, flow and temperature
• Improved safety and amenity, through reduced heat and noise levels
• Integration of VSD control with building management systems
In some pumping systems, valve-throttling flow-control is used to prevent pressure build-up. This is not as efficient as using a VSD because energy to the pump is not reduced. A VSD enables precise flow control without the energy losses
of throttling, ensuring the system isn’t running at full-speed when not necessary.
Some modern electronic VSDs are also known as variable frequency drives (VFDs) as they work by varying the AC electrical input frequency to control drive speed.
The difference between VSDs and VFDs
While VSDs and VFDs serve a similar purpose – controlling the speed of motors and pumps in order to optimise the load to speed ratio and increase overall efficiency – the means by which they achieve this is different, and they are therefore suited to different systems and conditions.
VFDs vary the speed of a motor by varying the frequency to the motor and, as such, they can only be used with alternating current (AC) motors. VSDs adjust speed by varying the voltage to the motor, allowing them to be used for both AC and direct current (DC) systems.
VFDs may be of little benefit where precise motor speed control does not assist the production process or where hours of reduced demand are few. VFDs are also not recommended for applications where slowing down the machine causes operating problems, such as insufficient torque or poor cooling.
VFD technology has widespread uptake with AC induction motors, with VFDs favoured due to their accurate speed variability from zero rpm to over 100 per cent of the rated speed. VFDs also enable motor control in either direction.
VSD systems are often a viable option for pumps that experience highly variable demand situations, for example in irrigation systems. When delivering water sequentially to irrigation units of variable size and elevation, subtle variations, such as changes in river or bore height and more frequent operations such as filter backflushing, can all require variable flow or pressure. Each of these situations has unique pressure and flow requirements.
Conventional methods for flow control in irrigation include throttling valves, impeller trimming or pump speed adjustments. These adjustment methods are reasonably permanent and unable to easily cater for the variable load requirements of pressurised irrigation. When situations demand flow adjustments from a pump, VSDs offer convenience and great potential for energy cost savings. Potential drawbacks
While VSDs and VFDs can provide significant increases in efficiency and life-span of equipment, there are potential risks and drawbacks associated with them that can be avoided with appropriate design and operation of systems.
Structural resonance refers to excessive vibrations of non-rotating components or supporting structures. The high vibration levels are potentially harmful to equipment and surrounds.
Fixed speed applications often miss these potential resonance situations because the common vibrations of continuous operating conditions rarely coincide with the structural natural frequencies.
For VSD applications, the excitation frequencies become variable and the likelihood of encountering a resonance condition within the continuous operating speed range is
greatly increased. Pump vibration problems typically occur with bearing housings and the support structure.
Pressure pulsations are the common excitation mechanism. These pressure pulsations may be further amplified by acoustic resonance within the pump or the adjacent piping.
There are a number of methods for predicting and avoiding potential resonance situations. These methods include:
• Simple hydraulic resonance calculations
• Passing frequency analysis
• Model testing of the machine
Model testing can supplement the regular vibration test. Often, a pump intended for variable speed operation will only be tested at one single speed.
VSDs can also increase the risk of the rotating element of a machine encountering a lateral critical speed. Lateral critical speeds occur when running speed excitation coincides with one of the rotor’s lateral natural frequencies.
The resulting rotor vibration may be acceptable or excessive, depending on the modal damping associated with the corresponding mode. Additionally, drive-induced torque harmonics may cause resonance conditions with torsional rotor dynamic modes, however, such conditions are usually correctable or preventable.
Variable speed vertical pumps are more likely than horizontal machines to exhibit operational zones of excessive vibration. This is because such pumps’ lower natural frequencies are more likely to coincide with running speed.
VSDs and VFDs are highly useful devices that are used throughout the industry to maximise efficiency of systems. While using them presents new risks and challenges, operators who do their due diligence and properly plan and test their systems will find that these devices can deliver significant cost savings.
Long-time loyal followers of Pump Industry are likely acquainted with Ron Astall's wellreceived series of articles on comprehending pump curves. In this edition, Ron returns to introduce us to the idea of Bad Actors and what to do if you have a Bad Actor.
With this article I am digressing somewhat from my previous focus on curves, their operating regimes, selection practices, suction conditions and system interactions. However, an important common thread remains –the effects of operating conditions on pump reliability.
Oil and Gas pumping applications are critical for safety and reliability; because of this, equipment in these services routinely has sophisticated condition monitoring regimes, with associated alarm and shutdown settings.
This is a discussion on how the way we operate, repair and maintain our pumps can impact reliability. From this perspective, we will consider the concept of ‘Lifestyle Monitoring’ as an adjunct to conventional machine condition monitoring.
My focus will be on centrifugal pumps in the chemical and petrochemical industries, but I believe the concepts can be applied to other applications. Indeed, my first example is from irrigation.
Back in the mists of time, I was sent to a customer’s site just outside Sydney to troubleshoot a 175kW single stage split case pump in irrigation service. This pump fed recycled water through a large sprinkler system, where it simultaneously watered and fertilised some lush pastures.
The problem was that the pump’s shaft would break every few months. The failure fracture surface was consistent with bending fatigue and pressure and power measurements showed that the pump was running reasonably close to Best Efficiency Point (BEP). Under these conditions, high radial shaft loads would not be an issue and there was nothing immediately obvious to explain these failures.
Having taken our measurements, the operator explained that since there was no check valve, the discharge valve had to be closed before switching the pump off. The discharge valve was a hundred metres from the pump house. Once the valve
was closed, the operator went back to the pump house and switched off the pump. He explained that he did the reverse during start-up; starting the pump then walking over to the valve and opening it.
Anecdotally, we learned that a cigarette or two was also involved in many of these journeys. This pump was operating at zero flow for up to fifteen minutes per shift, several times per day, while the operator moved back and forth.
The solution was to install a remote on/off switch right next to the valve – no more hiking expeditions and no more pump problems!
What is a Bad Actor?
No, not Russell Crowe singing in Les Misérables – a Bad Actor is a repeat offender, an unreliable machine with poor Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) numbers.
A Bad Actor will be well known to the maintenance team and will almost certainly be a money pit. How often do we come across a story where the bearings are failing every three months – the bearings are replaced only to fail again, get replaced, fail again, etc? Or a particular machine has been reliable for years, but now fails every six months?
It is not difficult to identify a Bad Actor – sadly, often, a proper root cause analysis does not happen.
Does the Process team blame the Reliability team for the ongoing problems, while at the same time the Reliability team are blaming the Process people for trashing their machines?
While busy apportioning the blame, no one addresses the root causes. From our example above, the operator was not aware of the dangers of running a pump dead headed, nor did the system designers foresee the problems. It is tempting and easy to just blame the machine. Some Bad Actors may indeed be a substandard design, but more likely the poor old pump is being blamed for being misapplied, poorly operated, or poorly maintained.
When a Bad Actor is identified, I recommend a basic Pump Audit, such as that in Figure 1.
– Is it the correct pump type and construction?
– Maintenance History
• Do overhauls return to as new condition?
– Root causes?
– What needs to change?
• Mitigation
– Operations & Maintenance
Whilst most pump failures are seal failures or bearing failures, as a basic starting point, it is always good to document the current actual operating conditions: is this the type of pump you would select now for this service?
What’s in a Pump Audit?
A Pump Audit (Fig. 2) may highlight root causes that might be otherwise missed.
– Is it the correct pump type and construction?
• Review Maintenance and Overhaul Scope and Procedures
• Is the unit brought back to original condition or are short cuts taken?
• Rotor / impeller balance checked?
• OEM parts used?
• Condition of mating components checked?
• Is piping alignment and the foundation verified during reinstallation?
• Coupling alignment confirmed?
• Root causes documented and recorded?
• Seal Reliability?
• Different seals / piping plan?
• New seal chamber?
• Revise seal chamber pressures?
• Bearing upgrade?
• Better lubrication?
• Better L3/D4 per current API 610 Guidelines
• Hydraulic Re-Rate
• Variable Speed?
• New Pump?
For the purposes of this discussion, let us assume that root causes have been established and addressed. Let’s park this for now and examine how we can optimise ongoing machine health.
In this article, I really want to focus on mitigation principles and the opportunities for a wider, preventative approach to machine health monitoring.
Health monitoring – what are the inputs/what are the results?
For the rest of this discussion, I am going to focus on how machine health monitoring can maximise machine reliability.
Most monitoring is logically Condition Monitoring with associated set points for alarms and when things get worse, trips or shutdowns. The parameters monitored can include bearing temperature, vibration, seal leakage, flow, differential pressure and power consumption. This monitoring will always be of critical importance for safety and plant integrity.
I am not suggesting that conventional Condition Monitoring is not important. However, Condition Monitoring normally only provides a warning when there is already a problem, or a problem is already developing.
How do we lavish love, TLC and attention on this baby? Can we identify and monitor any issues that may cause problems and thus avoid them developing. Let’s draw some parallels with our personal health.
Personal health monitoring – what are the inputs/ what are the results?
Our inputs are our genetics and our lifestyle; the outputs are our general health indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, liver function, lung function, triglycerides, etc. These are analogous to machine condition monitoring.
In recent years, nearly everyone I know took up wearing some kind of health monitoring, heart rate, step counter, blood O2, GPS, sleep tracker, cardio burn zone, kilojoule, floorsclimbed activity gizmo. Many also tell the time, make phone calls, surf the ‘net, arrange Taylor Swift tickets and perhaps make you a cappuccino. These aspects are what I call the Lifestyle inputs to our general health.
We humans have become increasingly enthusiastic about monitoring health inputs. If we measure it, we will control it. This applies not only to our physical wellbeing, but also our behaviour.
An excellent example is the experience of one of our gas producers at their remote desert site. Vehicle accidents and associated personal injury rates were terrible – the desert environment inspired many drivers to think they were competing in the Dakar Rally.
What did they do? They made it compulsory for all vehicles to have real-time vehicle and driver behaviour monitoring. The incident rate immediately plummeted: problem solved and lives saved.
It is this monitoring of Lifestyle inputs that I am suggesting can foster a preventative approach to Machine Health Monitoring. In many instances, much of the relevant data is already being recorded. The next step is to use and interpret this information as a reliability data input.
Yes, the process is sacrosanct. Ultimately, production is the goal. But in the same way drivers can drive more sensibly, reduce fuel consumption and still arrive at their destination on time; with more operator awareness of how we are treating our machines, there must be scope to meet production targets without compromising machine health.
As a parallel to evaluating our personal health inputs, I have created an "Inputs" and "Results" chart for machine health.
O&M Monitoring Condition Monitoring (Lifestyle)
Pump Operating Flow, Duty Cycle Process Excursions, Pressures and RPM
FEEDBACK
Fluid Properties (Temperature, Density, Vapour, Pressure, Contamination etc.)
Aux. Systems: Cooling, Heating, Filtration, Lube, Barrier Fluids, Venting
Maintenance Procedures
Bearings
• Vibration & Trending
• Bearing Temperature
• Lubricant Temperature
• Lubricant Analysis
Seal Leakage/Fluid Consumption
Barrier Fluid Pressure/ Temperature
Hydraulic Performance vs Design
Driver Power Usage
(Prevention) (Mostly Failure Monitoring)
Machine health monitoring – the inputs and the results
For a given pumping installation, not all the items in Figure 3 will be relevant. If the process is always constant, we may not bother to monitor process related aspects. Similarly, we may not need to monitor operating data for seals or auxiliary systems. It may merely be sufficient to confirm maintenance practices.
Of course, we still need our traditional Condition Monitoring safeguards. The aim is to acknowledge that how we operate and maintain our machines will impact their reliability and to consider what we might monitor to improve the Lifestyle of our pumps.
By Lifestyle Monitoring, I do not mean that our machines ought to take a yearly Palm Cove vacation, sit in a deck chair, drink pina coladas and watch the younger units frolic on the sand. Intriguing imagery though! By Lifestyle Monitoring I mean being aware of, and tracking the operating conditions and scenarios that may needlessly compromise reliability.
Case study – mechanical seals
To illustrate the concept of Lifestyle monitoring I have outlined an approach for developing a program to improve mechanical seal reliability.
The starting point is to identify why seals fail (see Figure 4). Then we can develop our Lifestyle Monitoring program (see Figure 5).
Figure 4. Why seals fail
• Worn out after long service – not really a ‘failure’
• Solids erosion or build up
• Overheating
• Overpressure
• Underpressure / Dry Running
• High Vibration / shaft movement
• Installation error
Figure 5. What seal problems do we expect?
• Solids erosion or build up
• Overheating
• Overpressure
• Underpressure / Dry Running
• High Vibration / shaft movement
• Installation error
Feedstock
Process Conditions
Seal Chamber
Flush/Barrier Fluid
Pump Operating Point
Maintenance Practices & Training
To keep this discussion manageable, let’s drill down on just a few of the above and consider parameters we might monitor.
The pump or seal manufacturer’s assistance may be needed for some of these aspects:
• Temperature Monitoring: ensuring the process liquid, coolant and barrier fluid temperatures stay within guidelines will assist in maintaining a stable fluid film at the seal faces
• Pressure Monitoring: as with temperature, we need to ensure sufficient pressures to prevent flashing and dry running at the seal faces, maintain barrier fluid properties and capture over-pressurisation incidents that will overload the seal faces. Ideally, pressures in the seal chamber itself could be measured. If Seal Chamber pressures cannot be easily measured, the pump or seal manufacturer ought to be able to advise the predicted pressures and in some instances how these might be controlled or varied. Where there are fancy secondary barrier fluid systems, these can usually be instrumented as required to monitor pressures and temperatures
• Coolant Flow: if there is a cooling water harness it is good to know that it is consistently flowing through the heat exchanger. If coolant flow fails, seal failure will follow
• Pump Flow rate (operating point): a pump running significantly away from its BEP may vibrate, surge and suffer shaft deflection or breakage – none of which will be helpful for the seals. A pump running at very low or zero flow will generate damaging high temperatures. See Figure 6 below for more detail on this aspect
Remember our problem pump at the beginning of this discussion? The issue was operation at zero flow.
Figure 6 below illustrates how the Pump Operating Point will affect the pump, the loads on the pump shaft and the likely subsequent vibration and shuttling that will upset the mechanical seal.
MONITORING OPTIONS
• Flowrate
• Differential Pressure
• Power Consumption
Guidelines can be established for time out of range and monthly figures published. If things are moving in the wrong direction, it will be noticed and hopefully questions will be asked.
Quite a few years ago, BP’s Dr Richard Brodzinski established a similar parameter in its control system to record pump operating flow versus design (rated) flow. They found that less than ten per cent of their pumps were operating within ten per cent of their design flow.
What did they do? They tightened their procedures around establishing pump duty points when purchasing new equipment. No arbitrary process margins, thank-you!
From my perspective in the industry, most recentlyselected pumps now seem to be operated reasonably close to the specified design conditions.
Summary – you have a Bad Actor?
Low flow cavitation
Reduced bearing and seal life
Reduced impeller life
High temp rise Thrust Reversal
Suction recirculation
Discharge recirculation
More often than not, the Bad Actor is bad because it is not the right pump for the job or it is being mistreated. The starting point is to do a pump audit and establish the root causes, address the problems and fix them. I did not say it would be easy.
Cavitation due to lack of NPSHa
To maintain ongoing reliability, I have proposed an additional monitoring focus on the pump’s Lifestyle. By Lifestyle Monitoring I mean being aware of and tracking operating conditions and scenarios that may needlessly compromise reliability. Then use and interpret this information as a reliability data input.
By monitoring and recording this Lifestyle data we will have an opportunity to head off problems before they occur.
Albert Einstein once said; “Life is like a piano, what you get out of it depends on how you play it.”
OK, so we’ve collected all this data. What will I do with it? Why not make it a reliable KPI? Figure 6 shows the concept for the pump operating point.
Figure
PUMP OPERATING POINT
MONITORING OPTIONS
• Flowrate
• Differential Pressure
• Power Consumption Preferred Operating Range Timescale TIME OUT OF RANGE DESIGN FLOW
Make it a reliability input KPI?
Some of the largest pumps in Australia can be found at power stations, with many of them at gas-fired power stations – generating the country’s electricity and playing an important role in the transition to clean energy.
Natural gas is the third largest energy source in Australia and when used to generate electricity, has been found to emit around half of the emissions of coal. Gas is expected to be vital as Australia strives towards net zero emissions by keeping the power system stable in the transition to clean energy.
Gas-fired power stations burn gas to produce electricity, and there are two main types of power stations to do this –open cycle and combined cycle.
At open cycle power stations, natural gas is burned to create a pressurised gas, which spins the blades of a turbine connected to a generator. Inside the generator, the turbine spins the magnets, causing the electrons in wires to move, creating an electrical current, which generates electricity.
Combined cycle power stations use two different types of turbines in combination to generate electricity. In addition to burning gas to spin a turbine, they use the waste heat to boil water and produce steam which drives the second turbine to generate more electricity. Combined cycle power stations are generally more efficient and generate approximately 50 per cent more electricity than open cycle power stations because they recycle their fuel to maximise electricity output.
Of the many different pumps that can be utilised at a gasfired power station, there are three main types used: boiler feed pumps, condensate extraction pumps and cooling water pumps.
Boilers at power stations are used to generate steam and the boiler feed system is the highest pressure section of the steam cycle. Boiler feed pumps draw water from the deaerator storage tank and feed it to the boiler. They are generally multistage and use mechanical seals.
Condensate extraction pumps draw warm water from the hot-well of a condenser at a pressure between six and 10kPA. Condensate extraction pumps are typically multi-stage pumps fitted with a low net positive suction head (NPSH) first stage impeller. Modern condensate pumps use mechanical seals, however, do still require water injection to prevent air ingress.
Cooling water pumps supply large amounts of water to a condenser to condense the steam into water. There are two general categories of cooling water pumps – open water pumps, which draw water from a lake or the sea before returning it, and cooling tower pumps, which recirculate water through the condenser and pipework system before cooling it in an evaporative cooling tower.
Gas-fired power station in focus
A new gas-fired power station is set to support electricity reliability in New South Wales, with EnergyAustralia running the first test-fire of its 320MW Tallawarra B gas power station.
The successful test-fire is one of the final major milestones before commercial operation. Located adjacent to Energy Australia’s existing combined cycle Tallawarra A station, Tallawarra B will be able to quickly come online when the New South Wales system requires it and when renewables are unavailable, such as on hot days when a large portion of the state is using their air conditioning.
Tallawarra B is a fast-start power station – which means it can start up with just 30 minutes notice – and is set to top up capacity in the New South Wales system. The station can power up to 180,000 homes and small businesses in peak periods.
EnergyAustralia’s Tallawarra B Project Director, Ian Black, said, “As Australia continues to transition away from coal to renewables, fast-start gas generation assets like Tallawarra B will play a critical role in supporting electricity reliability at peak periods and at times of low solar and wind production.”
Tallawarra B integrates a 9F.05 turbine, A78 generator and an exhaust stack with a 54t plume dispersion device to manage and monitor the exhaust plume, all of which were provided and installed by key contractor for the project, GE Vernova.
Tallawarra B will initially come online as a gas-fired power station, however, EnergyAustralia aims to support the development of a hydrogen manufacturing industry in the Illawarra by creating demand at Tallawarra, with both the A and B power stations being ‘hydrogen capable’.
EnergyAustralia has lodged a modification to the planning approval for the power station to use five per cent hydrogen as part of the fuel mix and to install the necessary infrastructure to blend hydrogen with gas.
Though Tallawarra B’s core gas turbine already has the capability to burn a certain amount of hydrogen, GE Vernova has a technology roadmap to increase the power station’s capability to 100 per cent before 2030.
Tallawarra A will be undergoing an upgrade and overhaul in 2024 to increase the capacity and efficiency of the station from 440MW to 480MW while also enabling the use of up to 37 per cent hydrogen as a fuel when green hydrogen is commercially available.
The Federal Government has enshrined in law its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030, and to reach net zero by 2050.
Tallawarra B is just one example of many gas-fired power stations across the nation as Australia moves away from emissions-heavy coal power stations, with gas-fired power stations expected to play an integral role in net zero and the clean energy transition.
This final part of our series on intake design covers three short topics; first, trench type intake designs for clear liquids; second, intake designs for solids bearing liquids and finally, suction manifold design.
Trench type intake design (clear liquids)
Depending upon the site layout, it might be convenient to arrange the pumps in an open rectangular trapezoidal shaped channel referred to as trench type design.
Trench type differs from the rectangular intake by the abrupt change in geometry used to form the transition between the dimensions of the inlet pipe (or channel) and the sump itself. There are not many model tests on this type of design, however, there are successful installations with
an individual pump capacity of up to 4,900L/s and combined installation capacity up to 14,000L/s for centrifugal pumps.
Axial and mixed flow applications of trench type wet wells include an individual pump capacity up to 2,900L/s and total capacity up to 12,000L/s.
A model study would be required for any installation with an individual capacity exceeding 2,500 L/s and total station capacity as 6,300L/s.
Basic recommended dimensions are shown in the Fig.13.9.1
Intake design for solids bearing liquids
Wet wells for a liquid handling solids require special consideration to allow for the removal of floating and settling solids. The common use is in stormwater and wastewater applications.
Circular pit design for solids bearing liquids
Most of the design proportions are the same as clear liquid design as discussed in Part 3 of this series. Additionally, the bottom of the pit should have the sloped surface around the inlet bell mouth or pumps as shown in Figures 13.10.1.1 and 13.10.1.2
These figures illustrate the design concept. It is advisable to consult a pump supplier for the optimum dimensions and arrangement.
Figure. 13.10.1.1 - Circular wet pit with sloping walls and minimised horizontal floor area (submersible pumps shown for illustration)
trench design for solids bearing liquids
The main idea is to minimise the horizontal surface in the wet well anywhere but directly within the influence of the pump inlets, thereby directing all solids to a location where they can be removed by pumps.
Vertical or steeply sloped sides should be provided for the transition from upstream conduits or channels to the pump inlets. The bottom of the trench should have sloped surfaces as shown for circular pits in Figures 13.10.1.1 and 13.10.1.2 in the previous section of this article.
The basic design may vary based on whether the pumping station is fixed speed or variable speed. It is advisable to seek the help of a hydraulics consultant or the supplier’s experience with this type of arrangement.
A suction header or manifold is used when two or more pumps are fed through a common suction intake. It is important to arrange the takeoffs carefully to provide the required flow to all the pumps.
Take-offs directly opposite each pump are not recommended. The maximum velocity should be limited to 2.4m/s in the suction header.
This final part of our intake design series covers trench type intakes, intakes handling liquids with a solid content and suction manifolds. As previously noted for the trench and solids bearing liquid intakes, it is important that if there is any doubt about the intake’s ability to handle the job, model tests should be undertaken.
The contents of this series on intake design are a guide to the design of pump intake structures. For a more detailed and comprehensive analysis of pump intake design we refer you to ANSI/HI 9.8-1998 ‘Pump Intake Design’.
The pump industry relies on expertise from a large and varied range of specialists, from experts in particular pump types to those with an intimate understanding of pump reliability; and from researchers who delve into the particulars of pump curves to experts in pump efficiency. To draw upon the wealth of expert knowledge the Australian pump industry has to offer, Pump Industry has established a panel of experts to answer all your pumping questions.
In this edition of Ask an Expert, we will look at multiphase pumps for your oil and gas applications. The oil and gas industry uses progressive cavity (PC) pumps to convey sludge or oily water and in specific circumstances, such as when light hydrocarbons raise the vapour pressure to a level where other pump types would cavitate.
Q: What are multiphase boosting pumps and what makes them so valuable to the oil and gas industry?
A: Multiphase fluid consists of water, oil, gas and some sand, often more than 90 per cent natural gas.
Historically, well site machinery would separate the stream into its four phases (water, oil, gas, solids). The numerous equipment near the well site would then pump the oil through an export pipeline; flare/clean and compress the gas to transport it through another export pipeline; reinject, treat or discard the water; and also clean and dump the solids.
The modern approach is to transport the untreated multiphase well stream via a long-distance export pipeline to a large central separation and processing facility (CPF) near or at the refinery. Multiphase boosting pumps
add the necessary energy to the unprocessed well fluids and they lower the backpressure on the formation and downhole equipment. This serves to increase and stabilise the production.
Q: Why would I want to use a PC pump for a multiphase pumping application?
A: In most cases, a twin-screw pump is used, but PC pumps are gaining popularity. They are best suited for low capacity and pressure situations that are typical for developing marginal fields and restoring mature fields. They allow multiphase boosting where other pump types are not economically viable. Using PC pumps in these applications means the investment for a PC pump package is approximately 10-20 per cent of a twin-screw package. Another major
advantage for remote outback sites is that PC pumps are much easier to maintain than twin-screw pumps, which require high precision and specialised experience that only the manufacturer’s expert staff can bring.
Operators often need to move the multiphase pump from well to well. Suppliers may then offer a containerised stand-alone system, with the pump installed in an open rack container, the control system in a closed, climatecontrolled container and diesel generators providing power.
Q: Temperature rise can be risky when natural gas is compressed. How do I overcome this problem?
A: Experienced PC pump manufacturers offer a multiphase pump-control software running on a
programmable logic controller (PLC) with all the necessary safety and process control features built-in. Natural gas is a compressible fluid, so when it is pressurised, it compresses, which means a reduction in volume and a corresponding increase in temperature.
The stator elastomer does not absorb heat well, which limits the allowable compression – especially at a high Gas-Oil Ratio (GOR) – and requires instrumentation to monitor and control both pressure and temperature. A typical multiphase PC pump has inlet, stator and outlet temperature sensors and inlet/outlet pressure sensors. The control and skid design along with all the piping and accessories can be quite complex. This is why a supplier experienced in multiphase pumps is the way to go.
Peter Vila, Managing Director of SEEPEX Australia, is a progressive cavity pump expert. He has been involved with pumps for over 40 years. Peter spent the first five years repairing pumps and the following 35 years in technical sales, 20 of which have been with SEEPEX progressive cavity pumps.
For more information on progressive cavity pumps, please contact SEEPEX Australia on (02) 4355 4500 or at info.au@seepex.com
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In smaller systems it is normal that one pump will be used for both pumping to the boiler and condensate return. Larger systems tend to require multiple pump banks that are dedicated to both processes.
Important – when selecting pumps for boilers ensure you receive information on:
• Volume metric boiler feed water rate or Boiler MCR (maximum continuous rating which gives you flow rate)
• Pump discharge pressure
• Inlet temperature of water
• NPSHA available
Method of control
There are two main methods of controlling a boiler.
1. Boiler on/off
The most cost-effective way is an on/off control that utilises floats or electrodes mounted directly in the
boiler and, depending on the water level, will start and stop the feed pump. Anti-siphon valves are also used on this control method which prevents the boiler from flooding. Boilers that utilise this type of control are of a smaller design up to 300kW.
2. Continuous operation
A water tube boiler comprises a number of tubes surrounded by fire created by gas or oil. The feed pump passes water through the tubes. The pump runs continuously whilst the flow varies depending upon the demand of the boiler. The pump will tend to need some form of protection to prevent running beyond its maximum capacity. Normally, a bypass line is installed which is either left open to a tank or controlled via a modulating valve.
a. Modulation control
With this type of control the pump is either controlled via a control valve in the main pump discharge line with a bypass; an orifice plate is installed into the bypass or the pump is controlled by a modulating valve fitted in the bypass line. The signal for modulation can be provided by either a level, pressure or temperature controller. The advantage of this type of control method is a smaller pump with better efficiency and reduced running costs.
When using modulating control it is essential to install a bypass pipe line back to the condensate tank or deaerator. Do not return to pump suction.
Another method of control is to place a modulating control valve in the bypass line; this acts in the opposite way to the valve above. As the water level in the boiler rises the modulating valve in the pump bypass line will open and return water back to the condensate tank thus, reducing the water flow to the boiler. Normally a high-level alarm will activate if there is loss of boiler pressure.
NPSH
In all boiler applications, due to the use of the pump with higher water temperatures (often above 100°C), it is essential that the NPSH be calculated for the system as incorrect selection may result in the pump being damaged. It is not unusual for the height of the condensate tank or de-aerator to be set to ensure sufficient static head to provide the NPSHA.
Boiler manufacturers are acutely aware that their application can be extreme and that the pump may be operating constantly and at high temperatures. Problems are often attributed to the pump but when analysed, these problems are usually down to a system problem.
Ensuring you have the right pump for the right application involves a thorough set of considerations. Consult a knowledgeable pump supplier like Kelair Pumps to discuss your pumping requirements.
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