“Modern Collection System Solids-handling

Challenges / Energy Saving Advancements”

Doug Billiter

Direct Sales RepresentativeXylem, Inc. – Water Solutions, Flygt Products

TODAY’s NEWSWet Wipes and Grease Make for a Mess in Charleston Sewers

Disposable Wipes Not For Toilets Warns BV

Utilities Grapple with Flushables

City Plagued by Flushable Wipes

Wipe Out! Keeping Wipes Out of Pipes

Flushable Wipes Problematic for Rhode Island WWTPs

Flushable Wipes Clogging Sewers says Halifax Water

Flushable Wipes Blamed for Clogging City Sewers

How many of you recognize photos like

these?

Flushable does not mean ‘Flow-able’!

Modern collection system headaches

New Wipes TV Advertising CampaignCross ad for dry and wet products

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Typical “Modern Trash”Non-woven sheet goods

Typical manufacturing process:

Needle punch

Thermal bonding

Chemical bonding

Typical commercial products

Baby / personal wipes

‘Swiffer’ wiping sheets

Dryer sheets

Baby diaper liners

Toilet bowl cleaning pads

Make-up removal wipes

3-4 new products monthly!

$5Bn market and growing!

Typical WWTP (Diurnal) Curve

Sewage flow duration pattern for a typical municipality

Tre

atm

en

t ca

pa

city (

mg

d)

Portland Water District (PWD), Portland, ME‘Awareness campaign’

12-in

Pump

16-in

Suction line

MWWCA New Public Education CampaignMajor funding by MWWCA / INDA

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Pro

ba

bili

tyToday’s Reality:Probability of solids/rags and fibers distribution

Solids Rags

100%

0%

3-in 2-in 1-in ½-in 1-in 4-in 8-in 12-in

Diameter Fiber length

Complications of ‘Modern Trash’“Environment 1992 Conference”

“Flushability, Transportation and Decomposition of Non-woven Products”

Foretold challenges due to:

Reduced water flow- EPAct (’94) regulation reduced toilet flush volume to 1.6 gallons

- Low flow shower heads

- Now… Even waterless urinals

Explosive growth of flushable product sales

Laboratory and field studies predicted difficulties in

developing wipes that met both: - Possible regulations

- Consumer needs

INDA - Industry of Non-woven Mfg.The industry’s take on wipes…

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Wipes usage increasing at a healthy 10% per year

Only 5% of wipes are marketed as ‘flushable’ (<1% in N.A.)

INDA members see baby wipes as very different from

‘flushable’

INDA members are not so willing to put ‘Do Not Flush’ logo

on valuable ‘real estate’ on front of packaging

INDA’s ‘World of Wipes’ Conference focusing upon water-

soluble binders (Hydraspun™)

INDA’s ‘Flushability Assessment’ is voluntary, it contains

some vague language

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INDA: The industry’s take on wipes…

INDA - Flushability project

Flushability Project… What is flushable?

• ‘Flushability’ has been left up to individual product manufacturers

• High risk:

- Non-woven products can harm both homeowners and municipalities

• Develop standardized product test rig

- Products can be compliance tested

• INDA external experts have worked to develop a test program

• Flygt is one such ‘external expert’ consultant

Original Flushability Test…Will flushables make it through the ‘S’ bend?

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Toilet ‘S’ Bend

Closet elbow

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Flushability Assessment Decision TreeProduct labeling to comply with Code of Practice

Flushability – Current INDA Definition

For a product to be listed as flushable it must:1.) Clear toilets and properly maintained drainage pipe

systems under expected product usage conditions;

2.) Be compatible with existing wastewater conveyance,

treatment, reuse and disposal systems;

3.) Become unrecognizable in a “reasonable” period of

time and be safe in the natural receiving environments.

Note:

Flygt submersible pump is the basis of INDA

standardized flushability test for product certification

Flushability - Modern TrashQuest to become unrecognizable…

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Toilet paper Current wipes Hydraspun™ substrate

(1-min) (24-hours) (1 to 2-hour)

Today’s reality: MWWCA MembershipA Recent Collection System Operations Survey

87.5% experienced problems with “flushable’ products.

61.4% experienced >10 incidents with “flushable” items

84.4% clogging problems in small lift stations due to “flushables”

51.1% clogging problems in large lift stations due to “flushables”

59.6% Costs due to ‘flushables’ is up to $1,000 per incident

12.8% Costs due to ‘flushables’ of up to $2,000 per incident

88.9% Report that problems with “flushables” are increasing

In 2011: Average annual cost for each Maine city = $37.5K

Collection System Headaches: 2012

Orange County (Ca.) Sanitary District

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(2) WWTP with total capacity of 210MGD

Collection system size: (2.3M people) 587 miles of conveying lines (OCSD)

4,513 miles of satellite lines (Others)

OCSD owns15 pumping stations

In 2011-2012 OCSD: Conducted 971 corrective de-ragging actions ( 971 / 15 = 65 )

Spend $320,000 de-ragging pumps

Worst single day recorded:

10 employees took 8-hours to clear 5 P.S.

(40) 35-gal contractor trash bags of debris were removed

from the (20) pump units

Collection System Headaches: 2012

Orange County (Ca.) Sanitary District

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(2) WWTP with total capacity of 210MGD

Collection system size: 587 miles of conveying lines (OCSD)

4,513 miles of satellite lines (Others)

OCSD owns15 pumping stations

In 2011-2012 OCSD: Conducted 971 corrective de-ragging actions

Spend $320,000 de-ragging pumps

Worst single day recorded:

10 employees took 8-hours to clear 5 P.S.

(40) 35-gal contractor trash bags of debris were removed

from the (20) pump units

Collection System Headaches: 2012

Orange County (Ca.) Sanitary District

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(2) WWTP with total capacity of 210MGD

Collection system size: 587 miles of conveying lines (OCSD)

4,513 miles of satellite lines (Others)

OCSD owns15 pumping stations

In 2011-2012 OCSD: Conducted 971 corrective de-ragging actions ( 971 / 15 = 65 )

Spend $320,000 de-ragging pumps

Worst single day recorded:

10 employees took 8-hours to clear just 5 pump stations

(40) 35-gal contractor trash bags of debris were removed

INDA Case Study:Town of Moraga, Costra County, CA

• Significant number of pump clog incidents per month

• 3” bar screen replaced with 1.5” bar screen

• Case study results:

- Increased frequency of bar screen cleaning

- Bar screen blinding by ‘pan-caking’ of brown towel sheets

- While reduced, 6-in pumps each still clogged 3-4 times /mo.

Town of Moraga, Costra County, CA Recorded wastewater trash distribution

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54%

70%

16%

13%

17%

19%

11%

Case Study:Town of Moraga, Costra County, CA

Pump clogs mainly consisted of:

- Long, twisted, knotted, rope-like formations

- Strong non-woven materials

- Long fibrous products:

- Personal hygiene products

- Household cleaning wipes

- Personal wipes

Town of Moraga, Costra County, CA Typical pump clog sample

Washed pump clog debris

Decomposed debris clog

Modern Wastewater: Wastewater pumping is a tough application!

Courtesy of Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA)

(~1,200 Pump stations)

“Flushable” does not equal “flow-able”

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Courtesy of City of Peoria, AZ

(24 Pump stations)

Solids-handling Pumps –An historical overview

Mr. A. Baldwin Wood – 1915 • Assistant Superintendent, New Orleans S & WB

• “Father of the ‘non-clog’ wastewater pump” developed the

Wood “Trash Pump”

Typical 2-channel solids-handling impeller…

Large throughlets, blunt vane leading edges

Impeller rotation

Descendants of the “Wood Trash Pump”2-channel impeller with blunt leading edges

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“While public education is important, ultimately we need to invest in improved, modern

equipment that can handle this material”Public Works Director – Andy LaFond

Innovative Technology Large throughlet size is not the answer

(3) 16-in. dia. pumps are equipped with impellers having

2 x 4.5-in. dia. throughlets… each clog weekly!

Innovative Technology

Self-cleaning hydraulics providing

sustained high hydraulic efficiency

Horizontal vane leading edge

Vane edges are wiped clean at the

interface of the relief-groove during each

rotation

Innovative Technology

Laboratory tests and field installations

show that sewage pump clogging is

mainly due to:

1. Rags get stuck on the impeller vane

edge or in the eye of the impeller

2. Jamming of the impeller / wear ring.

3. Full plugging of the volute (Vortex pumps)

Innovative Technology Laboratory pump-clog test rig

Innovative technologyLaboratory test protocol

• Test objects, 50 pieces of each:

- 10 mil plastic strips

- ‘Wettex’ dish cloths

- Reinforced textile rags

• The 8” to 10” square test objects were fed into each pump,

- One piece at a time, in 15 sec. intervals.

• Tests were performed at flows of 900 gpm and 1,250 gpm

• (7) type hydraulic designs were tested

• (6) Pump manufacturers

• All test program pumps were 4-in pumps

Innovative technologyIn solids-handling pump design

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Closed 1-V 2-V Vortex Screw Open 1-V Chopper N-Hydraulics

Hydraulic efficiency in clean water

Hydraulic efficiency recorded during repeated clog tests

Pump efficiency comparison by impeller type

Innovative TechnologyIn solids-handling pump design

• (1) To prevent clogging, impeller design is much more

important than throughlet size.

• (2) Impeller vane leading edge angle is very important

• (3) The maintaining of cleanliness of the leading edge of

the impeller vane(s) is of utmost importance.

Clog test conclusions

The Solution:

Innovative technology in pumping

Since 2000, more than 100,000 pumps utilizing modern

technology have been successfully operating in the U.S.

pumping raw, unscreened sewage and sludge.

The Solution:Innovative technology in pumping

1.The N Technology

self-cleaning concept

2.The Adaptive functionality

This design chosen as 2011

WEF Innovative Technology

Award Winning Product

End-user SavingsOperations budget / Maintenance budget

The following is a review of several of the

numerous successful projects where:

Pump clogging issues were eliminated

Significant operational savings were realized

Significant Maintenance savings were realized

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Budget saving project overviews

Vancouver, WA – Anderson P.S.

• (4) 40-hp submersible pumps had frequent fouling and clogging

• (4) 25hp modern technology pumps installed

- $8,000 in maintenance savings – no more pulling of pumps

- $3,000 in operational savings / energy savings

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Budget saving project overviews

Waconia, MN – Master Lift Station

(2) 85-hp pumps original submersible pumps

In a 10-month period, experienced 18 daytime and 16 night time clogs

Maintenance cost to unclog pumps was $14,027 (~$400 per incident)

(2) 70-hp N-pumps were installed

No clogs since installation in June, 2011

All 13 system wide L.S. are being upgraded to modern technology units

Average energy savings is just over 30%

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Issues with 3-yr Old Dry-pit SubmersibleMotor failure and clogging issues

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Thief River Falls, MN – Lift station #9 (Q = 4,000 gpm)

(2) 75-hp dry-pit submersible solids-handling pumps

(1) 125-hp, 38-yr old conventional dry-pit pump In just 2-years operation, bearings failed on both new pump units

Frequent partial pump clogging / City spent $40,000

(2) 80-hp modern technology have operated flawlessly > 12-mos.

Recent energy saving project:City of Andalusia, AL

Riverside WWTP (3) 45-hp modern technology

pumps

48.1% Engineer-recorded svgs

Central Lift Station (3) 85-hp modern technology pumps

(2) 45-hp modern technology pumps

56.1% Engineer recorded svgs

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U.S. DOE Block Grant – Dept. of Economic AffairsProject spec.: 25% energy savings is required of the contractorFailure to achieve: Reimburse $240,000 State of AL funding

Recent energy saving projectYpsilanti Communities Utility Authority (YCUA)

• Upgrading several large collection system pump stations- Solve clogging issues / Improve hydraulic efficiency / Install ASDs

- Martz Road P.S. = > 30% energy savings

- Willow Run P.S. = > 30% energy savings

- Snow Road P.S. = > 40% energy savings

• Snow Road Pump Station- (5) 12-in, NT-3312 / 470-hp pumps Result: > 40% Energy Savings

- DTE Energy Savings Rebate Program awards YCUA: $65,378!

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Putting It All Together

‘Modern trash’ / non-woven sheet goods have became

the No. 1 enemy of collection systems

Conventional solids-handling pumps (Wood Trash

Pump) proven not to be able to handle ‘modern trash’

Public education so far seems to have a limited benefit

Maintenance budgets are strained due to needs to

repeat pump pulling/cleaning actions

Problem is getting worse each month

Proven solutions exists that delivers sustained efficiency

and greatly minimizes maintenance spending

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“Modern Collection System Solids-handling

Challenges / Energy Saving Advancements”

Doug Billiter Direct Sales Representative

Xylem, Inc. – Water Solutions, Flygt Products