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Grease in Pump Station Wet WellsExpand / Collapse
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Posted 1/8/2008 9:32:46 AM
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I have a major, regional pump station with a 70+ ft deep wet well with a major accumulation of grease.  The pump station is a wet pit/dry pit station with a split wet well.  I need to take half of the wet well down to install a valve in the suction line.  The grease layer is estimated at 4 ft deep and could probably be walked on.  I do not want to attempt to break it up and pump it to the treatment plant (or to the other half of the wet well).  I'm looking for a way to remove it, and then prevent future accumulation either through operating protocols or "additives" (I cringe when I say that.)  We do have a grease program for source control, and while I know that's important, I'm looking for other technical solutions, particularly to the immediate problem of getting the grease that has accumulated out.

Any advice or experiences to share?  Techniques? Contractors?  Products?

Post #7916
Posted 1/8/2008 12:49:07 PM
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Where are you located?
Post #7921
Posted 1/9/2008 10:39:20 AM
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Certain companies have flush valves. They fit on the pump and circulate the wet well when the pump kicks on. I have one in a wet well and it works real good. Every once an a while debris gets into the valve and you have to clean it. Plus you don't have to keep buying expensive cleaners. One way (if feasible w/o causing overflow) is to shut down the wet well and let the level rise to where a super pumper truck could get it out.

John
Post #7931
Posted 1/9/2008 3:35:17 PM
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Metro Atlanta (Georgia)
Post #7940
Posted 1/11/2008 11:52:06 AM
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Don't know of any outfits that do that kind of work in Georgia, however I'm sure they exist in any large municipality. Hit the yellow pages.
Post #7960
Posted 1/11/2008 1:32:40 PM
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What kind of top access do you have to the wetwell?  At 70' deep, are there stairs to the bottom?  Is it accessible through some type of top hatch-way through which you could drop a container on a cable?


David
Post #7964
Posted 1/21/2008 7:31:46 PM
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To prevent grease buildup in the future, I would recommend the installation of a sump cleaning controller such as FLYGT's "APF-Cleaner". The controller is din mounted and works as a compliment to the main station controller. The controller will perform X-number of cleaning cycles per 24hr period based on the user setting. When a cleaning cycle is started, the pump is turned on and continues to draw the well level down to the point that the pump begins to draw air. At this point, a current transducer detects the decrease in current to the pump motor and turns the pump off and the normal control start point takes over. Pumping the level in the well down to the "Snooze" level allows for any grease floating on top of the water to be pumped out.

For future station design or retrofit, FLYGT's FMC line of lift station controllers have this feature built into them. In addition, they also have a "Random Start" feature that allows for a span value to be input allowing a variable start point. This allows for accumulation of a ring to be spread out over a larger start span (typically 1-2ft) instead of a specific elevation.

You can find more information on the APF-Cleaner at the following website. http://www.flygtus.com/117253.asp I hope this helps in the prevention of future buildups.

Post #8062
Posted 1/22/2008 12:37:01 PM
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John

As noted at the top of the Forum -- Forum policies: advertisements are not premitted.  While it may be necessary for some responses to use brand names and etc., I think your post qualifies as an "advertisement" and should not be used.  Such posts which come to the attention of the forum administrator will be removed.

David

Post #8070
Posted 1/22/2008 1:15:09 PM
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My apologies David and to the rest of the forum members. I wondered if there was such a restriction however I could not find any policies and I do not see the forum policies that you mentioned. I had seen the mention of various other manufacturers in other threads and had assumed it was ok. Sorry for the assumption.

John

Post #8076
Posted 1/23/2008 2:17:25 PM
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