Maintaining your sewage pump station is one of the most effective ways to keep your sludge pump efficient. Firstly, they may cause environmental incidents due to the sewerage pump buildup and potential overflows. Secondly, a breakdown situation causes pressure that can result in a higher rate of injury to employees than routine maintenance tasks. Thirdly, the costs of a repair are higher than routine maintenance tasks.
The benefits of sewage pump station maintenance
If you have a sewage pump station then you probably know that they process dirty streams. Waste contains solids that can block the system and cause flow problems. This can damage your pumps. in addition, the seals of the sewerage pump and packing are subjected to extreme conditions. Premature failure of the seal may lead to leaks, which can result in bad smells.
The accumulation of sludge in a pump station can cause level switches to be inoperable. They can cause a pump to continue running when it should be off and this is very dangerous. When the level drops, the pump functions outside of its design conditions and this causes vibration and cavitation. The pump will overheat. These conditions accelerate failure.
What to include in your maintenance schedule
You should ensure that your pumps are removed from a pump station regularly. The pump should be electrically isolated before it is removed. You should use only chains and tracks made for the purpose of uninstalling pumps. If you fail to do this, it could lead to serious injuries. After removing the pump, you should carry out various tasks on the chamber and the associated piping adhering to the guidelines from your sewage pump suppliers.
Suck the sludge from the station chamber and wash down the walls to ensure all the debris is removed from the pumping system. Flush out suction lines and non-return valves. Once the chamber has been thoroughly cleaned, you should check the operation of level switches. You should then inspect the chamber walls and piping for signs of corrosion and cracks.
Checking your sludge pump’s performance should be done by a professional pump maintenance team. You should start by checking the condition of the lubricant. The presence of water in the oil indicates a seal leak requires in-depth maintenance activity. You should also check the level of the oil and top it up accordingly.
Check the clearance between the cutting disk and knife. This clearance may become too big to wear. You should therefore adjust the clearance to within the specifications. Inspect the components like the stuffing box, impeller condition, sleeves, shafts, plates or wear rings.
Most sewage pump stations have similar maintenance schedule requirements. The frequency of intervention may differ due to the larger volumes of sludge passing through the system. Large systems may also have control systems that are complex and dual switching pumps and have extra checks to be done. If you feel you are not qualified to do some of these tasks or you do not have the right safety gear, it is important to work with a professional.
