Alert prevents pollution event and saves EUR 100k

Table of contents

SAM4 Health detected a developing fault on a sewage pump which was not picked up by the customer’s vibration monitoring system. SAM4’s timely alert avoided wastewater backup and emergency maintenance and saved over € 100,000.

Vibration analysis not sufficient to indicate trouble with sewage pump

• Water utilities face sewage pump breakdowns during high flow periods, causing sewage buildup and flooding.

• SAM4 Health provides early warning of pump issues and detected a broken impeller in one pump at a critical station.

• Maintenance was performed, and the pump returned to healthy behavior, preventing wastewater backup and emergency maintenance. SAM4 Health was the only system to identify the issue.

 

Wastewater treatment pumping station centrifugal pumps 1

Early warning system installed on sewage pumps helps prevent maintenance emergency

Short form fault detection case study v5 700w
SAM4 Health captured a sudden spike followed by a drop in active power. The customer was able to inspect and repair the pump at a time when the other three pumps could handle the flow.

The problem

If a sewage pump unexpectedly breaks down during a period of high flow, fluid that should be transported away starts to build up and flood the surrounding area. Many water utilities therefore rely on SAM4 Health to provide early warning of developing sewage pump issues. In one particular case, the system has been installed on four sewage pumps at the most critical station in the network that transports wastewater from homes and businesses to the treatment plant.

The solution

SAM4 Health detected a sudden change in active power, which is an indicator for mechanical unbalance. The customer sent an engineer to inspect the pump and he measured that the motor was running at lower torque and lower power than expected. During an already scheduled visit from the OEM, they opened the pump and found a significant piece of the impeller missing. After maintenance was performed, SAM4 Health confirmed the pump had returned to healthy behavior.

The result

The customer’s vibration monitoring systems had not indicated any trouble with this pump, so SAM4 Health was the only system to identify the issue. This timely warning made it possible to inspect and repair the pump at a time when the other three pumps could handle the incoming flow, thereby avoiding wastewater backup and emergency maintenance and saving over € 100,000.

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