Unusual applications for deep-well pumps
A typical application of deep-well pumps is to transport water from a deep-well borehole.
However, successfully deep-well pumps can be used in other than typical applications such as:
- In irrigation systems from surface intakes,
- In fire protection systems of oil and mining platforms,
- In fire protection systems of shipyard equipment wharves and oil product handling piers,
- in pressure-lifting systems in fire protection systems in high-rise buildings and large-scale facilities
- In fountain plant systems,
- In water supply networks.
Advantages of deep-well pumps that allow them to be used in unusual applications:
- possibility to suspend the pump from the discharge line,
- Definitely a simple design resulting from the original purpose of the pump,
- low vibration levels (masses spinning at a much smaller radius).
- Para-monoblock system (sleeve coupling),
- The ability to work horizontally and vertically,
- No source of noise such as a fan.
However, the unusual use of deep-well pumps depends on the situation in which we need to use a particular device, even if it would be in a so-called special design and in an unconventional application.
One such application is submersible units in hermetic jackets operating horizontally or vertically. This solution allows to reduce the additional infrastructure associated with the installation of pumps. Often, simple chambers for the installation of the "encapsulated" deep-water genset itself are sufficient. There are then no problems with erecting structures that would have to architecturally blend in with the surrounding landscape. Sufficiently low NPSHr values of the pump are not required, as they always operate under the inflow. Consequently, there is no problem of pump venting. Another case is the installation of a deep-well unit in a specially prepared intake (underground reservoir) to which the inflow is carried out by gravity or by a first-stage pump, from a surface intake.
Another example of an unusual application: in one of the large resorts there was a need to decommission an old fire pumping station with all its infrastructure. The pumping station contained three depleted self-priming units with a total motor power of 55.5 kW. The system was replaced by a coastal water intake equipped with submersible generators. The total installed power of the fire pumps and the pilot pump was reduced to 23.1 kW. This was due to the construction of a suitable shore intake, but an extremely architecturally uninteresting building disappeared from the resort's landscape.
A similar situation occurred at several newly built warehouses of a major shipping company. The need to supply an extensive hydrant network was related to the construction of a fire water tank. In this case, the Investor did not want above-ground tanks. It was possible to build an additional pumping station sunk next to the underground tank, but this is always another facility that will generate costs. However, in this case, the aim is always to provide a gravity inflow for the fire pumps, and so the concept of using deep-well pumps directly sunk in the fire water tank emerged. This also significantly simplified the installation. In this case, four submersible pumping units of 13.0 kW each were used.
Deep-well pumps are also known to be used for raising pressure in water supply networks. The analysis of the network showed the need to build a pump or a set of pumps at a specific point in the water supply network. However, the only possible form of development (architectural limitations) was an underground chamber. Thus, the easiest way is to use a submersible pump unit in a hermetic jacket, which will perform better than the classic solution.
There are also known situations in which the modernization of the treatment plant itself (expansion of the technological part) caused such great limitations of space inside the facility itself that the technological pumps (feeding water from the raw water tank to the treatment system) had to be moved out of the station building. No new facility was built. The pumps went to the raw water tank.
Finally, a few words about pump diagnostics. There are no maintenance-free pumps, unless we are dealing with disposable devices that are completely disassembled and scrapped after working a certain number of hours. Today, we have the tools
that allow ongoing diagnostics of virtually any device. Relating the data collected in this way to the original characteristics will allow us to predict the state of failure well in advance. There will then be no surprises and the costs associated with failure and downtime will be minimized (LCC). This applies to both deep-well pumps and their "land-based sisters."
Jakub Franczak
Technical Advisor of Hydro-Vacuum S.A.
Deep-well pumps
Ways of installing deep-well pumps
Customer Service Department
