STW Installs Optimal Pump for Low-Flow Stormwater Returns
Project Overview
Perfect Pump for Unstaffed Storm Water Return
A UK sewage treatment works required a pumping solution capable of handling a challenging combination of site constraints, high-solids, operational risks, and wide flow-rate variance. Traditional centrifugal and submersible pumps were unsuitable, given the frequently low flow requirement, and the site’s limited staffing and power supply meant any solution needed to be both robust and low-maintenance.
Atlantic Pumps proposed a large LSM industrial peristaltic pump—an approach that delivered the reliability, solids-handling capability, and low-flow performance the client needed while also reducing long-term operational costs.
Challenge
The site presented a unique combination of demanding requirements:
- Very low flows (too low for standard centrifugal or submersible pumps)
- Risk of dry running due to intermittent supply
- Unmanned site, increasing the consequences of equipment failure, in particular:
- Risk of pump damage from dry running
- High risk of unmitigated leakage or spillage if seals fail
- Large solids up to 70 mm, beyond the realistic limit of many positive displacement pump types
- High suction lift requirement of 5 m
- Entrained rag, which frequently blocks narrow passages and wraps around rotating components
- High grit content, causing abrasion in traditional pump designs
- Limited onsite power, restricting pump type and size options
Together, these constraints made the application unsuitable for most centrifugal and positive displacement pumps.
Solution
Atlantic Pumps identified the LSM pump as the most suitable technology for the site’s needs. Its design characteristics made it particularly effective for the combination of low flow, high solids, abrasive material, and rag-laden sewage:
- Unlike centrifugal pumps, the LSM pump maintains performance at very low flows.
- Its ability to run dry without damage mitigates risk on unmanned sites.
- The pump’s sealless design eliminates external leakage, preventing contamination and avoiding environmental risk.
- The LSM’s 80 mm solids passage and gentle peristaltic action allow it to handle large solids, rag, and grit without blockage or rapid wear to internal components.
- The pump’s efficient lubrication and straightforward mechanics mean it uses only the energy required, making it ideal for smaller sites with limited power supply.
Results
By installing the LSM pump solution, the STW achieved the following:
- Successful pumping at extremely low flows, down to 1 L/s
- Safe dry-running capability, preventing downtime and damage
- Reliable handling of large solids – up to 80 mm
- Non-blocking performance, even with rag-laden sewage
- Effective grit management, with reduced abrasive wear
- Sealless operation, eliminating risk of external leakage or spills
- Lower energy usage, suitable for sites with constrained power infrastructure
- Modern, robust equipment with OEM support
Conclusion
The pump provided by Atlantic Pumps proved to be a highly effective and dependable solution for the return flow on this sewage treatment works.
Its ability to manage low flows, high solids, abrasive grit, and rag—while operating safely on an unmanned site—delivered both technical reliability, low-carbon operation, and financial efficiency.
If you are seeking to reduce risk, improve performance, and lower lifecycle costs in demanding wastewater applications on your sites, reach out to the pump optimisation experts at Atlantic Pumps.