2013 Fall Regional Meetings

Water Booster Pump Stations -

Design & Operation Considerations

Joseph Moore, P.E.

DuBois-Cooper Associates, Inc.
 Presentation Outline

The Booster Station

Planning

Design

Operation
 Water Booster Station

Deliver flow at an increased pressure or

boost

Control pressures within a desired

range

HOW DO YOU ACCOMPLISH THIS?

IT DEPENDS
 Understand Your Water System

Water System is a living dynamic system

Need to understand the varying

conditions and limitations of your water
system

and what you want to accomplish

 Types of Booster Pumps

Horizontal or vertical split case

Bearings on both sides of impeller balanced operation
2 seals
High pump efficiency
High cost

End-Suction
Impeller cantilevered outside bearings
Lower cost
Typically direct coupled motor
 Types of Booster Pumps

Vertical In-Line
Small footprint

Vertical Turbine
Small footprint
Need pit or clearwell below
Add pump stages to provide pressure

Self-Priming
Pump out of clearwell / tank
 Booster Station Components

Pumps
Jockey small flow conditions
Duty average / peak flow conditions
High Service

Motors (ODP or TEFC)

Piping
Ductile iron (cement-lined)
Stainless steel
Fusion-bonded epoxy-coated steel
Steel
 Booster Station Components

Building / Enclosure
 Booster Station Components

Building / Enclosure
 Booster Station Components

Building / Enclosure
 Booster Station Components

Building / Enclosure
Booster Station Components
 Booster Station Components

Isolation and check valves

Control valves
Pump Control Valves
Pressure Reducing Valves
Pressure Relief Valves
discharge to atmosphere
Surge Anticipation Valves
discharge to atmosphere
use in power failure condition
Pressure Sustaining Valves
Booster Station Components
Booster Station Components
 Booster Station Components

Controls (PLCs)

Motor Starters:
Across-the-line
Soft Starts (reduced voltage starters)
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
 Booster Station Components

Pressure transducers
Flow Meters
Alarms
Gauges
Remote Communication dialers, radio and
SCADA

Remote Signals Be aware of the time

delay of sending / receiving signals that
impact the booster station operation
 Booster Station Components

Standby Power
Generators
Natural Gas Engine
 Planning Stage

Include the Full Team:

Owner
Engineer
Operations Group
Customers / Stakeholders

Manage Expectations / Define Objectives

 Design Stage

Purpose of the Booster Station:

Increase pressures in low pressure areas
Provide Fire Flow (high service)
Fill storage tank (s)
Deliver flow from ground storage tank

Location
Pump type / configuration
Match pumps size with expected operation
Pump Seal seal water?

Factory-Built or site-built station

Varying System Conditions
 Design Stage

Type of Station Enclosure

Method of Station Control / Operation:
Pressure (1 psi = 2.31 feet)
Flow
Demand
Tank Levels

Pressure Impacts on Customers

Impacts on Water System
 Impacts on Customers

Increased pressure on customers adjacent to

station discharge
Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) on water main

PRVs on individual services

Increased pressures on customers existing

plumbing fixtures (hot water tanks)
 Impacts on Customers

Adequate water supply to booster station

Suction low pressure cut-off
Pressure Sustaining Valve

Station bypass pipe with check valve

maintain current service if station goes down
 Water System Impacts

Be aware of water system flow patterns

differing flow directions may impact water quality

Pressure increases and surges

impact on your existing watermains

Reduce surges with:

Pump control valves
Soft starters
VFDs
 Closing Message

Operators need to be involved in Planning

and Design Process

Water system is Dynamic know the

water system conditions

Manage Expectations / Define Objectives

Tailor Booster Station to meet your needs

 QUESTIONS

PUMPS WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT

Joe Moore
jmoore@duboiscooper.com

734.455.6700