PROBLEM:
Great Falls, Montana, home to approximately 60,000 residents, operates a wastewater facility that processes 100,000 gallons per day (gpd) using 30 HP pumps. For many years, the site struggle with pump ragging & frequent clogs.
To address this, the municipality installed a channel grinder before the wet well influent channel pump to reduce blockages. While the grinder helped, it did not fully resolve the issue. Clogs still occur regularly, 12 to 16 times each year. As a result, the pumps had to be lifted and cleaned regularly, and the channel grinder also required ongoing maintenance, adding to the overall maintenance costs and demands.
SOLUTION:
When the channel grinder was due for a rebuild, the local distributor suggested the municipality install a DERAGGER® as an alternative. The DERAGGER was installed on one of the 30 HP pumps, set to initiate a clean cycle at start-up, and equipped
with Real-Time Pump Protection™ to detect and prevent rag balls from forming.
The DERAGGER proved so effective that the channel grinder was never reinstalled. Eliminating the need for the grinder, the DERAGGER:
- reduced energy consumption
- decreased maintenance & labor time and costs
- saved $13,000 annually in grinder rebuild costs
“The DERAGGER® was installed on one pump that normally has a grinder, while that was sent off for a rebuild. The DERAGGER worked incredibly well. We will be purchasing DERAGGER systems for other problem stations in the near future.”
– Randy Kerkes, Maintenance Manager Veolia, Great Falls WWTPGREAT
