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It may seem tempting to drop in any old pump to fix a dilemma, but choosing the right size and type is critical to handling your dewatering job effectively and safely. There is a range of pump categories, each type is distinguished by the mechanics of how the pump transfers liquids. If you choose a pump that is too small, it won’t remove the water effectively or fast enough. If you pick a pump that’s too large for your dewatering job, it may run out of water and run dry, causing on-site issues.
Once you’ve chosen your pump, it’s then vital to use the correct technique to manage and remove water, sludge, and mud safely and responsibly. Draining your site the right way will prevent immediate and future issues. This guide will cover everything you need to know to choose the right pump for the job.
Let’s dive in!
Dewatering is the process of removing surface or groundwater from a given location. Commonly dewatering is required on construction or excavation sites where water is pumped from wells, sumps or holes. This process is often carried out before any excavation begins.
Dewatering is a critical step early on during construction. Suppose surface and subsurface waters are not properly collected and disposed of. In that case, they can become significant hazards during the construction of a building and during the lifetime of the building itself. Dewatering correctly is crucial on a worksite for many reasons.
Flooding can contain harmful pollutants that cause short-term and long-term damage. Whether it is treated or not, water needs to be removed quickly from excavation sites, building sites, and properties. The longer water soaks in, the more damage it can cause to structures and frameworks.
As drainage causes stress redistribution in soils, leaving soil with an increased moisture level can affect a building's concrete slab or other foundations.
If you aren’t paying close attention when dewatering or haven’t determined where the water is being discharged, you risk causing erosion.
If not collected and disposed of properly, untreated water containing harmful pollutants can cause significant issues to the nearby environment and people. Potential issues include:
Dewatering also ensures worker safety by increasing the stability of the ground. After all, safety is paramount.
Having a flooded site also causes project time delays and therefore increases labour costs. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the weather to have a plan in place for dewatering your site. Allowing you to tackle problems effectively.
When choosing the right pump for the job, there are several aspects to keep in mind.
Chemicals, fuels and corrosive liquid can degrade, clog and destroy pumps that aren’t built for these things. Choosing a pump that’s designed to handle the consistency of the fluid and the corrosiveness will prevent the pump from breaking down and requiring a repair.
Hirepool pumps are only designed for pumping contaminated water or slurry.
Head pressure is the measurement of the height difference between the liquid being moved and the discharge point. Pump manufacturers will test each pump and proceed to plot its performance on a chart. The Head is the pressure of the pump and the flow rate is how much water the pump can move. The head sits on the vertical Y-axis and the flow rate on the horizontal X-axis.
You are to use this chart to check if your pump will suit the job you are trying to tackle.
Manufacturers only know how high their pump can pump a liquid. They don’t know what type of liquid you are pumping. As each liquid has different properties, the pressure will vary depending on the type of liquid. Pumps are usually used to pump liquids to a higher region. So you need to ensure that your pump can reach that elevation.
For a small-scale dewatering job, we would use a pump with relatively low pressure. If you are looking at pumping at a larger scale, you would require a pump that would require much more pump pressure.
The faster you want the job done, the higher the flow rate you will require. You will need a larger pump with larger port sizes if you want a high flow rate.
Top tip: Flow rate is the volume of liquid you can transport within a given time.
Considering these factors will start you off in choosing the right pump for the job. The Hirepool team of experts can help to answer questions including:
Hirepool offers a range of pumps for different size jobs. Each pump has different specifications to get your unique job done with ease.
A submersible pump is designed to be fully submerged in water and can move wastewater at high pressure and larger flow rates. The motor is sealed in an airtight method and close-coupled to the body of the pump. While it is effective a submersible pump does not fit all uses. It is not built to pump thick liquids like mud and sludge. There are many advantages to using a submersible pump, including:
Submersible pumps are used for dewatering applications, pumping groundwater, and transferring fluid. They are commonly used in industries including:
Hirepool’s submersible pump range consists of eight pumps, including:
A diaphragm pump is a positive displacement pump that is highly versatile, as it can be used for liquids such as clean water and other viscous substances.
Diaphragm pumps work by flexing the diaphragm out of its displacement chamber. Benefits of a diaphragm pump include:
These pumps work by pumping water from point A to point B, pulling water in from the suction side and having its downstroke push it out through the discharge hose. While diaphragm pumps can handle more viscous substances, they are more commonly used for moving water containing sand, stones and sludge.
These pumps are used in many industries that require liquid transfer because of their efficiency, accuracy and roll bar frame. They are often used for filling, dispensing and metering but are known for their suction lift characteristics. This refers to the negative pressure on the suction side of the pump.
If you’re looking to empty a pond or clean up flooding on your property that contains a lot of silt and sludge, a diaphragm pump can handle it. However, because you’re dealing with heavier substances, it adds weight to what you’re pumping, which will need to be considered when discharging it. This means the pumping capacity of a diaphragm pump will be reduced, along with the head lift and the distance you can pump. Depending on the size of the pump, you may be limited to 25 metres of pumping distance and reduced head lift. It will reduce even more significantly if you’re handling a lot of mud and silt.
Hirepool’s diaphragm pump range consists of four types of diaphragm pumps, including:
Trash pumps are a bit larger than life. They are built to suck in small debris and solids up to 29mm, separate them and then eject the filtered water out the other end.
With larger impeller veins and pump housing, trash pumps can handle the solids between 20mm and 30mm that are sucked in with the dirty water. The solids sucked in by a trash pump are not ground up but are left intact and sent on their way.
Top tip: Be sure to turn off any pumps and place them on a stable surface before adjusting anything.
If you have an area on your property or on a worksite that is flooded, that water may be clogged with mud and other debris. A standard pump won’t get this particular job done, as they are designed to pump water that’s relatively clear. . A trash pump is very capable and specially designed to remove that thick, sludgy water, without damaging itself.
Hirepool’s trash pump range consists of:
Able to pump raw and screened sewage, water with solids up to 29mm and sludge or slurry.
A flexi drive pump is a portable and self-priming pump with a flexdrive motor. These are heavy-duty construction pumps that pump clean and dirty water at a great flow rate. They come with a roll cage that makes it easy to transport and move around your site.
Great for dewatering and drainage applications, especially when you’re sticking to a deadline. Particularly if you’ve got a concrete pour booked and need to drain footings or are bogged down after heavy rain and need to start excavation
These pumps are also great with their flexi drive shaft which makes it easier when draining hard-to-reach places such as a man-hole or a bank.
Both are built to move water containing sand and stones. These pumps are self-priming and can be run dry.
There’s a lot to consider to ensure you pick the right pump for your job. Thankfully, with a bit of research and talking to your local Hirepool team, you can make the right choice.
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