Metropolitan Industries supplied a large air-gap break tank system that isolates processes from the source water feed for the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington.

By Joseph Sanchez

The Manhattan Project was the effort, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, which resulted in the development of the first atomic bomb during World War II according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, was one of the main locations for the project due to its isolation and its proximity near the Columbia River, which could supply sufficient water to cool the nuclear reactors that produced plutonium during World War II.

The Hanford Site is now the focus of cleanup efforts which is the mission of Prime Contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company. They are tasked with cleaning up waste sites and treating contaminated groundwater to ensure a healthy future for the Columbia River. To accomplish this goal, CH2M HILL is currently working on groundwater treatment and remediation efforts under way through Hanford’s 100 area and Central Plateau, which includes a total of 11 groundwater operable units.

The task of this project is enormous with on-going efforts to remediate 39 waste sites and more than 250,000 tons of soil left behind by operations on the Hanford Site; installing 327 wells across the site that will extract, monitor, and remediate contaminated groundwater; and treating 625 million gallons of contaminated groundwater to slow further migration toward the Columbia River.

Metropolitan Industries, Inc. participated in the remediation process by supplying a large air-gap break tank system that isolates processes from the source water feed for the 200 W Pump & Treat facility at Hanford.

Working together with Project Engineer CH2M Hill located in Englewood, Co., University Mechanical Contractors located in Mukilteo, Wa., and Metropolitan Representative PumpTech, Inc located in Moses Lake, Wa., Metropolitan Industries supplied a custom-designed triplex, pressure booster system with air gap protection for the potable water supply, a 2,100 gallon tank with a system capacity rated for 580 gallons per minute.

“This is a large air gap system,” says Mike Tierney, national sales manager who oversaw design and production of this project. “We are always asked if we can build large air-gap systems and this is evidence that we can,” he said. According to Tierney, air-gap systems typically range anywhere from 100-200 gallons per minute. This system is triple that capacity at 580 gallons per minute.

Other features of the system include a U.L. listed control panel with intuitive operator interface and touch screen control. Metropolitan Industries is one of the few pump system manufactures with a U.L. control panel shop in-house. This capability reduces costs while increasing quality.

Prior to shipping, Metropolitan verified the system in their test lab to ensure precise operation in the field. With the added value of system testing, the contractor simply had to make their connections, which dramatically reduced their startup time.

Shipment of the large system occurred early second quarter of 2011. Metropolitan was pleased to be part of such an important environmental project. For more information about air-gap break tank systems, please contact Mike Tierney at 815-886-9200 ext 234.

The Encarta Dictionary of North America defines the word “feat” as a remarkable act or achievement involving skill and determination. When describing the plumbing renovations conducted in the east and west towers of Hyatt Regency Chicago, a feat is the only word that best describes this project.

Hyatt Regency Chicago is the largest hotel in Chicago and the largest Hyatt in the world. It is situated just off the world famous Magnificent Mile and within walking distance of the city’s most exciting shopping, dining and nightlife. Amenities include 228,000 square feet of flexible functional meeting space that includes four ballrooms, 63 meeting rooms and a 70,000 square foot exhibit floor.

The hotel recently underwent a massive $90 million renovation that focused on both the west and east towers. Renovations included redesigning the water supply system, re-piping 40 levels of each building and modernizing 2,019 rooms, while reducing consumption demands on water and electricity. The significance of the work lies with the speed in which it was accomplished. Both tower renovations began in a fourth quarter and were completed by the end of the following first quarter. Again, feats only accomplished by skill and determination.

East Tower

The east tower of Hyatt Regency Chicago sits across the street from the west tower and was the second phase of a two-phase project. The west tower completed during the first phase in 2010.

The 36-year-old existing water system in the east tower never worked efficiently according to Dennis Sartain, project executive and vice president of Abbott Industries, headquartered in Bensenville, IL. Sartain oversaw the project from design throughout construction and was a main factor in its 12-week completion.

“There were many deficiencies in the existing system that reduced the efficiency of the building,” said Sartain.

Those deficiencies included unequal hot and cold water to room fixtures and waiting for hot water to arrive to a fixture, which was related to the original zone design that had three zones spread over 40 floors, requiring a reconfiguration of three zones.

According to Sartain, the problem was the mid-zone because its water supply pressures (Hot and Cold) could not stay balanced. The hot and cold water pressure reducing valves were located at opposite ends of the supply risers and had a significant pressure differential between the hot and cold supply pressure to that zone.

To understand the magnitude of the situation one needs to look at the numbers. There are over 1,053 rooms spread over 31 floors in the east tower. Assuming that each room has three fixtures, that would be a minimum of 3,159 fixtures not including the ballrooms, kitchens, service areas, etc. Water consumption is an enormous budget line item for a hotel this large and prestigious. When each hotel guest lets the tap run for only a few minutes waiting for hot water to arrive, the hotel will spend substantial dollars on wasted water and energy.

Enormous Challenge

This was a total renovation of en existing building’s domestic water pump system, PRV stations and express risers, local risers and branch piping, without the guests ever knowing. Typically this is a task that teeters on the impossible, but with an intricate plan the impossible was realized.

So how does one re-pipe 40 levels of building, replace a domestic water pump system and PRV stations without ever terminating existing water service and without inconveniencing hotel guests?

Sartain had a plan that was clever and unique. While looking at the original drawings for the Hyatt’s east tower he noticed an existing garbage chute that was not being utilized. After further investigation he realized that he could use the abandoned chute to run his express risers, eliminating the need to tear the hotel apart. Once the plan was formed, officials at Hyatt Regency Chicago agreed to move forward on the total renovation, knowing the inconvenience would be minimal.

“This was a once in a generation opportunity to fix a problem once and for all that plagued the property for 36 years,” said Sartain.

So while work was being done on the west tower the plan for the east tower was formulated. The day the west tower was completed, work seamlessly began on the east tower. Working together with Metropolitan Industries of Romeoville who served as the equipment supplier; Tom Feilen, senior director of engineering for Hyatt Regency Chicago; Electrical Contractor Steve Wierema of Continental Electric; and Scott Stalcup of Babco Construction, Sartain and his team, which included Eric Evans, project manager, Terry Davis, project superintendent, implemented the plan.

Domestic Water Pump System

While the express risers were being installed through access hatches located on various floors of the building, the domestic water pump system was addressed. The new triplex booster system, variable speed control system and the pressure reducing zone valves were all supplied by Metropolitan Industries and replaced the 36-year-old original constant speed system that had been field modified with Variable frequency drives but used out-dated technology.

The new variable-speed, triplex domestic water booster system consisted of three 50-HP vertical multi-staged pumps, each rated 300 gallons a minute (GPM) at 428’ of total dynamic head and a system pressure of 200 PSI with a total system capacity of 900 GPM. The new booster system uses 1/3 less power than the constant speed system saving the building owners money on energy costs while reducing maintenance costs. Two 119-gallon bladder tanks were installed as well in the top floor mechanical room for low flow shut-down and stabilization of building pressure.

The new booster system is controlled with Metropolitan’s patented variable speed controller known as the Metro-Tech II. The Metro-Tech II integrates all pump operation and displays information on its color user interface. Operators can change set points, view real-time operating conditions, view integrated help screens and view alarms using its color touch screen interface.

The building is divided into three zones to stabilize pressure. There is a commercial level zone, a mid level zone and high level zone. At each zone, pressure reducing valve stations maintain each of the zone’s pressure requirements and the two 119-gallon bladder tanks installed in the top floor mechanical room help to sustain constant pressure to all zone’s regardless of building flow demands.

Using bladder tanks at the top of the express riser stores pressure so the system can shut off during low flow periods. As flow is consumed the pump system will activate and supply water to the building at the desired pressure. Once the demand for water is reduced to a low flow period, the system will shut off once again. Significant energy savings is realized during low flow periods when using variable speed drives and bladder tanks in combination.

Water Savings Astounding

With the installation of new plumbing risers, properly designed PRV stations, the new variable speed domestic booster system and water efficient fixtures, Hyatt Regency Chicago has seen a reduction in 2010’s water consumption of 16.5 %, a savings of 17 million gallons of water when compared to 2009. Once the east tower comes fully online with the already renovated west tower in first quarter 2011, the water savings should double.

A Supervisory, Control and Data Acquisition system (SCADA) is vital to any municipal application by providing users need to know information in real time critical to water and wastewater pumping installations. Having this information available allows for the efficient allocation of staff, reduces wasteful spending and most importantly allows for faster troubleshooting and minimizing the downtime of an installation. Many owners also rely on SCADA to help with preventable maintenance and can be pro-active in fine-tuning their systems for maximum efficiency.

Sycamore, Ill., Water Superintendant Mike Swedberg demonstrates how he can control and monitor vital pumping operations from the comforts of his office using the SCADA master computer.

Since SCADA’s inception back in the 1980s, Metropolitan Industries has played an integral role in the development, deployment and advancement of these systems in communities throughout the country. These systems allow operators to monitor, control, archive, receive alerts through a personal computer, cell phone, pager and land line phones.

Metropolitan is currently working on new SCADA systems for The City of Macomb, Ill., The City of Sycamore, Ill., The City of Hickory Hills, Ill., and The Village of Thornton, Ill. This article will demonstrate the unique steps each customer is taking to upgrade their systems. As you will see not all installations are cookie cutter and customization is key when incorporating a SCADA any system.

City of Sycamore, Ill.

The City of Sycamore is located 58 miles west of Chicago and encompasses about 5.57 square miles. Sycamore pumps water to over 15,000 residents through 108 miles of water main currently using four deep wells.

The City of Sycamore has experienced growth over the last decade and realized demand for the addition of new 1.5 million gallon water tower and one new deep well brining the city’s well total to five.

Given the size of the water tower, thermal wearing can become an issue and the installation of a recirculation pump is necessary. This pump is responsible for taking water from the bottom of the water tower and pumping it to the top to keep it fresh and moving.

Given this is a new addition to the water infrastructure of the city, it needed to be integrated with the existing SCADA system provided by Metropolitan. The entire system communicates via 468 MHz licensed radio frequency and is responsible for monitoring and reporting trends, alarms, process, etc. from each station. Licensed radio fit well given the rural location of the City.

“It monitors all production process of the water and all systems within,” according to Mike Swedburg, water superintendent for the City of Sycamore.

Working together with the City, Metropolitan Sales Engineer Dan Howorth suggested controlling well operation using a variable speed frequency drive and level management control to the tower using a SCADA PLC controller that integrates in seamlessly with the existing SCADA system.

City of Macomb, Ill.

Located in rural western Illinois, Macomb boasts a peaceful, laid-back feel, with plenty of pioneer history. Farms and historic barns dot the country-side and original brick buildings still make up a large portion of the city. College athletics are a source of local pride, as Macomb is home to Western Illinois University and its teams, known as The Fighting Leathernecks.

The wastewater treatment plant in town was due for a technology upgrade. It had no way to monitor or collect data electronically from the plant other than public works officials manually doing it themselves with paper, pen and a clip board.

Working together with city officials, Metropolitan surveyed the site and suggested a system that communicates via spread spectrum radio at separate frequencies of 900 MHz and 2.4 MHz. The reason two frequencies were necessary is because the clarifier and sand filters use digital I/O transmitters while the other 6 station use trio radios.

Spread Spectrum Radios can connect systems wirelessly without monthly fees or reliance upon an outside broadcasting station. They split up serial data and send it over multiple frequencies where the receiver radio merges the pieces and passes it along to the intended node. With line-of-sight communication, this option can be a secure way of linking together sites that could be many miles apart.

Sycamore, Ill., Water Superintendant Mike Swedburg shows the inside of a SCADA control panel located in Sycamore's well house reponsible for transmitting vital information to the master computer.

Information from all 8 stations will route to a main admin building where the operator can control all mechanical components using the Internet.

Village of Thornton, Ill.,

The Village of Thornton is a quiet community located in Chicago’s south suburbs. It offers the unique combination of a true small-town charm, while being only located only 25 miles from downtown Chicago.

The Village operates two water pumping stations and one wastewater lift station. The existing “tone-style” telemetry system that monitored all three stations began to show its age and needed replacement. It communicated via hard-wired telephone lines known for frequent downtime due to lighting strikes and/or accidental cutting by construction crews.

Working with Robinson Engineering Ltd., and Contractor Gaskill and Walton Construction Company, Metropolitan Sales Engineer Keith Girup recommended upgrading to a SCADA system with cellular communication.

Fast becoming the first choice of clients wanting dependability and 99.9% uptime, Cellular communication is the easiest way to integrate remote sites in to a SCADA system. If cellular service is available in your area, a cellular modem can bring DSL-like speeds to any site for just a small monthly fee.

All information is transmitted to a master computer located in an administration building. By working one on one with client, Metropolitan was able to program the master computer to print out Environmental Protection Agency reports by the click of a mouse. These reports are specific in nature and the programming in the computer converts all information into a format the EPA demands.

Hickory Hills, Ill.

The City of Hickory Hills is a southwest suburb of Chicago and home to around 15,000 residents and encompasses around 3 square miles. There SCADA project is a great example of how you can “phase-in” upgrades overtime without losing any communication during the process.

The City operates two pumping stations and one sanitary lift station using an existing SCADA system that communicates via hard-wired telephone lines but will soon upgrade to licensed radio. When the existing system began to show its age, Metropolitan suggested upgrading to the licensed radio.

Phase one of the project will involve the supplying and installation of a new SCADA master computer in the administration building. This will allow the user to get up to minute status reports of all three stations in the field from the comforts of the office.

Future phases will involve upgrading the communication from hard-wired telephone lines to licensed radio. During the transition, no communication will be lost and the system will operate as a hybrid until all three stations are upgraded to the new communication medium. This allows the City to slowly upgrade their SCADA equipment according to their timetable and budget.

HVAC Sales Engineer Matt Brickey operates the new boiler system during start-up of the system.

By: Joseph Sanchez

The life blood of any commercial building is the mechanical systems running behind the scenes that include domestic water booster systems, fire suppression pump systems and HVAC systems.

Of the three mechanical components, HVAC is by far the largest consumer of energy due to the sheer nature of how they are specified and designed. The school of thought in the HVAC community is size everything for peak demand without considering demand fluctuates, especially during warmer months when demand is at the lowest.

The biggest misconception when specifying a boiler system is, “If I specify a boiler at 90% efficiency then the plant will operate at 90% efficiency.” This is false because during light load conditions, such as during warm months, boiler efficiency becomes random which results in poor overall, “cycle” efficiency. In other words, “Seasonal Efficiency,” is only 50-80% of measured efficiency resulting in no realized energy savings during the warm months when your boiler runs less.

Metropolitan Industries, Inc., located in Romeoville, Ill., has a solution that reduces boiler fuel consumption by 20-50% using a patented procedure that addresses seasonal efficiency, which increases cycle efficiency therefore reducing fuel consumption dramatically.

Case Study – Multi Occupancy Condominium

A great example of this technology was demonstrated by the work done at a 139 unit Condominium located in Will County, Ill. At the request of the owner, the building name and location of the project is to remain confidential.

To address the leaking heating pumps located in the ceiling, Metropolitan had the contractor move them to floor level for easier inspection and service.

The existing system had two problems the first being the plant ran inefficiently due to the boilers being the sole heat source for the domestic water. Due to this, they operated all year round, even during the summer months. The inefficient design operated by pumping city water and boiler water through a shell and tube heat exchanger mounted near the ceiling. Since there was no way to prevent gravity flow of hot water through the heating system return lines, the radiation caused the building to stay warm all year, even in the dog days of summer. This resulted in increased fuel consumption and increased electrical consumption as well because air conditioners witnessed an additional load imposed by the uncontrolled flow of unwanted heat from the boiler plant and needed to run overtime.

The second problem was the existing heating pumps were leaking and had been since day one. There were eight zone pumps serving four zones. Three zones were for space heating and the other zone for domestic hot water heating. The reason why they leak was because they were mounted near the ceiling without the proper supports. This made it difficult to service the pumps given a technician need to perform the work on a ladder.

Green Performance Solution

To solve the inefficient operation of the plant, Metropolitan Industries installed a “summer boiler,” sized to the requirements of the domestic hot water heating system. This allows the owner to turn off the boiler completely when a heating load is non-existent. The result is energy savings up to 50% because the new boiler system handles the small summer loads efficiently and eliminates short cycling and cycle losses.

The summer boiler is so efficient that the owner can run it year round for more efficient domestic water heating meaning the building can now be heated with only one boiler in all but the most severe weather promotes more efficient boiler loading for improved energy performance.

Green Distribution Solution

To address the issue of the leaky heating pumps, Metropolitan moved the domestic water heat exchanger and blending valve to floor level for easier inspection and

Pictured is the variable-speed, duplex domestic water booster system with total system capacity of 220 GPM at a system pressure of 95 PSI.

service Workers no longer needed to climb on ladders when servicing the heat exchanger or blending valves. This not only improves staff and contractor safety but reduced maintenance costs overall due to the easier and less expensive service.

One of the biggest benefits is the control over domestic hot water temperatures. No longer will they have spikes or drifts of temperature irregardless of no load or light load conditions. The elimination of spikes in temperature was important given residents were at risk for being injured.

There were benefits as well with the relocation of the heat exchanger and blending valves to the floor. For one, it reduced the safety hazards associated with working on ladders when servicing the heat exchanger or blending valves improving contractor safety.  Also with the new pumps, the constant leaking was eliminated.

Realized Energy Savings

With the installation of the “summer boiler”, new heat exchanger and blending valve, the building owner realizes a 20-50% reduction in fuel consumption on any given day depending on load conditions. The entire package combines indirect water heating, condensing water heating and the blending valve function all into one complete system. Metropolitan Industries is the only company currently providing this technology. For more information, contact Matt Brickey at 815-886-9200 ext. 266 for a complete analysis of your system.

The Ion Digital Level Controller that contains no moving parts that fail 98% of the time.

Mechanical pump switch’s days are numbered thanks to a new product called the Ion Digital Level Control launched by Romeoville, Ill.,-based Metropolitan Industries that replaces mechanical switch operation with intelligent microprocessor technology.

Under development for several years, the patent-pending Ion Digital Level Controller eliminates moving parts, which are the detriment of most mechanical switches and replaces it with solid-state sensing technology resulting in over 1.5 million cycles which is approximately triple the life of a mechanical switch.

“The problem was never the pump because they are generally built to last. The problem has always been the switch responsible for the critical task of turning the pump on and off,” says John Kochan, Jr., Metropolitan Industries President who developed the idea for the new product by utilizing solid state components and applying them to switch technology.

While mechanical switches are useful and function properly over a period of time, they are always subject to failure. “Mechanical switches use moving parts and wear and tear in a sump pit environment will always break those components down over time,” says Kochan, Jr.

Switch failures translate into non-running pumps, which can result in flooded commercial, industrial and residential locations.

With the demand for reliable switches evident with recent recalls put forth by some of the largest pump manufacturers during the last decade, Metropolitan began work over a period of three years to develop a product that can outperform mechanical switches in longevity and dependability.

How it works

The ION Digital Level Controller is a technologically advanced device that senses water level/pressure through the use of a proprietary sensor and microprocessor driven digital control. The microprocessor within the digital float sensor samples analog data from proprietary sensor, which electro-mechanically converts the water pressure to an electrical resistance. Because water pressure is directly proportional to the water height, the electrical resistance of the proprietary sensor is also proportional to the water height. The resistance of the proprietary sensor is measured by means of a resistive bridge network before passing into the microprocessors analog to digital converter.

Metropolitan Industries Presdient John Kochan, Jr., holds the Ion Digital Level Controller that has been tested over 1.5 million cycles and counting.

Traditionally, sump and sewage pumps often have been started by means of a mechanical switch. The mechanical switch design often uses a set of electrical contacts which close under a given water height scenario, thereby activating the sump pump. Due to the alternating nature of the electrical voltage source from the utility, large voltage differentials could possibly be present across the mechanical switch contacts prior to turning on a pump. When a pump is suddenly turned on under these conditions, large transient current surges could be expected as the motor begins to rotate. These transient surges often cause heating of the electrical contacts which, over time, effectively reduce the lifetime of the switch. This condition is further amplified when a mechanical switch attempts to open and turn off the pump.

When a mechanical switch suddenly opens an inductive motor load, the time rate of change of the current flow can be very large. This value, multiplied by the motors internal inductance, induces a large voltage transient across the mechanical switch contacts. This transient often causes arcing of the contacts which, over time, can cause the switch to wear and ultimately fail. It is well known in the sump pump industry that the cause of most pumping failures occurs when the pumps switch fails.

The embodiments of the ION Switch effectively eliminate the problem of switching transients and contact arcing by incorporating both a solid state switching device in parallel with an electrical relay. When a pump is called for, the turn on cycle begins by enabling the solid state device, or triac. The nature of the triac in our design is to switch on a load under low voltage conditions. By starting the pump motor from a low voltage potential, both radiated and conducted electrical noise have been dramatically reduced.

The Ion Digital Level Control is universal and can be used in almost any pumping application dependent of level control as well as effluent sump and sewage. To customize operation, the Ion Digital Level Control has standard differential heights of 6 inches for standard sump applications and 10 inches for sewage applications and is inverter rated for use with most battery back up systems. The Ion can be programmed for custom applications as well.

“We feel the Ion Digital Level Controller will transform the plumbing industry much the way battery back up systems did in the 1980s because we figured the way to eliminate the moving parts associated  with most switch failures,” says Kochan, Jr.

“As wholesalers and plumbers realize there is a product available that can eliminate the problems associated with mechanical switches, it will only be a matter of time until mechanical switches are replaced entirely,” he added.

For further information about the Ion Digital Level Controller visit www.IonNation.us.

As a system supplier of wind, solar, water harvesting and gray water recycling sytems, Metropolitan Industries has taken a leadership role by educating and helping contractors, plumbers, engineers and inspectors navigate their way through this new frontier of opportunity.

Company raises Green awareness

By: Joseph Sanchez
As energy prices rise and our limited resources such as water continue to dwindle, our Federal and State governments are considering many new technologies to reduce consumption such as rain water harvesting, gray water recycling and solar domestic hot water heating.

According to an article on Forbes.com, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on July 9 announced rules that will finally allow developers of wind, solar and other green energy projects to apply for a total of $3 billion in federal grants to cover upfront project costs. The article states that under Treasury Department guidelines, the Department of Energy will disburse cash grants worth 30% of upfront costs for projects that start construction by the end of 2010. This funding is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and will be critical to boosting the demand for these technologies.

As a system supplier of wind, solar, water harvesting and gray water recycling systems, Metropolitan Industries has taken a leadership role by educating and helping contractors, plumbers, engineers and inspectors navigate their way through this new frontier of opportunity.

This proactive stance inspired the company to construct a 2000 sq. ft. working indoor/outdoor “green” display facility in 2008, known as Metro-Green, that allows association groups, universities, government leaders, decision makers and others the chance to witness all green technologies available and installed under one roof. It takes theory to a whole new level by actually applying it in the field for all to see.

Touring Metro-Green is one aspect of an intensive seminar conducted by the company at their headquarters once a month. The purpose of the seminar is to educate contractors, facility managers, architects, engineers and inspectors about the available types of green systems, how they work, best installation practices, available tax credits and/or rebates for green installations, and various plumbing codes related to green systems or the lack thereof.

A recent visit by memebers of the Illinois Plumbing Inspectors Association recently was a unique opportunity to address and inform inspectors of the need to adopt and legislate an enforcable set of codes related to green pumping applications.

A recent visit by members of the Illinois Plumbing Association this summer was a unique opportunity to address and inform inspectors of the need to adopt and legislate an enforceable set of codes. Of course, it is up to each individual state, not the inspectors, to adopt a code but the spread of awareness is effective, given the fact that technology is outpacing regulation. Currently, only four states have published guidelines regarding  water harvesting and gray water recycling. Those states are Virginia, Texas, Oregon and Hawaii.

Engineers, Architects and Contractors working in the United States without official code to regulate gray water reuse and water harvesting/reuse only have informal guidelines to guide them as published in the Uniform Plumbing Code of 2009, International Plumbing Code of 2009, The American Water Works Association for reclaimed water and the American Society of Plumbing Engineers in regards to gray water reuse systems.

As these water re-use applications gain more and more popularity, the states will eventually catch up with some type of code to regulate their installations. Metropolitan Industries will continue to be an advocate for education and awareness and encourages all who are interested to visit www.MetroGreen.US or www.greenwatersystems.us. The company hopes that their working exhibit can help set an example as a possible standard moving forward. To schedule a private tour of our Metro Green Energy and Water Independent facility visit the www.MetroGreen.US or call Joe Sanchez at 815-886-9200 ext. 260.

Pictured above is a packaged pump station that water districts use to pressurize water that supplies household plumbing devices as well as provide water for cooling, industrial needs and also fire protection.

Applications and Best Practices

By: Joseph Sanchez

Introduction

Packaged pumping systems are popular these days due to the benefits associated with them, which include the ease of installation, single source responsibility and streamlining of the manufacturing process.

Packaged systems simplify the installation process. Installation of these systems typically involves lifting it off the delivery truck, setting into place and connecting the piping and power to prepare it for operation.

Single source responsibility simply means there is one company to call if there is a service issue. Issues are solved quickly and end-users eliminate the need to consult with multiple vendors in an attempt to determine which company to call. This ultimately reduces service downtime and eliminates the need to deal with multiple vendors.

“One manufacturer means one number to call anytime technical support is needed,” says Municipal Sales Engineer Bob Wedell of Metropolitan Industries who oversees the design and manufacturing of packaged systems for the municipal, industrial and commercial markets.

Finally, packaged systems are manufactured in a controlled environment which allows for testing of a system prior to jobsite delivery and a reduction of fabrication timelines. This controlled approach minimizes start-up problems in the field and allows for system testing.

Packaged pump systems satisfy the demands of many pump industry applications including municipal distribution systems, industrial process systems, non potable and water reuse systems and domestic water booster systems in high-rise buildings. This article will discuss each and share design concepts, common mistakes and best practices.

Municipal Water Distribution Systems

Municipalities rely on water mains to bring treated and disinfected water from the source to our homes, through a distribution network using pump stations as this one pictured above for the Village of Plainfield, Ill.

For years, municipalities have relied on water mains to bring treated and disinfected water from the source to our homes, through a distribution network. This network may be comprised of reservoirs, pump stations, water towers and storage facilities. In order to ensure there is clean, drinkable water at an adequate pressure to keep the supply system working properly, water districts employ pump stations that pressurize water to run our household plumbing devices (toilets, sinks, showers, etc) as well as provide water for cooling, industrial needs and also fire protection.

These pump stations can be packaged and delivered as a complete unit. Typical designs include a large steel base with pump and control components pre-installed. Base and components are eventually housed in any material of the customer’s choosing.  Organizations such as the American Water Works Association help to create standards that are used when designing the various components in such a system.

When sizing a packaged pump station for a distribution network, flow and pressure are the two main elements, but there are also many other variables that factor into how a pump system is designed and ultimately operated. The size required varies directly with the number of users or volume of water required and designers will engineer these systems for the total “peak demand” for that segment of the community. For instance, factors such as usage (flow) will affect pump & piping sizing; topography will affect the pressure required; a water tower will also affect pressures and how much water is needed to be stored in order to be able to fight a fire.  Monitoring requirements may vary from system to system, but the dynamic nature of the system will make it very important to monitor these changes conditions to react appropriately and to prevent these changes from causing water hammer and wide pressure swings which often result in water main breaks.

Whether the system is pumping from a reservoir or directly boosting the pressure “in-line” within the piping network, there is a need for pressure and flow monitoring instrumentation required locally and remotely.  Motor and valve controls needed at the pump station and level monitoring of towers and reservoirs also directly interface with the pump system.  Often times SCADA systems are utilized to collect data and automatically make system adjustments to keep the water pressure constant.  They also serve as a means to allow operators to be more proactive in the regular maintenance of the equipment throughout their systems.

The bottom line is that whether the system is 50 gallons per minute (GPM) or 25,000 GPM, it is possible to pre-fabricate or package these elements, discussed above, to provide the end-user with a product designed with “complete system responsibility” in mind.

Processed Industrial Systems

Factory prefabricated pumping packages can be applied in many different types of industrial process water applications. Water transfer, level control, recirculation and pressure boosting are just a few examples. Typical skid mounted packages include pumps, motors, valves, package piping, and a factory pre-wired and integrated control system. Specifiers may also consider systems with complete factory prefabricated buildings to protect the equipment and provide a controlled environment in which to perform maintenance and service.

It must be noted that there are many important variables to be considered when selecting equipment that’s best suited for these types of applications. Reliability and efficient operation are keys to making the right choices. The properties of the source water and demands of the process must be taken into account when selecting the materials of construction for the pumps, valves and piping. It is imperative that all wetted parts be researched for compatibility and doing so will assure safe and reliable operation. In addition, these types of centrifugal pump applications can often times take advantage of variable speed control strategies. Simplicity, precise process control and maximum efficiency will be realized when variable speed control is specified.

Pictured is a packaged domestic water pressure booster system for Chicago’s McCormick Convention Center that increases the pressure provided by the City’s water system and satisfies the potential peak flow demands of the facility.

Domestic Water Pressure Booster Systems

When the water pressure provided by any given municipal water system is not sufficient to satisfy the demands of end-users at higher elevations such as mid-rise or high-rise buildings, it is often necessary for these facilities to have equipment within the structure designed to increase the pressure provided by the municipal water systems that are ‘horizontal’ in nature. These types of prefabricated systems are engineered to satisfy the potential peak flow demands of the facility and are often provided with multiple pumps on a single structural steel fabrication with electronic controls, wiring, piping, valves, and multiple safety-devices. These packaged systems are typically designed based on the calculated increase in pressure required to deliver pressurized water to the highest or furthest point-of-use in the facility. Many times multiple electronic sensors are installed at remote locations within the facility. These sensors allow the controls to optimize the operation of the system, and also enhance the energy-efficiency of the equipment. In certain regions of the country, the design requirements of these types of systems are regulated by local, national, or international code requirements.

Conclusion

This article discusses the benefits associated with packaged pump systems which are ease of installation, single source responsibility and streamlining of the manufacturing process. This can be applied to the municipal, industrial, non-potable, water reuse and domestic water booster system markets. For further information regarding designs, applications and best practices contact Metropolitan Industries at 815-886-9200 or visit www.metropolitanind.com. ]]> http://www.metropolitanind.com/blog/2010/07/30/packaged-pumping-systems/feed/ 3 http://www.metropolitanind.com/blog/2010/06/24/energy-costs-tax-breaks-energize-solar-market/ http://www.metropolitanind.com/blog/2010/06/24/energy-costs-tax-breaks-energize-solar-market/#comments Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:28:27 +0000 admin http://www.metropolitanind.com/blog/?p=33 By: Joseph Sanchez

As energy prices continue to rise at an alarming pace, consumers are turning their attention to alternative forms of energy to power their homes. A front-runner in the alternative energy market is solar power, which is gaining popularity thanks in most part to the energy crisis gripping the country. Solar power is finding its way into homes across America tasked with reducing the costs for everyday things such as heating our homes and water.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), heating your home accounts for about 56 percent of your utility bill making it the largest expense for most homes. Water heating is the third largest energy expense and can account for about 14-25 percent of the utility bill.

A recent addition to the Metropolitan Industries product line are solar powered systems manufactured by Viessmann for domestic hot water, radiant floor heating and air conditioning systems for residential and commercial applications.

The advantages of using solar power for domestic hot water, radiant flooring and air conditioning are significant given the cost of energy, its continued rise and its limited supply. The DOE says a solar system can provide up to 80 percent of the heating needs required for a home or business at zero cost to the consumer after initial equipment and installation costs. Given solar energy is free, a system will pay back the purchaser in just under a couple years in energy savings and will continue to pay dividends in energy savings and consumption for years to come.

Other benefits include tax incentives from Federal and State governments in forms of rebates, grants and exemptions that help offset installation and equipment costs making the technology feasible for many businesses and families.

For example, the State of Illinois offers a property tax exemption for passive solar space heat, solar water heat and solar space heat for residential, commercial and industrial properties according to website dsire.org, a database of State Incentives for Renewable & Efficiency funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. A residential solar tax credit is offered by the Federal Government that that offers a maximum incentive of $2000 for a solar water heating system installation. An incentive offered by the United States Department of Agriculture is in the form of a grant upwards to 25 percent of project costs. For renewable energy systems, the minimum grant is $2,500 and the maximum is $500,000. For energy efficiency improvements, the minimum grant is $1,500 and the maximum is $250,000.
With solar power gaining popularity in the U.S., Viessmann Manufacturing Company of Germany is ready for the increased demand based on the more than 2 million solar collector installations over the last 30 years installed in just Germany alone.
Viessmann solar hot water heating systems, marketed as the Vitosol, collect and absorb solar radiation through either solar vacuum tubes (Vitosol 300) or solar panels (Vitosol 200) and transfers the solar heat directly to a storage system, from which the heat is distributed.
Viessmann solar collectors are specifically designed for northern climates and can produce as much as 70 percent of the annual hot water requirements of an average family household. The average lifespan of any Viessmann solar product is 20 years or more.
The Viessmann product line is only available in Illinois at Metropolitan Industries, Inc. located in Romeoville. For more information, contact Mark Brickey at 815-886-9200.

The Merchandise Mart located in Chicago.

By: Joseph Sanchez

When the world-renowned Merchandise Mart in Chicago began the task of obtaining LEED-EB certification, it was just the fifth building in Chicago to go “Green”. Adhering to standards set forth by the LEED Green Building Rating System, a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. The Merchandise Mart focused on five key areas of green building strategy: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials/resources and indoor environmental quality as set forth by LEED. Such on-going improvements involved reevaluation of capital programs for replacement of windows, roofs, controls, plumbing fixtures, utility meters and lighting.

To better target energy efficiency, just one of the many strategies directed by Merchandise Mart’s Vice President of Engineering Mark J Bettin, P.E. was replacing an outdated domestic water supply system that was a large consumer of energy and an inefficient supplier of water.

Original System

The original system consisted of five pumps ranging in size from 40 hp to 75 hp.  The pumps ran at a constant speed intended for the highest demands even during low-flow periods such as during the middle of the night. The system was designed to deliver over 1250 gpm, churned at 290psig, and incorporated pressure reducing valves on the discharge of each pump to maintain a system pressure at 200psig. The five original pumps were oversized by 35HP each, totaling 175 unnecessary horses.

“With recent restroom renovations complete, the water consumption and demand reduced annually by over 35%, resulting in an oversized, inefficient pumping system.

It required large amounts of energy to run and replacing it would help in the buildings’ on going energy reduction efforts and contribute in maintaining the standards of LEED certification,” Bettin said.

According to Merchandise Mart’s Plumbing Foreman, John Geiss, prior to the retro-fit and during heavy usage the domestic water system would see momentary swings in the system as much as 40-PSI at the top end of the system, resulting in noticeable fluctuations at the fixtures and excessive pipe movement.

The Merchandise Mart is the world’s largest commercial building, largest wholesale design center and one of Chicago’s premier international busine

Back View of the Energy-Saving Pump System

ss locations. Encompassing 4.2 million gross square feet, The Mart spans two city blocks and stands 25 stories high. Today, The Merchandise Mart welcomes more than three million visitors each year to its retail shops, boutiques, 11 floors of permanent showrooms for gift, residential, casual and contract furnishings, 10 floors of office space, dozens of trade shows and a myriad of special educational, community and consumer events.

During peak flows, which typically are during a large tradeshow event or during the workweek, demand can reach 750 gallons a minute when up to 20,000 people populate the building during major exhibitions. However, during low flows, as witnessed during the early morning hours, demand can slow to a few gallons a minute. With such a wide range of flows and given the Merchandise Mart’s demanding show schedule where water consumption constantly changes, the new domestic water system would need to match not only extremely high flow demands but also the low flow demands using the least amount of energy necessary.

During the bidding process, quality, service and experience were the criteria important to Bettin when choosing the companies to complete the work.

“We pre-qualified the companies such as engineer KGWW, Metropolitan Industries, Inc., Great Lakes Plumbing and Blaze Electric based on their experience and reputation,” he said.

Chicago-based Great Lakes Plumbing was awarded the design/build contract based on the proposal they submitted. Great Lakes’ Bob DeGuiseppe, project manager, served as the general plumbing contractor and pump and control system manufacturer Metropolitan Industries, Inc. of Romeoville, Ill., designed the new system and pressure reducing zone stations while Blaze Electric of Broadview, Ill. served as the installing electrical contractor and KJWW of Chicago served as Engineer during the project.

The New “Green” System

Metropolitan’s design of the pump system and pressure reducing zone stations was based on two specific goals that included reducing energy costs on day one of start-up; and ensuring enough redundancy to prevent loss of service in the future due to power or mechanical issues.

Working closely with DeGuiseppe, Metropolitan Chicago Sales Manger, Mike Ponx suggested installing a variable-speed system that would reduce energy costs by half due to the system’s ability to precisely match demand using only the minimal amount of energy necessary.

During low flow periods where little or no demand exists, a variable speed system shuts down entirely saving energy and money while four bladder tanks located in two separate locations help maintain pressure, while the system is in shutdown / low flow mode

Front view of the Energy-Saving Pump System

The system supplied was a variable speed, quadraplex booster system using vertical, multi-stage pumps, total system rated at 1000GPM at 200 PSI. The Merchandise Mart’s peak flows are 750 gallons/minute so in a condition where any single pump fails, the system will still be able to handle the load without shut down. To add to the redundancy, there are two separate power feeds divided between the system. Feed A runs three pumps and Feed B runs two pumps. If either feed A or feed B is lost, the building will still have one electrical feed to supply water to the building without interruption or system shutdown. The electrical control system and plumbing design was also configured to one existing pump to operate as a manual stand-by pump to further add redundancy to the building.

The building is divided into four zones to stabilize pressure. At each zone, pressure reducing valves were downsized to maintain each of the zone’s pressure requirements and the four bladder tanks were installed on the 6’’ cold water express risers to sustain pressure when the system shuts off during low flow periods.

Using bladder tanks at the top of the express riser, pressure is stored so the system can shut off during low flow periods. As flow is consumed the pump system will activate and supply water to the building at the desired pressure. Once the demand for water is reduced to a low flow period, the system will shut off once again. Significant energy savings is realized during low flow periods when using variable speed drives and bladder tanks in combination.

During installation of the pumps and controls, interruption of service did not occur to the building said DeGuiseppe. “Since the existing booster system had two independent electrical feeds and the building could not be without water at any time, the electrical controls were built into two sections, which would be mated together during the second phase, he said. DeGuiseppe spilt the new control panel into two sections, Blaze Electric installed the main control section first after disconnecting the first electrical feed, than installed the first two of four pumps using the new controls. Once the first two new pumps were online Blaze Electric removed the old panel and installed the second half of the new control panel, which was designed to mate up to the first section. After that, the remaining two pumps were installed.

Green Savings

The energy savings realized using a variable speed booster system are tremendous. In order to commission the system and measure the savings, meters were installed to measure flow and energy consumption.

Results appeared quickly with the installation of the first two pumps.  Energy reductions in the first week were 34%.  With completion of all the pumps, the bladder tanks came on line and the system was set for commissioning.  Utilizing a system by-pass and real-time flow meter, various loads were created to allow for fine tuning of the drives and staging of  pumps.  With the removal of the top zone PRV, the system pressure was successfully lowered from 200 to 185.   Taking advantage of the bladder tanks, the night-time mode was enabled resulting in the cycling of pumps.  Week after week evaluation has shown a reduction in energy by up to 50% with an anticipated annual energy reduction of over 125,000 kwh.

Within a decade, the system will pay for itself entirely on energy-savings and the expected life of this system is over 25-30 years so eventually the system will not only pay the end-user for the cost of the system but it will also pay the costs to replace itself in its lifetime!

Conclusion

According to Geiss, the completion of the retro-fit work improved the overall performance of the system by lowering working pressure and reducing fluctuations throughout the system.

“For the first time we have experienced the most even flow and the best overall PSI performance at the top of the 10th, 18th and 25th floor zones,” he said.

This was accomplished by reducing the size of the valves in the respective zones to “tighten,” up the flow in conjunction to the smooth operation of the variable speed booster system and bladder tanks that feed and assist the entire system as a whole.

“Overall Metropolitan and all parties involved came through with the promise and commitment to a 2-4 psi swing, and an energy savings that will match the Merchandise Mart’s committed effort to LEED providing for a GREENER tomorrow,” said Geiss.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Labor, many workplaces contain spaces considered “confined” because their configurations hinder the activities of employees who must enter, work in, and exit them. A confined space has limited or restricted means for entry or exit, and it is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. Confined spaces include, but are not limited to underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, such as those used in wastewater pumping applications.

Custom Designed Pumping Controls By Metropolitan Industries, Inc

OSHA uses the term “permit-required confined space,”  to describe a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics: contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; contains a material that has the potential to engulf an entrant; has walls that converge inward or floors that slope downward and taper into a smaller area which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant; or contains any other recognized safety or health hazard, such as unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or heat stress.

The greatest danger facing the person entering a confined space is a lack of oxygen. Several breaths of an atmosphere holding less than 6 percent oxygen can disable in seconds and can kill in minutes. Either the volume percent of oxygen can be too little (less than 19.5) or other gases (such as carbon monoxide) in the confined space may interfere with the body’s uptake of an otherwise sufficient supply. Oxygen deficiency can also debilitate sensors: Thus, a space with very low oxygen levels can’t be tested for combustible gases since standard instruments for this purpose require oxygen to function. (The sensor actually attempts to ignite a sample of the atmosphere and can’t do so when the fuel/oxygen ratio is too high.)

Not only is it dangerous to operate in a confined space, but it is also costly and time consuming for municipalities to maintain according to Metropolitan Industries Service Manager Mike Schiazzano. He says a permitted confined space needs a minimum three-man crew with the following safety gear; two multi function gas monitors, tripod with safety retrieval line, safety harness, a fresh air blower, a fresh air tank with airline, respirator and escape pack. Training the crew to use all safety gear along with the retrieval equipment procedures is also an added requirement. He adds by eliminating the need to enter or work in a confined space a municipality can save time and money.

Solutions to Confined Space Applications

Above-grade applications eliminate the danger, costs and manpower issues associated with confined space applications. Installations typically consist of a small control and generator building installed next to wells below grade containing pumps. The pumps are easily accessible and can be easily removed and installed without entering well using guide rails.

Above Grade Stations Eliminate Confined Space Entry.

Costs and labor to maintain such an installation are minimal. Given that it is above grade and anything below grade is accessible from above, typically one person can operate the entire station reducing operating costs. Also further reducing cost is the elimination of the equipment and safety apparatuses associated with confined space entry.

Metropolitan Industries, Inc. specializes in the design and manufacture of above grade, lift station/control packages and recently completed two such jobs in Merrillville, Ind. that eliminated previous confined space applications.

Broadfield Lift Station

Working with Robinson Engineering and Contractor Hasse Construction, Metropolitan Industries, Inc. supplied a triplex, component lift station complete with a prefabricated building that houses the controls, valves and generator.

The triplex concrete lift station uses three, 50 HP, rated for a total 1442 gallons per minute (GPM) at 89.2 feet of total dynamic head (TDH). One submersible level transducer and four level switches control on, off, override and alarm levels in side the basin. Access hatches, a pump removal lift out system and guide rails allow easy access to pumps for maintenance without having to enter the 32’ basin.

To eliminate confined space entry, all controls, valves and a back up generator were housed in a prefabricated building measuring 19’ 3’’ long by 13’ 6’’ wide by 11’ tall building. The building itself was divided into two sections, one side for the controls and valves and the other side dedicated to just the generator.

On the control/valve side of the building, a triplex control panel with programmable logic controller and touch screen operator interface controls the system. The discharge pipe and valve assembly are located above grade inside the building for easy access.
The generator side of the building houses a Caterpillar 125kW, 3-Phase natural gas generator complete with accessories. A 400 amp automatic transfer switch allows for transfer to the generator during power outages.

Other features of the building include an HVAC system for climate control, high water alarm with dialer and battery back up, lighting and smoke detectors.

John Wood School Lift Station

The John Wood School Lift Station is another example of an above-ground application that eliminates confined space applications. This application called for a duplex component lift station again with a prefabricated control, valve and generator building.      The duplex concrete lift station uses two 40HP submersible pumps, rated for a total 700 GPM at 113’ TDH. One submersible level transducer and four level switches control on, off, override and alarm levels in side the basin. Two lift-out hydraulic sealing flange assemblies allow pump removal for maintenance and repair without entering the sump.

Just as the last example, all controls, valves and a back up generator were housed in a prefabricated building but this one measured 18’ long by 13’ 6’’ wide by 9’ tall. The building as well was divided into two sections, one side for the variable speed controls and valves and the other side dedicated to just the natural gas Caterpillar generator inside.

Other feature of the building include an HVAC system for climate control, high water alarm with dialer and battery back up, lighting and smoke detectors.

Conclusion

Above grade applications eliminate the dangers and costs associated with confined space procedures. Towns and villages save money by eliminating the special safety gear and reducing the personnel required by OSHA on a service call. Municipalities will save time by eliminating the requirement of obtaining a “confined space permit” that designates what is to be done, when and by whom. No longer will the local fire and police departments need to be involved as sometimes the permits dictate. As demonstrated a “permitted confined space” requires special handling, equipment and a fair amount of extra time and work if all the rules are followed. Eliminate these hurdles with an above grade application.