Royal Ballet Kept on their Toes by Chopper Pumps

The Royal Ballet School in London’s Covent Garden wouldn’t normally be high on anyone’s list of potential effluent treatment pumping applications, but pumping stations need to be kept clean and working, wherever they are situated. In May 2011, Essex based Technical Drain Solutions were looking for a solution to blocking pumps and contacted solids pumping and mixing specialists P&M Pumps (UK).

The problem of blocking pumps was occurring in a central London pumping station which was receiving effluent from a number of sites, including the prestigious Royal Ballet School. Unfortunately, the result of the pumps becoming blocked was the need for unscheduled call-outs whereby Technical Drain Solutions had to clear and clean the pumping station. The combination of poor accessibility in such a congested part of central London along with the high-profile, sensitive nature of the site was proving to be poor practice and a more effective pumping solution was required.

Following discussions between Technical Drain Solutions and P&M Pumps, (UK distributor for Vaughan Chopper Pumps), two pumps were specified to replace the existing pumps. These were a duty and a standby pump from the Vaughan range, model PE4L Vertical Pedestal Mounted options with 7.5kw/4p/415v motors. The pumps have, according to Technical Drain Solutions, operated without any problems and the issues regarding call-outs to deal with blocked pumps have been eliminated.

Furthermore, a testimony to the rugged, durable design and construction of Vaughan chopper pumps, was their performance following a more recent incident. This was when the telemetry / control system ‘tripped-out’ at the pumping station causing the dry-well where the pumps are fitted, to be completely flooded. As a result the pumps and motors (which were not submersible design) became completely submerged. Once the control system was restored and the ‘dry-well’ was pumped out, the Vaughan pumps were powered-up and started without any problems to ensure that the sewage system was operating normally again.

Through their experiences at numerous UK waste water treatment sites, P&M Pumps have been able to demonstrate that Vaughan Chopper Pumps can be an effective solution to the most challenging ‘solids pumping’ situations which block other types of chopper pumps. In most cases, retrofitting a Vaughan Chopper Pump into a problematic area improves the whole process and will be self-financing, with payback periods of less than one year, thereafter minimising the effect to the budget holders.