If you are looking to upgrade or replace your current effluent pump, there are a couple of options that are available. While we recommend a progressive cavity (PC) pump for most situations, we know there are a few reasons why you might keep a traditional floating centrifugal pump for your setup.
To know which is the right option for your farm, let’s look at what each pump has to offer.
Progressive Cavity Effluent Pump
A progressive cavity pump is a shore mounted option that is safer, service efficient, and longer lasting. The optimal performance ensures a consistent flow rate and greater efficiency for lower running costs. Progressive cavity pumps are also self-priming, which avoids any issues with dry starts or lack of flow.
If you have a long pipeline or are pumping uphill, then a progressive cavity pump is a good option for operating at a high pressure to deliver the power needed for irrigation. At Nevada, our progressive cavity pumps are designed with a less steep rotor and high-quality materials, which means it will get less wear over time.
Intelligent Pump Controller
One thing to be aware of is that progressive cavity pumps must not run dry. In the past, farmers may have had poor experiences with progressive cavity pumps due to issues of the pump starting up dry and burning out. Today, this issue is remedied by an intelligent pump controller that is able to recognise flow as soon as the pump starts. If there is no flow within a few seconds of the pump starting, it will shut down the pump and send a warning. It also can detect leaks, blockages, or any loss of flow while in operation.
At Nevada, we care about setting up the pump correctly and ensuring you have a well-designed pump chamber that stays wet and operates efficiently. With a PC pump you can operate with higher pressure and more control with automatic and manual operation options.
Floating Centrifugal Effluent Pump
Floating centrifugal pumps are a traditional kind of pump that are reliable for the right situation. Rather than being shore mounted, it is submerged in effluent and operates at a lower pressure. Due to the low pressure, it is often limited in its ability to manage most effluent systems.
Variable Speed Drive
To compensate for the issue, you need a variable speed drive (VSD) to speed up or slow down the motor to adjust the flow rate. For a variable speed drive to know what to run at, you will need to install a flow meter so the pump can compensate for each paddock to be irrigated properly.
Along with a variable speed drive and flow meter, the pump will require the additional cost of a PondBoom™ or a pontoon. Keep in mind if a pontoon requires servicing at any stage, it will need to be retrieved onto the shore, which puts farmers at great risk. For a safer option, we suggest utilising a PondBoom™ or investing in a shore-mounted progressive cavity pump.
Floating or long-shaft centrifugal pumps are an option for smaller inground sump situations, used with a chopper for a feedpad, or as a transfer pump. It is a reliable option for certain setups, but is not a long term option in terms of high performance and efficiency.
Shore-mounted multi-stage or single-stage centrifugal pumps are sometimes used for pumping filtered effluent. They overcome the need for a Pontoon or PondBoom™, but still require a variable speed drive and flow meter. They have proved unreliable with raw effluent that has solids or any small fibrous/stringy material.
Ready to Upgrade Your Effluent Pump?
We have been in the business for years helping dairy farmers develop smarter systems to suit their effluent management needs. While floating and long-shaft centrifugal pumps have a place for certain situations, we encourage you to upgrade your system to be more efficient with a progressive cavity pump. If you are ready to upgrade or replace your pump, get in touch with our team today.