Developing unique pumping solutions for unique situations

No two pump applications are entirely the same, and for optimal performance it’s important that a pumping solution is tailored to its intended purpose. Here we look at two unique, yet very different, case studies and the innovative pumping solutions that were devised for them.

Since its founding in 1944, Franklin Electric is a name that the Australian industry has come to rely on for its quality, reliability, and performance. By employing its five key factors for success – quality, availability, service, innovation and cost – the team of highly qualified engineers were able to resolve situational problems and provide pumping solutions that suit specific needs of two very diverse projects: a vineyard on the east coast of Tasmania and the Gulpa Creek flood zone.

Vineyard project

Blackley Pipeline & Irrigation came to Franklin Electric looking for a unique pumping solution for a vineyard, which was being built from scratch over three stages. The project required a pumping solution that would do the job over all three stages. The head and flow changes for each block depending on the location of that block, and the team had to come up with the most efficient pumping solution that would cover the complete project.

The client also requested complete remote access that can be monitored by both the interstate head office and by local workers. They needed to know the flow rate being delivered, and they wanted to start and stop via irrigation controller, but have different duties for each block. To achieve this, Franklin Electric designed a quad variable speed vertical multistage booster with a touch screen control system. This has full remote access and can be started and stopped by selecting the set point on an irrigation controller.

Gulpa Creek flood zone

A farm near the Gulpa Creek flood zone was without power, and the owner was tired of refueling pumps in an effort to catch up with water demand. To solve the problem, Franklin Electric installed a solar pump. To start, 12 solar panels and a controller were mounted above peak flood height on a Clenergy aluminium array frame to ensure that it would not be affected by the rising water level during the next flood.

A 2.2kW solar bore pump with a multipower drive-tech controller was utilised to ensure that there could be no priming or footvalve issues, and that it floated in Franklin Electric’s supplied Stainless-steel shroud and pontoon kit. The motor was upgraded to 316SS material with mechanical sic/sic seal to deal with the creek’s turbidity and to ensure a long life without need for service.

A pressure transducer was also utilised to ensure a smooth pipeline pressure. The transducer limited the pressure so it could not exceed the max allowed by the pipe, and it prevented operators in the field from spike pressures as well. A maric valve was also fitted to ensure that the pump could not go off curve if too many dams were opened at once. The project was also supplied with manual three-way switch, which activated a generator anytime the farmer needed water outside of solar hours or during higher than usual demand for situational usage or fires.

This sponsored editorial is brought to you by Franklin Electric. For more information, visit www.franklin-electric.com