On behalf of Hidrostal, EMHA carried out work on city pump P2 of the Bergen op Zoom sewage pumping station, managed by Waterschap Brabantse Delta. The project was initiated by elevated vibration levels that were jeopardising the reliability and service life of the pump installation. Through targeted measurements, analysis and a custom solution, EMHA restored the installation to a stable and fully operational condition.
Situation
Bergen op Zoom sewage pumping station plays an important role in the transport of wastewater within the management area of Waterschap Brabantse Delta. The pumps in the station are in continuous operation and must function reliably under varying conditions. Elevated vibration levels were observed at city pump P2. This posed a risk to the operational reliability of the installation and could in time lead to failures, additional maintenance and accelerated wear.
The objective of the requested vibration measurements was to:
- Establish the cause of the elevated vibration levels
- Use the measured frequencies and amplitudes as input for a finite element calculation
- Technically substantiate and validate the proposed solution with pipe and motor supports
Solution
EMHA carried out extensive vibration analyses at various operating points of city pump P2. The measurement results were verified against the permissible vibration values specified by the manufacturer. Based on this analysis, EMHA established that the elevated vibrations were not primarily caused by the pump set itself, but by insufficient support of the motor and pipework.
EMHA subsequently:
- Designed a custom solution for additional motor support to the wall
- Produced the required supports
- Installed the supports on site within one day
After installation, vibration measurements were carried out again to verify the effect of the measure.
Result
After placement of the additional supports, the vibration levels were found to be back within normal and permissible values. The pump can therefore once again operate fully and reliably within the process.
With this solution, EMHA made a direct contribution to:
- Improving operational reliability
- Extending the service life of the pump installation
- Limiting unplanned downtime and maintenance
By first carefully measuring and analysing, the actual cause of the vibrations could be accurately identified. In many cases, these types of problems are not caused by the pump set itself, but by the conditions in which the pump must operate. This approach prevents unnecessary replacement of components and leads to a sustainable, cost-efficient solution.
