Trash Pumps: Successful Dewatering Requires The Right Equipment

By Author: Jeff Hewson
Total Articles: 13
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Dewatering is an engineering problem involving the safe removal of water from a construction site or mining operation. This may be a standing pool of surface water or water that is underground, mixed in with the soil. Because the presence of this water represents a danger to safe work at the site, it must be removed. Without proper planning and the correct equipment, however, this task may prove costly and time-consuming – assuming it can even be accomplished.

One particular category of equipment that is often called for is the trash pump. Trash pumps are, in the most basic sense, heavy-duty pumps that are designed to handle dewatering situations where the water to be removed contains a large amount of "trash": solid materials, such as dirt, mud, rocks, dead leaves, branches, and so on. Like other dewatering pumps, trash pumps come in a variety of styles and sizes, and are capable of high levels of throughput (hundreds of litres per minute or more) when properly setup and maintained.

Most trash pump designs use a type of pump called a centrifugal pump. In this design, a bladed rotating impeller in a housing ...
... creates flow in a liquid in order to impel that liquid towards a discharge, usually piping to a container (such as a weir tank) or other suitable disposal channel. Trash pumps typically have wider discharge openings and stronger impeller blades than normal centrifugal pumps in order to better handle the solid and semi-solid material they are likely to encounter. Pumps without these features are liable to break down under the burden of handling the "trash".

Trash pumps come in models with a wide variety of features typical of industrial pumps, such as the ability to run while "dry" (empty of liquids) without being damaged. Others may be "self-priming," in the sense that they can begin operating without the need for manual intervention and preparation. Additional features you are likely to find include variable speed settings, gauges to determine pressure and other useful information, and backup power options. Some pumps may come with a slurry gate, which is a feature that can ameliorate difficult loads by diluting the input with additional water.

Trash pumps are usually submersible-style pumps, designed to operate while fully submerged in water. This makes them ideal for reducing the water table around construction and mining projects. As with all industrial pumps, trash pumps can be powered from a variety of sources, such as gas or electric.

When choosing a trash pump, normal pump characteristics are still important. You will want the best possible flow rate in order to maximize water removal. The additional load of solids to be handled must not impinge too severely on this primary task. For this reason, trash pumps must be dependable and efficient despite the increased burden they are likely to meet.

When Toronto companies choose a local supplier, they should opt for the best-fitting Pump Company Toronto has to offer to fulfill their particular needs – one with a wide range of pump models available (to handle a wide variety of situations). Superior service (such as timely delivery) and selection will be the keys to implementing a proper dewatering strategy when you need to "take out the trash."

The author of this article is associated with Aquatech Dewatering Company, a pump company Toronto that specializes in dewatering solutions and trash pumps sales and rentals.