Biogas Success at UCSD with Landia Chopper Pumps
The standards are incredibly high at the famous Urbana & Champaign Sanitary District (UCSD). High. very high!
Key points
The Urbana & Champaign Sanitary District (UCSD) is well-known for its high operational standards. When it was time to replace the pumps on three of its anaerobic digesters, they anticipated a lifespan of around 20 years. Nearly eight years after installation, the pumps on the 500,000-gallon digesters have surpassed expectations, showcasing remarkable reliability and durability, as noted by Justin Profancik, Director of Operations at UCSD.
Background and Challenges
Situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, UCSD’s Northeast Treatment Plant (NEP) was founded in 1924, followed by the Southwest Treatment Plant (SWP) in 1968. In 2016, the NEP needed an upgrade due to frequent pump clogs, which occurred roughly every quarter.
Justin Profancik explained, “The previous pumps worked well enough but were not Chopper Pumps, which led to the accumulation of solids, rags, and grit over time, resulting in clogs. This required extensive maintenance to disassemble and clean them, unlike our current system.”
Solution: Landia Chopper Pumps
UCSD chose Landia Chopper Pumps, which were first developed in 1950, because of their innovative design that includes an external knife system to effectively chop solids and prevent clogging. Each pump runs at 7.8 HP, and over the past seven years, there have been no major issues reported.
Profancik remarked, “The external knife system makes blade replacement easy. Our maintenance team really values this design for its simplicity and efficiency.”
Operational Excellence at UCSD
UCSD, a municipal agency founded over a century ago through a voter petition, manages wastewater for Urbana, Champaign, Bondville, and Savoy, as well as the University of Illinois, which has a student body of 56,000. It operates independently from local or state government and has a workforce of 50, including 10 operational staff.
At the NEP, UCSD employs advanced solids management systems, such as gravity belt thickeners for waste-activated sludge (WAS), a receiving station for thickened waste-activated sludge (TWAS), industrial WAS, high-strength waste (HSW) from truck grease haul, and minimal food waste from the Hershey’s truck wash and the University of Illinois.
The facility is equipped with four anaerobic digesters, three of which utilize Landia Chopper Pumps, along with a digested sludge storage tank and three centrifuges for dewatering. The resulting biosolids meet Class B biosolids standards and are used as agricultural soil amendments.
Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact
Biogas generated in the anaerobic digesters is harnessed in combined heat and power (CHP) engines to produce electricity and heat for the NEP, with any excess electricity sold to the grid.
Protecting Downstream Equipment
Profancik noted, “We use the Landia units as recirculation pumps within our heating cycle, where they circulate sludge through heat exchangers to warm the digesters. In the past, heat exchangers needed cleaning once a month. However, with the continuous chopping of sludge by the Landia Chopper Pumps, this is now required only once every three months. In most cases, there is minimal residue, demonstrating the effectiveness of high-quality pumps in safeguarding downstream equipment.”
Enhanced Biogas Production
Since the installation of Landia Chopper Pumps, biogas production has soared to impressive levels, reaching 400,000 cubic feet per day, even though the system usually runs at an average of 190,000 cubic feet per day.
Profancik further mentioned, “Even though food waste from the Hershey truck wash makes up less than one percent of our feedstock, its effect on gas production is immediately apparent.”
Strategic Investment and Decision-Making
Before choosing the Landia Chopper Pumps, UCSD carried out extensive research, which included a visit to Landia’s manufacturing facility in Lem, Denmark. This visit was arranged through the Water Technology Alliance (WTA) program, aimed at sharing water technology solutions between North America and Denmark.
Wade Lagle, the former Director of Operations at UCSD with over 40 years in wastewater treatment, stated, “Seeing the manufacturing process up close gave us great confidence in the product. The facility showcased excellent quality control and cleanliness. We were convinced that the Landia Chopper Pump was the perfect fit for our digesters, providing low maintenance, high performance, and a long service life. The total cost of ownership is a major focus for us.”
Successful Implementation and Ongoing Support
According to Profancik, “The installation was simple. Since the pumps have been running smoothly without significant issues, we’ve had little need to communicate with Landia. However, on the rare occasions we’ve reached out, Landia has always offered outstanding support to maintain the efficiency of our operations. We are very pleased with the performance of the Landia Chopper Pumps.”
For more information, visit Landia.
Conclusion
The installation of Landia Chopper Pumps at UCSD has greatly improved the reliability and efficiency of the anaerobic digesters. These pumps have lowered maintenance needs, boosted biogas production, and played a key role in cost savings and environmental sustainability. UCSD’s thoughtful investment in top-notch pumping technology reflects its dedication to operational excellence and sustainable wastewater management.
This case study illustrates the vital importance of advanced pumping solutions in contemporary wastewater treatment facilities, showcasing UCSD’s leadership in environmental responsibility and technological advancement.
Landia Ltd
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About us
Landia's headquarters are located in Lem, which is how it has been since 1933. Today, Landia has subsidiaries in England, Germany, Norway and the US, and a sales office in China. In addition, Landia products are sold in 45 countries worldwide. Landia supplies pumping and mixing solutions to many different industries, with the most important ones being agriculture, wastewater, biogas plants and the fish industry. In general, you will find Landia's products wherever there is a difficult medium to be pumped or mixed. Landia survives by selling quality solutions in close partnership with the customers.
Landia is not a supermarket where customers select products from the shelves. Our technical sales people are always in close discussions with customers, which ensures solutions that work. For Landia, quality in every phase a matter of course, and we have been ISO9001 certified since 1994. Quality also means that many of Landia's products have been in operation for 20-25 years even though the operating conditions may be extreme. In that way, Landia's customers achieve the lowest lifespan costs, while resource consumption is minimised, which further results in a positive impact on the environment.
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