New Pump & Mixing System Returns Uptime to Train Toilet Waste Pumping Station

Long-standing operating issues at a railway toilet waste pumping station in the South of England are now resolved with the installation of a novel mixing and pumping system delivered by the renowned supplier, Landia.

The installation handled the wastewater from the train lines that were equipped with controlled emission toilets, but had had problems with blockages. This had adversely affected performance. The existing duty pump that had been incorporated within the chamber with the capacity of 30m³ had not been able to deal with the solids being introduced into the system. This had resulted over time in reduced performance.

“When we originally visited the pumping station, I just couldn’t believe the level of accumulated solids,” said Howard Burton of Landia.

“However, on the other hand, considering that I knew what some persons would consider fair game to flush down a public toilet, maybe it was not such a great surprise after all.”

“The thing about this, however, is that conventional-duty pumps couldn’t really handle this type of work, with attendant hassle, downtime, decreased capacity, and significantly higher maintenance costs being the inevitability.”

The problem had escalated to such an extent that operational personnel were required to manually remove non-liquid waste through rakes. This increased labor and potential health and safety issues despite not providing an effective solution to the problem.

“Our customer had explored alternatives for different twin shaft grinders, but the expense was a problem for them,” commented Howard Burton, of Landia.

“Grinder systems do have their uses; however, in this case, disregarding costs, we did not require a sledgehammer to break a nut – and with our simple EradiGator system, a viable option was readily available.”

“Whereas there are constant passes through our proven Chopper Pump with external knives, there will be just one pass using a grinder, in this demanding application, in addition to our shredder propeller, which is becoming ever more popular.”

Landia provided and erected a stand-alone EradiGator system, conceived specifically to protect the existing duties pump while dealing with the demanding amount of solid waste found within the railway toilet settling leachate. This system continuously reduces particle size prior to the pump, preventing any blockages that would cause the pumping station to fail to perform as designed.

After the mounting process was complete, the task pump was able to resume its normal functions without any clogging. Now the role of the EradiGator system is mainly responsible for the breakdown of solids.

“And as an added benefit of our custom-designed solution,” Howard Burton went on to say, “there is no need for additional infrastructure. It’s a ‘drop in, plug and play’ solution. And all of it is designed to be timer based, taking only 15 minutes an hour, resulting in minimal power expenses with a 5.5kW or 7.3HP motor, in addition to the easier system in general for our customer. No rakes necessary.”

In addition to its successes in the UK rail industry, Landia has had similar successes with its EradiGator and AeriGator pumping and mixing systems in the United States, especially in challenging lift and pumping stations dealing with high solid material.

In the Daphne Alabama area, the major lifting station Windscape had been experiencing critical ragging problems. These had necessitated the presence of a vac tanker at least once a week. But when a Landia EradiGator was installed, the condition was resolved.

In Madisonville, Texas, normal blockages have remained a problem despite having two pumps advertised to deal with most debris at lift stations. However, introduction to the Landia AeriGator solution featuring a Landia Chopper Pump equipped with its hardened steel knife system has ensured a permanent solution to such problems. 

A key feature within the AeriGator technology is its venturi nozzle, which ensures efficient treatment of varying levels of debris and scum while assisting in odor control for lift stations near residential areas. 

These systems showcase the efficiency of targeted pump and mixing systems in dealing with wastewater treatment, which regular pumping systems find challenging in view of modern waste types.

www.landia.co.uk