Great North Run for New Landia Chopper Pumps

One of the leading water companies in the North of England installed three new robust Landia Chopper Pumps for sludge tank mixing duties in place of three faulty pumps, eliminating a history of operational and cost headaches.

The change has come after successive failures of the previous units that have caused huge downtime, high maintenance and no return on increasing costs. Through the adoption of Landia's proven chopper pump technology, the company has achieved a known, effective and long-term solutio

Why the change was needed

The water company first trialled a Landia Chopper Pump after becoming frustrated with its own equipment. The factory had come to a halt when a cracked seal was discovered and a replacement part was costly and took a long time to order. The trial fit offered immediate positive results, with dependable pumping and mixing of sludge without the previous issues.

After hearing such positive news, the utility has further installed two more failing pumps with Landia Chopper Pumps.

Problems with the existing pumps

The existing equipment had been posing a number of problems:

• Seal failures causing downtime and costly emergency service
• Absurdly high replacement spare parts costs and lengthy lead times
• Extensive maintenance demands, including frequent on-site adjustment by plant personnel
• Poorly reliable operation, resulting in other operational hazards and costs

These issues had become unacceptable, both operationally and financially.

Landia Chopper Pumps – an established alternative

First developed in 1950, the Landia Chopper Pump was the first of its kind globally and has been progressively developed over the last 75 years. In demand for their reliability and long lifespan to operate in abrasive wastewater and sludge-handling applications, they provide a robust and trouble-free alternative to conventional pump systems.

Howard Burton from Landia explained:

“Furthermore, our pumps, being close-coupled, have far smaller footprints. This means they can slot into more confined spaces, and so can be used in applications where larger pumps simply won’t fit.”

This close-coupled design also allows Landia Chopper Pumps to be back-fitted into restricted plant rooms or even new builds without huge civil enhancements.

Feedback on performance from the water company

The switch to Landia Chopper Pumps has been a good decision. The company has stated the pumping and mixing of sludge tanks is as effective as it was before—if not more so—but more importantly without the ongoing problems using the old machinery.

As Howard Burton added:

“The water company says that the level of pumping and mixing for the sludge tanks is still every bit as effective, if not better, and without all of the burdens caused by the troublesome and increasingly expensive previous units.”

Why Landia Chopper Pumps stand out

Landia's chopper pump technology offers several benefits which make it particularly well suited to use in wastewater and sludge tanks:

• Chopping action: Prevents clogging by reducing solids before pumping
• Close-coupled design: Minimizes space needs and facilitates installation
• Low maintenance: Minimizes downtime and eliminates the need for frequent adjustment
• Proven durability: Designed to provide long-lasting reliability under demanding operating conditions
• Versatility: Ideal for mixing and pumping thick sludge, wastewater and other difficult fluids

A long-term solution for sludge mixing

With over seven decades of pump designing experience for industry plants and water works, Landia continues to provide solutions to real practical problems.

Replacing three underperforming units in North England shows how the choice of well-engineered, heavy-duty equipment can make a significant savings in costs, reduce unprogrammed maintenance and improve operation efficiency.

For water utility and industrial process operators across the UK, Landia Chopper Pumps are a reliable long-term solution for sludge tank mixing and pumping needs.