Energy Australia
Gorman-Rupp pumps making easy maintenance for operators
Project Background
Tallawarra Power Station, owned by EnergyAustralia, uses seawater for it’s cooling water system. As part of environmental obligations, Tallawarra must filter out marine life and debris and return them to the lake via a separate channel.
Two submersible flushing pumps were being used (2×50% duty) to maintain sufficient water level in the fish return channel. The problem was that these submersible pumps required frequent costly and complicated maintenance, which required a mobile crane to be hired for every maintenance occasion. Despite the high maintenance time and effort put into these submersible pumps, they still failed far too often.
Energy Australia is pleased to have reduced maintenance costs from their reliable Gorman-Rupp pumps.
The Solution
In 2019, funding was granted to replace these submersibles with better quality pumps.
To buy a complete stainless steel pump is very expensive, but there is a unique method to create a saltwater resistant pump without the added expense.
The Gorman-Rupp T8A61S-B model was chosen. These pumps have cast iron casings with marine grade (316) stainless steel rotating parts. Typically, the cast iron would corrode in saltwater. Corrosion is caused by an electrochemical reaction, which will attack cast iron. To combat this, a replaceable sacrificial zinc anode rod is inserted into the pump via an unused casing heater port adjacent to the rotating assembly. The corrosion then attacks the zinc rod, not the cast iron. This is called cathodic protection. The Maintenance team onsite gauge how quickly the zinc rods are corroding – and change the zinc rod periodically. Because the Gorman-Rupp T8 is a surface mounted self-priming pump, maintenance is simple and easy – no cranes required – just one operator and two spanners is all it takes. The zinc rods are easy obtained, as they are stocked by Hydro Innovations.
The Results
The benefits of the new pumps are:
- Reduced pump maintenance costs
- Safe access to the pumps at all times for operations and maintenance
- No cranes required for pump maintenance
- Increased pump capacity allows for Duty/Standby operation and channel aeration during station outages.
- Eliminate the need to hire in additional submersible pumps, due to pump failures or channel aeration.
The pumps were commissioned in July 2020 and EnergyAustralia is enjoying the benefits of these rugged and dependable pumps.
The Pumps
The Gorman-Rupp Super T Series self priming centrifugal wastewater/sewage pump has been the world benchmark for this technology since 1963 (over 50 years!). They have been designed for economical, trouble-free operation, with superior solids handling capability and a large inspection cover to access pump internals for service or blockage removal.
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The Gorman-Rupp Super T Series self-priming centrifugal wastewater/sewage pump has been the world benchmark for this technology since 1963 (>50 years). They have been designed for economical, trouble-free operation, with superior solids handling capability and a large inspection cover to access pump internals for service or blockage removal.
Advantages include:
- Self-Priming pump has the ability to mount high and dry above the wet well (not in it)
- Low cost of ownership
- Greatly reduced OH&S issues – no more working over water/heights/cranes/heavy swinging weights
- Surface-mounted pumps with easy access for monitoring or service
- Advanced safety features including pressure relief valve to protect operators
- Improved maintenance features to greatly reduce maintenance time and costs, with removable rotating assembly
- A variety of materials of construction to handle abrasive and/or corrosive fluids
Our Team is available to answer your pump query within the hour
Hydro’s experts are standing by to help you get the best pump, aerators and genuine spare parts for your specific project.
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(02) 9898 1800
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Australia Wide
Hydro Innovations is proud to distribute a broad range of quality, reliable and industry-leading industrial pumps and aerators.
We are also delighted to share that Hydro Innovations is proud to be the exclusive distributor of Gorman-Rupp Pumps.
Gorman-Rupp is the world leader in self-priming centrifugal wastewater pump technology, and invests heavily in R&D, and in training for their international representatives – like Hydro Innovations.
This puts us in an excellent position to make the very best recommendations for our Australian customers.
Our other suppliers, Ragazzini of Italy and EDUR of Germany, are also world leaders in their respective technologies (Peristaltic Pumps – Ragazzini, and Specialist centrifugal pumps – EDUR).
We carry a very large inventory of pumps and spare parts for all of these brands, to help us to deliver industry-leading service.
