By Chris Edmondson

 Over the last several weeks we’ve talked about many aspects of designing a commercial sewage lift station, from flow rates to components.  In this blog, we’re going to work through a really simple sizing example. Let’s say we are sizing a sewage station for a retirement facility made up of primarily independent living units. 

By Chris Edmondson

Just in case you haven’t gotten the message in this series on designing a commercial sewage lift stations, the design process involves a lot more than selecting a sewage pump or sump pump.  The most reliable sewage lift

 Pumps used in commercial sewage lift stations come in a variety of types (effluents, grinders, etc.)  To determine which type is right for your application you must answer two questions:

1. What size solids will have to be pumped?
2. What is the size of the discharge pipe?

By Chris Edmondson

 In a previous blog we discussed how to determine the flow for a commercial sewage lift station so you determine the necessary pump capacity.  Today we are going to discuss Total Dynamic Head, which is also critical to sizing a pump for a sewage lift station.  Not only is it absolutely necessary to select a

By Chris Edmondson

 Section 712 of the International Plumbing Code (IPC), Section 712, places a burden on the shoulders of engineers.  You have to design the sewage pit or basin that collects the sewage and houses the pump(s).  To do that properly, you need to address the following questions:

 How big should the basin be? According to Section 712.3.2, “The sump pit shall be no less than 18

By Chris Edmondson

Sometimes codes just aren’t very helpful.  Take Section 712.4.2 of the International Plumbing Code (IPC) and its insight into the selecting flow capacity for a sewage and ejector pumps:

712.4.2 Capacity. A sewage pump or sewage ejector shall have the capacity and head for the application requirements.

(Thanks, IPC….)

Clearly, having the proper flow is necessary to efficiently discharge wastewater from a commercial plumbing system – but how do you determine the flow rate for the sewage system so you can properly size the pump?