Pump Styles

Understanding the Differences Between

Dewatering Pumps,
Sewage Pumps,
and Grinder Pumps.
Presented by: Darren Meyers, P.E.
Zoeller Pump Company

Why Do We Pump?
Pumping gives us options
Were not constrained by gravity.
We can avoid greater costs.
Larger construction costs
Larger pump costs

We gain control!

Wastewater Defined
Sewage
Raw Wastewater (including solids) from toilettes &
drains

Effluent
Wastewater (mostly liquid) which has passed through
a septic tank

Groundwater (o.k.- so its not wastewater)

Mostly clean, but may contain some silt

Three Keys to
Trouble-Free Pump Operation
1. Proper Selection

Picking the right pump for the job

2. Correct Installation

Clean, safe, organized

3. Periodic Maintenance

Keeping a pump in top shape

One Size Does NOT Fit All!

Pumps have been designed
according to specific needs.
Each style has a
particular application.

Choosing the correct pump style is as critical

as choosing the correct pump size.

Most Common Pumps for

Wastewater Installers
Sump / Effluent / Dewatering
Little or no solids

Sewage Ejectors
Varying solids passing capabilities

Grinders
Solids environment

Dewatering / Effluent Pumps

Dewatering pumps are
designed to move liquid
which is mostly solids free
Groundwater
Sump applications

Effluent
Onsite dosing applications

Dewatering Pump Characteristics

Little to no solids handling
capability
Sometimes none
Sometimes up to

Typically smaller pipes (1 to

2)
Higher head pressures
Lower flow rates

Sump Pumps
Intended for use in
groundwater removal
applications.
Often contain an integral
side switch.
May be partially above
and below the waterline

Effluent Pumps
Intended to pump septic tank
effluent.
Does not have any integral switch
Must be kept below the waterline
Corrosive gasses build up in a septic
environment

Effluent Turbine Pumps

Turbine pumps are designed and built
very differently than centrifugals.
These pumps have no solids handling capabilities.
Units consist of a motor end and an impeller end.
Replacement ends, motor or impeller, are typically
available and simple to change out.

Sewage Pumps
a.k.a. Sewage Ejector, Non-Clog
Sewage pumps are designed to
pump whole solids from a basin
to some other location
Gravity sewer
Septic tank

Sewage Pump Characteristics

Designed to handle solids
2 solids or greater

Larger pipes (greater than 2)

Lower head pressures
Higher flow rates

Grinder Pumps
Grinder pumps chop and grind raw
sewage into little bits to more easily
move it through a piping network.

Grinder pumps come in two styles:

Centrifugal
Progressing Cavity

Centrifugal Grinders
Curves are similar to large effluent
pumps
Use standard impellers to move the
sewage slurry after chopping it.
Used most frequently in:
Sites just downhill from a gravity sewer
Problematic sites where sewage pumps
may clog
Prisons, nursing homes, schools, etc.

Progressing Cavity Grinders

Produce very high heads and
relatively small flows.
Use a corkscrew type action to lift
ground-up sewage
Use most frequently in:
Applications requiring very high
pressures
Pressure sewer networks
High heads/low flows are ideal for networks
with large numbers of units.

Pumping into a Septic Tank

Sewage pumps are appropriate

Transfer whole solids

Do not use grinders to pump into septic tanks.

Solids are ground too finely to settle out.

Pump Sizing in Two Slides!

Static Head Actual elevation change
Friction Head Loss due to frictional resistance
between water and pipe
Operating Head Pressure required in some
systems (LPP, Pressure Dist., etc.)
Static Head + Friction Head + Operating Head
= Total Dynamic Head (TDH)

Size Based On
Pump Curve
Pump Curves are easily accessible
for any pump on the market.

Find where the calculated TDH and

the desired flow intersect on the
graph. Select a curve which crosses
close to but above this point.

Always try to stay toward the middle of

the curve, as this is where the pump is
most efficient.

Thank You for Your Attention