Lauren Cella

Pumps are an essential component, and one of the most used pieces of equipment, in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries. They can be found at all stages of these applications – upstream, midstream and downstream – from delivering oil from the ground to a ship, oil refinery, or storage to speeding up the fluid flow from one point to another. Due to the varied tasks pumps are required to perform, the types of pumps used are also extremely diverse, varying in type, size and materials.

Fatbergs and sewer blockages are problems faced by wastewater utilities around Australia, and globally. Not only are they time consuming and costly to remove, but they can also clog pipelines, and block and damage pump equipment. Here, we look at how incorporating digitalisation into deragging technology is a key weapon to predict, prevent and eradicate issues from occurring. Non-degradable materials entering sewer networks has become an ever increasing problem.

The PIA’s Australian Pump Technical Handbook is a cornerstone text for the Australian pump industry and, in our opinion, a must have for anyone who deals with pumps on a regular basis. In this ongoing series, we feature abridged chapters from the classic book to showcase the various areas covered and to reacquaint readers with the technical aspects of pumps.