Mandy LeBlanc - Mike Bernard

It has been well established that centrifugal pumps will fail less frequently and last longer if they are operated near their best efficiency point (BEP) or at least within preferred operating range (POR). Unfortunately, operators and managers of most pump stations are flying blind with respect to where BEP and POR actually are for their pumps and if they are operating within POR. In order to better equip our professionals, DC Water recently commissioned a hydraulic digital twin. The Potomac Pump Station conveys almost 1/3 of the wastewater generated in DC Water’s service area to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility. The hydraulic digital twin allows operators to assure that pumps are operating within POR and as close to BEP as possible, but it also allows managers to track the return on investment (ROI) associated with renovating or replacing worn pumps and so much more.