Atlas Copco for Dewatering

Updated: Mar 23, 2022

Atlas Copco pump being used at a lake

What is dewatering and how does it affect each of us, even those of us who are not involved in construction, agriculture, or the maintenance of infrastructure?

Dewatering is the process of removing water from one location and moving it to another; in construction, we typically think of dewatering as the removal of water from soil; however, many people are affected by dewatering on a daily basis. Many houses have a sump pump, which removes water from our basement when the groundwater level rises.

For people who live at or near sea level, dewatering operations may be on a much larger scale. Miami, Jakarta, Rotterdam, and Boston employ a chain of dams, reservoirs, and pumps to keep their inhabitants dry.

Mechanical Dewatering – Two Basic Pump Designs

When it comes to removing water from construction and industrial sites, there are two main sorts of pumps. Submersible pumps, which as the name implies, are completely submerged into the water, and surface pumps, often known as trash pumps; surface pumps are located on dry ground and have an intake hose that enters the water being moved.

Submersible Pumps

A Submersible Pump is most often used when we have one or both of the following conditions: Shore or Permanent Power, and water has to be lifted greater than 25 feet to 30 feet to remove it. Electrical submersible pumps are driven by a motor. The Atlas Copco Line of WEDA Pumps includes pumps ranging from a ½ HP up to 84HP, which can lift water more than 115 feet high and move 6100 Gallons of water each minute. Another feature of the WEDA submersible pumps is that they come in different configurations allowing for 3 unique dewatering needs such as:

  • The movement of clean water (Drainage Pumps)
  • The movement of light sludge or slurry (Sludge Pumps)
  • The movement of water with very high amounts of solids (Slurry Pumps)

Surface Pumps

A Surface Pump is most often used in applications where we do not have permanent or shore power, and where the water being moved does not have to be lifted more than 25 to 30 vertical feet. Both skid-mounted and trailer-mounted Atlas Copco surface pumps are available. In addition, you can get the pumps with a Sound Attuned enclosure that deadens the noise level to 71 decibels, or with an open frame design where noise levels aren't as important.

Up Time in Critical Environments

De-watering is frequently a crucial component in the success of an operation, as many of us have seen on the Discovery Channel program "Gold Rush." When water stops flowing to the Sluice Box, the whole operation comes to a halt. Many dewatering techniques are also important for an endeavor's success. A municipality uses a surface pump to assist with sewer bypasses for maintenance; if the pump fails, sewage will quickly rise. Pumping water is similarly essential in many resource extraction processes, and if the pump fails, water levels rapidly rise, preventing any work from being done.

Debris buildup in the impeller housing is one of the most prevalent reasons for Surface Pumps to fail. Cleaning debris out of the impeller housing on a regular pump might take 30 minutes or more; as a result, it is frequently neglected during routine maintenance checks. A hinged impeller housing has been developed and patented by Atlas Copco; users of Atlas Copco's PAS Surface Pumps can clean out any trash from the housing and be back up and running in under three minutes!

Similarly, Atlas Copco developed the WEDA Submersible pumps to operate with solids up to 3.5” and came up with a very easy maintenance kit for the impeller, allowing on-site servicing. To make this process even easier, Atlas Copco has developed Preventative Maintenance kits for the Impeller that take the guesswork out of which wear components you'll need to purchase.

The Right Pump for the Job

Atlas Copco has a wide variety of pumps to suit every de-watering need. The PAS Series (Surface Pumps) come in the following sizes:

  • PAS 100 (4”) – 39 HP and a Maximum Flow of 1230 GPM
  • PAS 150 (6”) – 68HP and a Maximum Flow of 2250 GPM
  • PAS 200 (8”) – 105HP and a Maximum Flow of 3740 GPM
  • PAS 300 (12”) – 262HP and a Maximum Flow of 9510 GPM

The WEDA (Submersibles) Series Comes in wide variety of sizes and for a wide range of applications ranging from:

  • 2” - 1/2 HP models pumping 67GPM to 10” – 84HP models Pumping 6100GPMS

Atlas Copco and Leavitt Machinery provide de-watering services for both individuals and businesses of all sizes. Whether you're looking for a single pump to meet your needs or need help designing a more complex drainage solution, Atlas Copco and Leavitt Machinery will assist you in finding the ideal option.