Pump stations that operate with unsuitable approach flow hydraulics can suffer damage from cavitation, vibration, and bearing wear, and may be unable to meet design requirements. Intake structures are constructed to withdraw water from rivers, lakes, or other bodies of water for communities and industries. Intakes usually incorporate screens to exclude fish and vegetation and are combined with pumping stations to deliver water to reservoirs or treatment plants. Intake location and design must account for phenomena that could adversely affect performance or endanger the structure, such as sedimentation, debris, ice, scour, and waves.

NHC provides hydraulic analysis and design recommendations for pump station sumps, wet wells, and water intake structures. We make recommendations to maximize pump performance, minimize maintenance costs, and increase pump station lifespans, and devise ways to avoid and correct potential damage from cavitation, vibration, and bearing wear. For intake structures, we provide designs and recommendations to avoid sedimentation, scour, waves, and debris and ice accumulation that can diminish performance or endanger the structure. Our services may be applied to projects involving water supply, wastewater, stormwater, flood control, fire water, and power plant cooling water systems and include physical and advanced numerical modelling.

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