Valve manufacturer Dynamic Fluid Control (DFC) Water has launched the X143HP hydropowered generator, which offers independent power supply for electrical equipment such as telemetry and lighting in valve chambers at reservoirs and pressure-reducing stations.

The product provides power by using the pressure drop across a pressure-reducing valve or level control valve to run a generator. Its compact design adapts to small, pre-existing chambers or new installations and supplies up to 280 W at a differential pressure of 60 psi or 2 bar.

The X143HP generator fits all types of level control valves at reservoirs and pressure reduction valves at pressure-reducing sites, says DFC Water marketing manager Charl Myburgh.

Applications for the generator include providing power to electronic control valves, monitoring equipment, sump pumps, lighting and pressure management equipment and remote telemetry units.

Smart intelligent systems, demand or water-loss management systems and security systems in these chambers can also be powered by the generator.

The product, which can be retrofitted without tapping into the pipeline or removing the valve, is ideal for sites where it is difficult or cost prohibitive to obtain electrical power.

“Power generation in South Africa is not as efficient as it should be and experiences many setbacks, such as downtime, cable theft, solar panel theft or maintenance challenges,” he says.

A possible solution is for reservoirs to install batteries in their chambers to produce power. However, these will need to be replaced regularly by qualified people going from site to site, which can be labour intensive and impractical.

Stand-by batteries are incorporated in all installations, with up to eight 12 V power packs. Additional power is drawn from the bank when the system load exceeds the power supplied by the power generator. Excess power produced during times of low load is used to recharge the batteries, says Myburgh.

DFC Water has installed one generator, with the client looking at acquiring six more units. The company believes that feedback from the water sector has been positive.

DFC Water is the sole African distributor of the X143HP hydropowered generator, which is manufactured by US-based automatic control valve producer Cla-Val.

Further Education
Meanwhile, DFC Water’s R1-million overall valve demonstration facility, located at its premises in Benoni South, has trained over 550 persons from various industries interested in learning about water processes, since it was launched 18 months ago.

The demonstration facility was launched in early 2010 for training purposes and has a full working model of a water pipeline.
The programme covers various water-related processes through theoretical technical seminars, followed by live demonstrations, tests and practical experiments on the model, says Myburgh.

Further, DFC Water has trained about 110 civil engineering students, as part of the practical training segment of their degree, through the company’s partnership with the Univer- sity of Pretoria.

Project Updates
DFC Water has completed the second and final phase of a R9,5-million valve supply contract for public works authority Ashghal, in Qatar.

Sixty 250 mm Vent-O-Mat sewage air release and vacuum 316 stainless steel valves were supplied for the Doha North sewage treatment and pumping works project, in Qatar, in two phases, each comprising 30 valves.

The first phase of the con- tract was completed in late 2010.

With a design capacity to treat wastewater of up to 439 000 m3/d, the Doha North sewage treatment and pumping works is the largest greenfield wastewater treatment, water reuse and sludge treatment plant in Qatar and the Middle East, DFC Water MD Brian Holford tells Engineering News.

The air valves are being used in the main pumpstation, which will be the main collection point for all sewage generated in the north of Doha. This will then be pumped to the Doha North sewage treatment plant by way of a 20 km section of a 1,6-m-diameter pipe- line.

Further, the treated sludge can be used as organic fertiliser or as a supplementary source of energy and, apart from irrigation, the treated water from the plant will also be used for various industrial purposes.

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