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Expecting to dismantle and replace its entire Puncheon Run Pumping Station, including the pumps, controls and wiring, the City of Dover, DE, needed a bypass pumping solution capable of handling from 1,875 gpm at 168 ft. of head to 3,000 gpm at 120 ft. of head. There was also the challenge of limited space. The 30' x 30' area for pump placement, with only slightly more room for system assembly, made it difficult to set up the job and still leave ample space to move equipment and materials in and out of the building.

"This was not your basic bypass," says Dale Brackin, sales engineer, Godwin Pumps.

Brackin brainstormed solutions with Mike Ramos, Godwin's chief engineer, Mike Delzingaro, the local sales manager, and the contractor, C&D Contractors, Inc, Wilmington, DE. With additional technological input from David Heritage, a Godwin engineer, the group was able to create a viable solution for the bypass operation.

The plan comes together
The bypass pumping solution centered around the pump selection. "There were so many things to consider," Ramos says. "But the starting point remains finding a pump and controls to meet the flow requirements of the system."

Godwin CD160M Dri-Prime pumps proved the best choice to handle the flow and lift required. Available with diesel engines or electric motors, the pumps are rated for 1,900 gpm at 260 ft. of head.

Two 150-hp electric drive versions served as the primary and lag pumps to meet flow demands, while a Critically Silenced 147-hp diesel version served as a backup. A standard 147-hp diesel model supported the entire system in the event of major storm surges or power outages.