Industrial water technology
Customer testimonials
Compressor condition monitoring

Vibration analysis saves maintenance costs

Real-time condition monitoring improves South West Water's manufacturing efficiency

Increased plant availability thanks to early fault detection

Reduced maintenance costs thanks to permanent, digital monitoring

Central alarm system enables fast response in case of emergency

How South West Water achieves its business goals with vibration monitoring.

South West Water provides reliable, efficient and high-quality drinking water and wastewater services for a population of around 1.7 million in the UK areas of Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Somerset and Dorset. To meet the needs of its customers, the company stores water in more than 20 reservoirs and treats it in around 40 water treatment works to produce drinking water for the region.

South West Water also operates 650 wastewater treatment works. Among them is the Marsh Mills facility on the outskirts of the city of Plymouth. Around one third of the wastewater of the city’s 230,000 inhabitants is treated here in several stages before being fed back into the water cycle. With comprehensive condition monitoring, the company ensures the availability of its machines - and thus the reliable supply of drinking water to its customers. At the same time, condition monitoring saves the company up to £150,000 a year in maintenance costs.

"As these are aerobic microorganisms, it is crucial that sufficient oxygen is permanently added to the water so that the decomposition process can take place in the required quality," says Brendon Teague, Condition Based Maintenance Manager at South West Water. This task is performed by nine Roots blowers, which supply a large volume of air at low pressure. With a total power of 615 kW, they pump up to 390 cubic liters of air per minute into the activated sludge tanks.

Fans – an unjustly overlooked piece of equipment

"So far, each blower and motor were checked about once a month in terms of their need for maintenance. Nevertheless, plant failures between maintenance intervals could not be excluded, as bearing damage was either unforeseen or developed between the intervals."

Another problem exists in that the noise which could indicate deterioration of the motor condition cannot be heard from the outside. "The motors are soundproofed, so people can literally walk past them undisturbed. Perhaps this is also one reason why fans and blowers in the water and wastewater treatment industry are often overlooked, even though they perform a task that is just as critical as, for example, the work of the pumps used in the drinking water supply."

Brendon Teague finally decided to equip nine blower units in Marsh Mills with vibration diagnostics from ifm This first step is, therefore, logical and does not come as a surprise.