At the end of June 2020, the ESMIL Catenary Screen was installed at the Angyalföld pumping station in Budapest, Hungary. The facility is crucially important for the wastewater infrastructure of Budapest, since the dry season capacity is up to 70,000 m3/day and during rains even 130,000 m3/day! The incoming wastewater contains a large amount of debris, which requires reliable protection of pumps, especially during floods and heavy rains.
This project was challenging for our technical team – the screen had to be installed in a huge channel, and be able to handle large hydrodynamic and debris loads. As a result of the pre-design study, Catenary Screen KR 2853 was selected – openings between bars is 15 mm, the length of the screen is almost 9 m and the width of the channel is 3 m. The total weight of the screen exceeds 5 tons
Among the main advantages of Catenary Screens compared with other types of screens, the following can be distinguished:
- Large volumes of debris do not block the scraper mechanism as it is not fixed in the lower part of the screen but is pressed against the filter cloth under its weight. This allows the mechanism to automatically adapt to the situation and reliably ensure the removal of all debris;
- Powerful chains are maintenance-free and are designed for long-term operation without replacement;
- The screen is made with increased safety, taking into account the work under high hydraulic loads.
The Catenary Screen for the Angyalföld pumping station was made to fit the channel and was installed to it through a narrow window opening.. Despite the huge dimensions of the screen, the installation took only about 3 hours, and the next day the equipment was already in operation.
The screen successfully passed the first test – a week after the operation it was a rainy period in Budapest and the pumping station was operating at full productivity with a large amount of debris. The Catenary Screen successfully coped with the task and ensured the uninterrupted operation of the pumps. The operation of the equipment in such extreme conditions was highly praised by the managers of the water utility and pumping station staff.