Pulsar’s Quantum 2 Pump Controller wins Product of the Year

At the Institute of Water’s Welsh Area Innovation Awards 2011, Pulsar Process Measuement's (UK) unique Quantum 2 Pump Station Controller scooped the Product Award. Non-contacting ultrasonic device Quantum 2 is one of a new generation of pump station management devices; offering a range of sophisticated control functions that save money, energy and effort for water and waste companies.

Quantum 2 incorporates a raft of ‘standard’ pump control routines, with the addition of a number of ‘extra’ functions, including a ‘Time to Spill’ alarm, that warns not only of a high level, but also uses rate of fill data to predict when a station is in imminent danger of overflow. Also included in Quantum 2 is a ‘Pump Reset’ function, which can be a real boon to staff. If a pump fails to start, then Quantum 2 will detect the failure and attempt to reset the pump and restart it, trying a number of times before reporting a failure. This control can save staff many hours of tedious and unproductive work visiting remote sites just to check and reset pumps.

Another important function, and the feature that especially swayed the judges of the awards, is the ‘Real-Time Flow’ measurement function, calculating total flow through the station. All water companies are under pressure to provide more flow data, and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water installed three Quantum 2 units to provide continuous flow data for the Llandeusant WWTW catchment on Anglesey. A discrepancy was noticed between the stations and investigations revealed a faulty non-return valve, meaning that the station was re-pumping sewage. Repairing the valve significantly reduced pumped volume, and equipment payback was only 75 days.

As Keith Flint, Sales and Marketing Director at Pulsar, said: ‘It is great when the hard work we put into these developments is recognised, and our R&D engineers are developing real solutions to real-world problems. As a regional winner, Quantum 2 will be put forward for the Institute of Water National Innovation Awards to be held in London in May. We look forward to seeing what happens there!’

Quantum 2 was also awarded a Highly Commended certificate at the Wales Quality Innovation Awards held in December.