Volucalc Hybrid CS – Constant Speed Pumps Wastewater Lift Station Flow Meter

Constant Speed-button

Flow, real-time diagnostic, lower pump run time, cost reduction, increased safety

Abnormal behaviors are reported before degenerating to catastrophic events with real-time diagnostics using flow and efficiency monitoring.

Pump run times, maintenance costs, and number and impact of SSO events decreases using our flow-based operating system.

Volucalc™ Hybrid CS is a constant speed pump flow meter for 1 to 4 pumps with a flow proportional 4-20mA output and TCP/IP MODBUS communication. It uses the most advanced patented volumetric flow algorithm and is patent pending on its real-time volumetric flow algorithm. Its one second resolution data is downloaded to a USB key or MaidMaps SCADA. No software required to produce monthly reports with daily statistics.

No other instrument generates more information about wastewater lift stations than the Volucalc™ Hybrid CS.

The flow rate accuracy of a volumetric flow formula is equal to its capacity to compensate for all abnormal behaviors, which occurs in one third of the stations. Unfortunately, the Volume/time formula is not enough.

For intelligence, communication and flow in a pump station, simply add what is missing. Get the most advanced technology without replacing existing working equipment. Volucalc™ Hybrid CS analyzes each main element behavior to extend its useful life and predict failures. Simply transfer the Volucalc™ in the new control panel when an upgrade will be required.

A 4 feet or 1.2 meter pump operation level variation can reduce pump run time by 30% by increasing the pumps’ flow rate by 15%. More on this near the end of the page.

Volucalc™ Hybrid CS is the primary tool required to operate constant speed pumps based on flow rate instead of levels. Using real-time flow, a PLC can adjust the levels of operation of the pumps to maximize their efficiency by elevating these levels as high as it is safe to do so, which means when the flow rate is low. When the flow rate increases, the PLC decreases these levels to maximize the capacity of the station to pump all that is coming in. PLC programs are easy to edit to add this money-saving feature.

Volucalc™ Hybrid CS communicates real-time flow to a PLC through its 4-20 mA output, dry contact pulses or TCP/IP modbus. 

CONNECT IT TO ANYTHING

  • 4 motor inputs are used for a mix of RPM inputs from VFDs and current clamps. They are used to monitor pump operations, evaluate power consumption and pump speed.
  • Volucalc has an integrated Uninterruptible Power Supply circuitry to keep important equipment like the level sensor and cellular modem powered during power failures. Simply add a rechargeable 12-volt battery.
  • The WattMeter module adds complete electrical analysis for each pump (one module per pump). The data recorded for each phase are Voltage, Current, RMS power (watt), Power factor and Frequency.
  • The digital input can be used to monitor rain, level, check valve operation or any dry contact accessories. The reports will show when, for how long and how many times events occurred or totalized events for pulses.
  • 2 analog inputs are assigned to the level and the force main pressure. Like all analog inputs, they can be set by software to 4-20 mA, 0-5 Volts, 0-10 Volts and even 0-24 Volts.
  • All the unused analog inputs (pumps, level and pressure) can be used to record and report values supplied by other equipment like mag meters and specialized flow meters.
  • 6 digital outputs can be used to generate different alarms and send flow or volume proportional pulses to a sampler or other equipment like a PLC.
  • The flow proportional 4-20 mA output is the simplest way to add high accuracy flow to an existing system. The volumetric flow algorithm of the Volucalc™ is the most accurate of the industry while the variable speed pump algorithm is the only plug-in method of the industry.
  • Over 100 different data elements can be transferred to a PLC or other MODBUS compatible devices through its RS485 (RS485 port is supplied on request) and Ethernet port.
  • The Ethernet port can be used to communicate via cellular modem, WiFi radio or direct wiring to the MaidMaps Web SCADA application, which displays flow, generates graphs, download reports and files, upload configurations and report alarm emails and SMS.
  • The Volucalc generates impressive and complete reports on site. A USB thumb drive can be used to download these reports and SoftMaid™ compatible files and to upload configurations.
  • SoftMaid™ is the most advance wastewater pump station diagnostic software and the perfect mean to analyze high resolution Volucalc™ data.
Download the Volucalc Hybrid 20-page brochure
Volucalc Hybrid Connection Diagram
Volucalc Hybrid Connection Diagram

The Only Real Time Diagnostic and Volumetric Flowmeter

A failing controller cannot report that it failed. Unlike PLC controllers, Volucalc Hybrid™ is a monitoring system optimized
to automatically detect several anomalies of the pumping stations. No programming is required by the user to detect strange activities.
Any device can generate high or low level alarms, but it takes years of lift station analysis and programming to detect the following abnormal behaviors without special configuration from the users:

The flow rate accuracy of a volumetric flow formula is equal to its capacity to compensate for all abnormal behaviors, which occurs in one third of the stations. Unfortunately, the Volume/time formula is not enough.

For intelligence, communication and flow in a pump station, simply add what is missing. Get the most advanced technology without replacing existing working equipment. Volucalc Hybrid™ CS analyzes each main element behavior to extend its useful life and predict failures. Simply transfer the Volucalc™ in the new control panel when an upgrade is required.

Volucalc Hybrid™ CS can be used to make quick checks of pumping stations and precisely determine pump capacities in just a few pumping cycles. It is also a generic open channel flow meter. It can be used as a recorder and generator of reports for existing flowmeters.

A failing controller cannot report that it failed. Unlike PLC controllers, Volucalc Hybrid™ is a monitoring system optimized to automatically detect several anomalies of the pumping stations. No programming is required by the user to detect strange activities.

Any device can generate high or low level alarms, but it takes years of lift station analysis and programming to detect the following abnormal behaviors without special configuration from the users:

Understanding Costs in Pump Station

btn-entretien

Predictive Maintenance
btn-economie

Savings
btn-donnes

Real-time data

Why Volucalc Hybrid™ CS?

Volucalc Hybrid™ CS can be used to make quick checks of pumping stations and precisely determine pump capacities in just a few pumping cycles. It is also a generic open channel flow meter. It can be used as a recorder and generator of reports for existing flowmeters.

Other important features:

  • Small size ideal for any retrofit
  • Reports easily exported in Excel for deeper analysis
  • Uses existing level sensors
  • Uses a simple clip-on current sensor per pump
  • High accuracy volumetric flow calculated every 30 seconds or faster (CS)
  • Overflow flow measurement
  • Abnormal sequence of operation of the pumps
  • Abnormal variation of the pumped flow rate
  • Important variation of the inflow rate
  • Abnormally long or short cycle (only CS)
  • Abnormal energy consumption
  • Abnormal efficiency
  • Water level falls with no pumps in operation (level sensor problems or siphon)
  • Defective level sensor
  • Variation of the operating level of the pumps (float switches or level sensor problems) (CS)
  • Lost AC power
  • Low battery
  • User configurable alarms related to most of the inputs and calculated values like flow

Good data are required to take good decisions.

Look at this Monthly Report generated by the Volucalc Hybrid CS on a USB drive or remotely downloaded via cellular modem.

The most complete on-site generated reports of the industry

About water coming in the station:

  • Efficiency of the station (volume/watt)
  • Green House Gas (GHG) caused by inefficiency
  • Wasted money due to lack of efficiency
  • Percentage of use of the pumps compared to their combined capacity
  • Total volume that came in the station
  • Average inflow rate
  • Maximum and minimum inflow rates with time of occurrence
  • Monthly Totals and Averages

About the pumps and combination of pumps:

  • Number of starts
  • Runtime single and combinations
  • Average current (one phase)
  • Volume pumped by pump
  • Efficiency per pump (higher value means less expensive to operate)
  • Pump flow rate
  • Monthly Totals and Averages

About Alarms and Suspicious Events

  • Type of event
  • Date, time and duration of occurrence
  • Alarming value
  • Comments

To copy this report to a USB thumb drive, press the USB key (4), scroll down to Reports, then to Monthly Volucalc. Everything is that simple with Volucalc.

Any Web browser can open this HTML formatted report. It can be exported and opened by Excel as a formatted spreadsheet.

The flow rates and run times of identical pumps were compared
in over 150 randomly selected wastewater pump stations.

  • Half the pumps had a capacity difference of 7% or less
  • For every percentage gained in capacity, twice that percentage
    is gained in run time reduction

* Extreme results were removed.

Major Benefits:

  • Run time reduction by 200% of the capacity gained (see above chart)
  • Energy usage savings equal to run time reduction.
  • Maintenance costs also decrease by the same percentage.
  • Infrastructure wear slows down.
  • Increased storm surge resistance
  • Lower grease build-up

The following table shows how to evaluate the benefits of this technology for a collection system.

What are the potential savings related to the pump stations under your supervision? Maid Labs has created an Excel spreadsheet to calculate the energy side of this. It won’t calculate the proportional economy related to maintenance or wear of the collection system infrastructure.

Every cell has a comment box and the product cost can be adjusted based on each pump stations requirements to get the most accurate return on investment possible. This spreadsheet should indicate by which station to start.

Download the energy saving calculator

During low flow conditions when it is safe, adjusting the levels of operation greatly affects the head.

5-minute about how to reduce wastewater pump station electric bills, maintenance costs and wear using the existing equipment and a Volucalc Hybrid

The free Device Configurator Software makes the configuration simple, even with all the functions integrated with this product. Other than how the inputs and outputs are used (side image), it is possible to specify the kind of flow algorithm to use, including volumetric, real-time volumetric, open channel, preset values, from external flow meters or a combination of algorithms in some case.

Volucalc hybrid 2 dans panneau
Input Outpout
+

Simply click on how
to use the Inputs
and Outputs

11-minute installation video for constant speed pumps

btn-entretien

Predictive Maintenance

Save thousands per year

Predictive maintenance is the best type of maintenance available because maintenance dollars are invested only where they are really needed. Being able to correct problems way before they become critical can save thousands per year in time and parts.

real-time diagnostics

Predictive maintenance means having the capacity to detect what becomes abnormal for the type installation where the product is installed. This not an alarm like high or low level, but real-time diagnostics which detect abnormal behavior while they are not critical yet.

Don't wait until it’s too late

Electrical equipment gets sick before dying. Based on thousands of installations of volumetric flow meter in lift stations, 1/3 of them have intermittent abnormal behaviors not detected by humans since these behaviors are not critical until it’s too late.

btn-economie

Savings

Economical choice

Use the efficiency of the pumps to save from few dollars to hundreds of dollars per year per station on the electrical bill.

Ressource consumption

Volucalc calculates the efficiency of each pump, which is the volume pumped per watt of electricity consumed. Alternating between pumps means the pump with the lowest flow rate, usually the least efficient, always pump more than the best pumps.

Efficient choice

Through TCP/IP MODBUS, a PLC can get from Volucalc which pump is the best and based on the flow rate, also supplied by Volucalc, could use the most efficient pump when the flow in the station is above a certain value and the least efficient pump when the flow is low.

btn-donnes

Real-time data

Tremendous savings

Volucalc, when connected to a level sensor, provides flow in real time with an accuracy that is only surpassed by a properly calibrated mag meter, without having to spend the tens of thousands of dollars related to the installation of a mag meter.

Great information flow

A good monitoring system reports when pumps start and stop and when standards alarms occur. Also, a good monitoring system might calculate an acceptable flow rate without being sure because no monitoring system other than Volucalc compensates for abnormal behaviors found in 1/3 of lift stations. Still, what about between the pump starts and stops, which is most of the time? Water is still coming in. The flow is still changing.

Advantageous technical choice

Most mag meters are installed on the piping out of the station, therefore only supplying a volume and the flow of the pumps in operation. What about flow in which never stops, pump run time, individual pump capacity, pump efficiency, peak flow, etc.?

Volucalc CS is the best bargain
of the industry, period.

Accessories of the

Volucalc Hybrid™

Find a
Representative

_

Ask for a
Webinar

_

Get a
Quote

_

Our Other Main Products

Maidmaps

The MaidMaps SCADA application shows in real time what is happening in the lift stations and generates alarms by phone and email. MaidMaps has a very low cost per site, specifically for smaller organizations with few lift stations.
More details

FlowMaid

This open channel flow meter is perfect for monitoring, calculating and recording S.S.O. events, level and volume. It can operate up to 2 years while powering an ultrasonic level sensor and a cellular modem. Perfect for manhole installations.
More details

SoftMaid

SoftMaid is a powerful software for electrical and hydraulic analysis of wastewater pump stations to visualize flow, pump cycles, anomalies, infiltration and equipment behaviors. It generates the industry’s most complete lift station evaluation report.
More details