Jake Pumps 3,000 gallons per minute

This is Jake. After high school he joined the military, fought overseas, and came home to Manning to raise his family. He can fly the United States flag as he'd like, and he certainly makes sure there is one on his tractor. POW on one side, Stars & Stripes on the other.

This fall he's quite consistently pumping over 2,500 gallons per minute. When I took these photos he was right over 3,000 - about 3020 GPM most of the time.

At a local finishing barn, his crew had a Lead Pump at the site, and a booster pump in the field. Both were set up with MobileStar. 

Lead Pump - a 550hp 13.5L John Deere with a 6NHTB-19 Cornell pump using a PCE Self-Prime system.  

Booster Pump - PT 5069 - same engine and pump as the lead.

Mainline Hose: 8 inch

Drag Hose: 6 inch

On the tractor he has a PCE Tractor-Mounted Swing Pipe with a PCE injection bar set up with Dietrich 70 Series Shanks to inject 5-6 inches deep.

This is a PCE text-book turn-around: making a "golf-club" swing, placing the bar back into the ground along the fence line, and slowly turning back to a 45 degree angle across the field. No backing up. 

Pretty....even when covered in Manure.

When it comes to friction loss in hose, it takes 7 lengths* of 8" hose to equal the friction loss in 2 lengths of 6" hose. That friction loss is equal to 0.85 lengths of 5 inch hose.

 *1 length = 660 ft.

***friction loss is still an estimation based on flow through materials similar to hose.

New lead pump

First day out with the new prototype lead pump.  John Deere 9.0 liter with a 6nhtb-19.  PCE fast prime and down riggers to level it out at the site.  Working great so far.

Agitation Boat - Front Cannon!

Last week, I was fortunate enough to travel north with Dad to South Dakota and Minnesota. We visited two pumping sites in South Dakota that were running PCE Agitation Boats on dairy lagoons.

The first dairy we visited was being pumped by Precision Pumping, Inc. of Minnesota.  They have an early model of BOAT 2067 with a Cornell Redi-Prime® Pump. We delivered a front nozzle attachment for the "cannon" - the Gate 3 outflow above water. This outflow can be used to sink solids floating on the top, to wash down the banks, or to deliver fluid through a hose (if the boat is anchored to shore).

Upon arrival at the lagoon, there was 12"-18" of crust on the top of the lagoon, with 2 lagoon pumps agitating - one at each end.

Lagoon Condition BEFORE Boat Agitation

 Over a very short period of time using the front nozzle, the Agitation Boat broke through the thick crust in the center and traveled to the opposite end, where Dad shut down the rear agitation nozzles against the bank, and used the front nozzle under the water to rotate the boat left and right while running the front cannon above the water.  This unit moves about 4,000+ GPM.

Using the Agitation Boat as stationary agitation against a bank

See another video of this at: http://www.malechainc.com/blog.html


With the control to individually open & shut 3 different outflow gates, you have a lot of control over agitation. The gates can be utilized to control the amount of flow through each agitation nozzle by only partially opening or closing a gate. Throughout the video, you can see variations in flow out the front cannon as the other gates are opened or closed.

Pumping!

Jake's leaving to start fall pumping at the dairy. His goal: to see 3,000 GPM through the system with 8 inch hose, 6 inch drags, a SP 5069 prototype lead pump, PT 4069 pumps inline, MobileStar.... a boat... He'll keep us posted.

A Comparison of 3 Pumps

Let's do a comparison of 3 Cornell Pump Curves:

4414 - 4 inch outflow, 4 inch intake, 14 inch impeller

4514 - 4 inch outflow, 5 inch intake, 14 inch impeller

4NHTB - 4 inch outflow, 5 inch intake, 17 inch impeller

I know it's bad to start with a disclaimer, but please realize these numbers are found using WATER, AT SEA LEVEL.  ESTIMATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. This is simply an exercise in reading pump curves.

 ***NOT GUIDELINES OF HOW TO PLACE PUMPS.***

Below is the curve for the 4414 Pump. Notice the US. GALLONS PER MINUTE across the bottom. The last number listed is 1600 GPM.  Follow the 1600 line straight up, and it says if you run this pump at 2300 RPM, you could achieve 320 FT of TOTAL DYNAMIC HEAD. The pump is running at about 77.5% efficiency way out there in the top right corner (almost the best efficiency this pump can run). But it has to be fed (at an almost impossible amount to be a lead pump at this GPM). The NPSH (net positive suction head) is greater than 24 ft. -- I'm estimating closer to 30 ft. or more to keep it from cavitation.  

On flat terrain, wishing to travel 1 mile, and wishing to use 4414 pumps to get there, we will use 6" mainline hose, with a Head loss at 1600 GPM to be about 90 FT per 660 FT. length of hose.

320ft of TDH leaving pump 1. Pump 2 will need 30 ft NPSH to keep from cavitation. 

320' ÷ 90' (Head loss) = 3.55 lengths of hose

3 lengths x 90' = 270' of TDH used

320' - 270' = 50' of TDH remaining

Pump 1 (with it's NPSH fulfilled), 3 lengths of 6" hose, Pump 2, 3 lengths of 6" hose, Pump 3, you get the idea.

Lets say you drop into 5 inch drags after the last 4414 pump. Head loss jumps to 200' per 660ft length. No NPSH required to the applicator so:

320' ÷ 200' = 1.6 lengths of drags

BELOW -- 4514 Cornell Pump Curve

The top right corner of this curve ends right around 1950 GPM, at 2300 RPM, with about 30' NPSH 

required, providing 290ft. of TDH.

Again - 4514 Pumps in line with 6" mainline hose on flat terrain.

At 1950 GPM - Head loss in 6" hose is about 130' ft.

290' TDH ÷ 130' = 2.23 lengths of hose

2 x 130' = 260' TDH used

290' - 260' = 30 ft. TDH remaining to fulfill NPSH Requirements for the next pump.

SO: Pump 1, 2 lengths of hose, Pump 2, 2 lengths of hose, Pump 3, 2 lengths of hose, Pump 4, 2 lengths of hose -- this is silly...

Lets try this 4514 at 1500 GPM, still 2300 RPM, still in the 72% efficiency with less NPSH Required (19') and more TDH (330 ft). Head loss is less, at 1500 GPM is 80ft.


330' ÷ 80' = 4.125 lengths of hose
4 x 80' = 320' of TDH used
330' - 320' = 10 ft remaining -- NOT ENOUGH - 19 ft is needed for the next unit.


How about 3 lengths?
3 x 80' = 240'
330' - 240' = 90 ft remaining


So: Pump 1, 3 lengths of hose, Pump 2, 3 lengths of hose, Pump 3, 3 lengths of hose....




BELOW: 4NHTB Cornell Pump Curve


With this pump we're going to follow the 1875 GPM line up and meet 2000 RPM and receive 390 ft of TDH. NPSH Required is estimated at about 25' - 27'.

Head loss at this flow through 6" mainline is about 120 ft. So:
390' ÷ 120' = 3.25 lengths
3 x 120 = 360' used
390' - 360' = 30' remaining  (25' to  27' needed)


Head loss through 8" mainline at this rate is about 51 ft.
390' ÷ 51' = 7.647 lengths
7 x 51' = 357' used
390' - 357' = 33' remaining (25' to  27' needed)


6" hose:
Pump 1, 3 lengths of hose, Pump 2, 3 lengths of hose, Pump 3,
**Head loss through 5" drags at 1875 GPM is about 285 ft.  - giving you 1.368 lengths to the tractor


8" hose:
Pump 1, 7 lengths of hose, Pump 2, 3 lengths of 6" - mainline/drags


Theses are very basic and incomplete examples. Estimates were made on Head loss through the hose. Estimates were made on NPSH Required.  Terrain, elevation, and temperature were not considered. MANURE WAS NOT CONSIDERED.

Efficiencies of the Engine matched to run the pump was not considered.  These examples do not show how PCE puts pump/engine units together nor how PCE would utilize these pumps.

If you'd like to go back through and see all these pumps at 1000 GPM, just use 38 ft. of Head Loss per 660 ft. of 6" hose.  The distances improve. 

Thanks,

Nancy

6NHTB-19 PUMP -- 8 INCH HOSE -- 2,500 GPM Flow

We just finished up our second session of Pump School and we just can't say thanks enough to everyone who attended. Hopefully it was worth the drive for those of you traveling from out of state.


A quick re-cap of some key points about the Pump Curves:

Example: 6NHTB-19 PUMP and 8 INCH HOSE -- 2,500 GPM Flow

NPSH - Net Positive Suction Head

With this pump, we are required to provide 11 feet of NPSH to the inlet side of the pump (see in red below) .  We have 34 feet of head available at sea level that is provided to us (free of charge) by atmospheric pressure.  This is based upon an open body of water.  Because we are not at sea level, and because of friction loss in the suction hose, we like to estimate 30 feet in Iowa.  This means that if we are required to have 11 feet, we can reach from the center of the impeller to the top of the body of water 19 feet or less. (30' available - 11' required = 19')  

If we are pumping 22 feet deep, we only have 8 feet of NPSH available.  At this depth the pump will only flow 2000 GPM - as indicated on the pump curve below.

TDH - Total Dynamic Head

     -- at sea level, the distance a pump can push water vertical, no flow

Estimating TDH at 460 ft. (follow the RED line above)


460 x 0.42 = 193.2 PSI -- a check that this number is less than the 200 PSI of operating pressure on the 8 inch hose


At flows of 2500 GPM we estimate friction loss in 8 inch hose to be 60 ft of TDH per 660 ft length of hose - with no elevation change.


The pump is outflowing 460' TDH at 2500 GPM.
460 ÷ 60 = 7.75 lengths of hose


We can lay out 7 lengths of 8" hose and use 420ft of our 460ft available.
(7 x 60 = 420)


460-420 = 40ft of TDH remaining


Now return to the pump curve, and notice NPSH REQUIRED.


This number must be fulfilled to keep your pump from cavitation. Cavitation is the process of liquid turning to vapor due to a lack of pressure. This causes damage inside the pump, false pressure readings and high inefficiencies.
see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavitation


NPSH REQUIRED is 11ft if we have another 6NHTB-19 pumping 2500 GPM inline. 40ft fills this requirement.


Just a partial overview, but hopefully a helpful example. Thanks for attending!


Nancy

Agitation Boat: On the Trailer

Mr. David Stephens of Missiouri has one of the first PCE boats - a prototype model PCE built for him last fall. We really enjoy his creativity when it comes to putting it to use in various situations. He recently sent a few pictures detailing his use.

Below are pictures of using the boat on its trailer to transfer liquid from a concrete structure to a lagoon.
He laid out about 100' of 5" hose and 70' of 6" hose. The flow was restricted some by 4" discharge straws on the ends.  MobileStar Pic shows 2580 GPM at 1425 RPM.

At another site David set the boat up similar to a PCE agitation trailer. 

He writes, "Got things set up and put the boat to use stirring the pit. As you can see from

1st pic we were in dire need of this. Pit was completely full and nothing but solids.  When done pit was nothing but good lagoon water.  Pits are only a short 4' deep."

.

For more information on agitating deep pits with PCE pumps:


http://www.puckenterprises.com/AgitationTrailersPage.html


One of the biggest drawbacks to utilizing the Boat in this fashion is the pump's height off the ground. A PCE Self Prime Trailer sits much lower adding to the depth that it can reach. With a 4 foot deep pit, this was not an issue for David.


David Stephens is a custom applicator in Missouri. 

Nancy's Equation of the Day

This past year has been pretty exciting. When Dad told me last fall they were seeing flow rates of 2,000 GPM, I thought wow, that's pretty good! Immediately I went to the old standard of 1¢ per gallon - and said what? $20 per minute? Dad gave me a smile, shrug and said not bad for a manure hauler huh? I started asking more questions - well how much does this cost? how much does that cost? Trying to figure out exactly how well those drag hose systems were cash flowing, but he cut me off, and I let it be.  I'm sure you've all done the math on your systems already, and those of you who attended pump school this spring and called us back with 400 GPM increases from your same line have really seen the return.



Today's Equation of the Day - Expected Fuel Savings by operating a PCE Agitation Boat

Fact #1 - Outdoor Lagoons must be agitated or they will fill up with solids and cause lots of trouble.
Fact #2 - The industry standard: Lagoon Pumps

Estimation #1 - Cost of Fuel Per Day to Operate 1 Lagoon Pump: 

6 hours x 10 Gal/Hr x $3.50 diesel Fuel = $210 per day

Estimation #2 - Days per year in Operation:

4 months x 19 days = 76 days


Estimated Fuel Cost Per Year for:

1 Lagoon Pump: $15,960
2 Lagoon Pumps: $31,920
3 Lagoon Pumps: $47,880


PCE Agitation Boat 1045 (small boat) has shown performance to replace up to 3 lagoon pumps.

Estimation #1 - Fuel Cost per day to operate 1 PCE Agitation Boat:

6 hours x 2 gal/Hr x $3.50 diesel fuel = $42 per day

Estimation #2 - Days per year in Operation:

4 months x 19 days = 76 days

Estimated Fuel Cost Per Year for:


BOAT 1045: $3,192


Estimated Fuel SAVINGS per Year by Operating a PCE Boat vs. Lagoon Pumps


1 Lagoon Pump: $12,768 fuel savings
2 Lagoon Pumps: $28,728 fuel savings
3 Lagoon Pumps: $44,688 fuel savings



These are my estimations and only part of the bigger picture when it comes to transportation time and costs, the number of people who need to be at the site, and the quality of their work environment.

Call or write for details!

Final application

Jake pumpin 2655 gallons per minute

Jake pumpin 2655 gallons per minute

PCE Application

Jake's team is pumping at 2,600 GPM today! PCE finally got in the fields after a rainy spring, and they're about done.

PCE Small Boat in Cement Lagoon

I went to visit Jason Arp at a hog site north of Dunlap, IA yesterday. The weather has been very rainy and overcast in this area the past few weeks, but we finally saw some sun over the weekend.  I caught some footage of PCE's small boat that Jason was running in a cement lagoon....until it once again started raining:




PCE agitation boats are fully remote controlled. Start, Stop, Throttle, Steering. This small model was designed with this purpose in mind - for use in cement lagoons. It had to be light enough to easily lift in and out of the lagoon, and very well balanced so it was easy to handle. Jason was pretty nervous handling the boat like this for the first time, but said it went really well and he even agreed to let me come video the process next week at another cement lagoon.


He's been agitating this pit for the last several years with two lagoon pumps that he would move around the pit to really work it up - but he still knew they were leaving piles of solids on the bottom that those pumps just wouldn't reach. Not long after placing the boat yesterday did they see the solids boiling off the bottom. They just couldn't believe it. Pretty soon the boat wasn't moving quite as fast. As he was driving the boat around the lagoon it would drag a bit over piles of solids, and slow down as it was trying to push solids that were floating. He's pretty sure it will take another year before they really get this lagoon cleaned out - that's a lot of solids!


A confession - I'm a bit of a wuss, I really hate standing at lagoon sites when they are being agitated. You all know why. It stinks. Yesterday I was really surprised at how much better it was to tolerate. The boat isn't sending any liquid into the air, and I think it really helps. 


I'm working up more of the video from yesterday. It will be on YouTube soon, and also on the Agitation Boat -Video page of our website. 


Please post questions and responses - I'll pester Dad for answers, and those of you with boats, we'd love to hear how they are working - good and bad!


Nancy

Prepping new tractors for spring application!

Iowa Commercial Nutrient Applicators Association - 2011 Annual Meeting

A Few Notes from: A Legal Update by Mike Blaser

A Need to Put Environmental Performance in Perspective:

1. There are well under 800 municipal sewage systems in Iowa

2. There are well over 10,000 livestock operations that need professional custom applicators to apply manure to land in Iowa

3. The Iowa livestock operations produce multiple BILLIONS of gallons of manure to be used as fertilizer.
            ***Manure utilized as nutrient allows Iowa crop producers to avoid hundreds of millions of dollars of fertilizer costs - fertilizers made from natural gas, coming in part, from countries that don't like us very much. Be proud Iowa!

4. Producers and Custom Applicators do not have taxpayer-funded resources available to them to deal with manure production

5. In 2010 there were 116 reported bypasses (releases) from municipal systems, no fish kills. Every bypass (release) had a "surface water impact" as reported by DNR

6. In 2010 there were 49 total reported "incidences" involving manure for the Iowa livestock industry. 13 of these "incidents" had a surface water impact. Only 21 of the reported incidents in 2010 involved transport of manure or land application of manure, down from 24 in the prior year.



Livestock Operations and Commercial Applicators are doing a fantastic job of being environmentally responsible, and have improved dramatically over the past decade. There is still room for improvement, and we hope to see even less "incidences" in future years. 


We'd like to encourage manure applicators in Iowa to join ICNAA - Iowa Commercial Nutrient Applicators Association go to:

http://iowacnaa.org/
http://iowacnaa.org/pdfs/membership.pdf

Building a NEW Boat

We're building a new style of Agitation Boats for testing this spring.  How the boat works is still the same with 3 outflow nozzles that agitate vertically fed by a Cornell Redi-Prime Pump. We are updating the frame to be lighter-weight and goal-winging the floatation for even faster set-up and clean-up. Call to discuss various sizes and set-ups, visit the video pages on our website or YouTube to see footage from last fall. ...and place your order soon!