Portage County Water Resources introduces condition monitoring with SPM
Public utility department Portage County Water Resources in Ohio, USA implements condition monitoring to help ensure reliable operation of its water and wastewater facilities.
The Portage County Water Resources department (PCWR) is responsible for water supply to the equivalent of 30,000 people as well as a wastewater service area equivalent to a city of 70,000 people. The availability and reliability of the equipment in their plants is vital to meet the needs of the community.
PCWR initially purchased an Intellinova Parallel MB monitoring unit to test out continuous monitoring for their screw conveyors. While in the process of setting up this monitoring unit, the opportunity also arose to investigate a recently rebuilt pump which was generating high vibration levels and abnormal noise. In direct connection with measurements on the pump using the portable data collector Leonova Emerald, the SPM service engineer concluded an alignment problem between the pump and motor. Following this swift in-the-field diagnosis, PCWR made the decision to purchase a Leonova Emerald instrument, with the intention to introduce condition monitoring also on pumps and blowers.
To give their condition monitoring program a flying start, four personnel from PCWR recently completed the Level 1 Leonova Emerald training course, held in the training center at the new SPM Instrument office in North Canton, Ohio, by one of SPM’s ISO Level II-certified vibration analysts.
Future plans by Portage County Water Resources are to acquire the SPM version of the ILearn Vibration training package and, with the help of SPM Instrument, expand their condition monitoring program as well as their knowledge.
Based in Ravenna, Ohio, Portage County Water Resources operates and maintains three water plants with 78 miles (125 km) of water lines, eleven wastewater treatment plants with 312 miles (502 km) of sewer lines, and 100+ pump stations.