French waste water pumping facility

Urban exploration outside of the Ozarks area
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crazydrummerdude
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French waste water pumping facility

Post by crazydrummerdude »

http://imgur.com/gallery/WRFBK
They are always that big. Why so deep? Pumping efficiency. It has to do with the topology of where they are pumping to and from. Might as well not pump it up any higher than necessary.

In picture 15 that hatch is actually that top of the wastewater chamber. It flows by gravity (almost definitely) to fill that chamber and the pumps pump it out intermittently likely over a hill to another pumping station or directly to a wastewater plant. Why so big in general? Cities produce a lot of wastewater. That includes a lot of storm water as well likely. I know of one place where they pump 7000 Gal/s.

Picture 36 looks like old circular chart recorders. Probably showing level against time.

Picture 37 "Pompe" has to mean pump. They have likely all been manually turned off, hence the alarms.

42 is a flood alarm, or backup level sensing in case the primary means fails. It will start the pumps if it goes off if that is the case. It looks like an ultrasonic real time level measurement head with a float level switch backup. Can't tell from the blurriness.

43, more floats it looks like. Yeah the bacteria consumes the same air you do often enough.

47 is just a small sump pump for the drains in the area. Not a "system" thing, just to keep the floors from staying wet if there is a small spill or leak. If you moved that float I bet it would have started. Looks like they still monitor the place.

If you smelled rotten eggs that was H2S. The heat may very well have been from bacteria as well. I would bet 20 bucks on it. H2S is very dangerous. First you smell it, then you experience olfactory overload (can't smell anymore) then you assume it is safe. It is poisonous and corrosive and explosive. I'm very sure you are fine though if it has been a while and you notice no issues.
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