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Sustainability and productivity go hand in hand for Geelong Leather (01/12)
Australian-owned leather tannery, Geelong Leather, has shown that environmental responsibility and productivity can work hand in hand, thanks in part to the benefits of an effective radio control system.
Geelong Leather specialises in preparing hides for manufacturers of footwear, bags, wallets and perhaps most importantly, AFL footballs. With factories already located in Geelong, Melbourne, Adelaide and Forbes, the company expanded their operations in 2007 to the New South Wales town of Culcairn.
According to Plant Manger, Mr Jay Stottelaar, the Culcairn site is a working example of the company’s ongoing strive towards sustainability. Based on approximately 700 acres of land, it combines a tannery and a working farm operation. Canola and wheat crops on the farm are irrigated by a combination of dam water and treated wastewater from the tannery. Mr Stottelaar explains “being able to re-use our wastewater to grow our crops is an ideal means for us achieve some of our environmental goals.”
At the heart of the irrigation system are two 30kW pumps – one used to pump wastewater from the tannery, the other pumps water stored in a dam. Crops are irrigated with the treated wastewater via a towable T-L centre pivot irrigator. Dam water is then used to flush the system. If insufficient wastewater is available to meet watering requirements, dam water is used as necessary.
A number of pivot pads were constructed along an existing PVC mainline which stretches up to 1.5kms from the pump site. Mr Stottelaar highlighted, “while the basic operation of the pump system was relatively simple, it was also inefficient as we were doing all of our switching manually”. The company turned to Water Dynamics in Yarrawonga for help with automating the system.
Water Dynamics conducted a thorough assessment of the site. According to Mr Richard Lloyd, Design Consultant with Water Dynamics, while the control system required for automating the pumping operation was fairly straight-forward, Geelong Leather faced a few site-specific issues:
- It was not practical or cost-effective to hardwire controls between the pivot pads and the pumps; and
- While the two pumps were only around 200m apart, the site included a range of existing industrial infrastructure and lots of concrete. This presented difficulties for control wiring between the two pumps.
“It was an ideal application for radio control” stated Mr Lloyd.
Water Dynamics worked together with CAP Industries to deliver a control system that was both effective and easy to use. “We knew that automating the system would deliver huge benefits to Geelong Leather in terms of productivity. However, as there was potential for several operators to be involved in using the system, we needed to be certain that the control system was self-explanatory. This way we could ensure they gained the maximum advantage” explained Mr Lloyd. “I am confident that we achieved that.”
CAP Industries supplied two soft start pump controllers complete with an ELPRO 905U-L radio link between the centre pivot and the pump systems. The 905U-L radio link operates at 900 MHz, is license free and is suitable for up to 10kms (line of sight), or approximately 1km in an interrupted industrial site. The operator is able to select which water supply is required from the pivot point. If wastewater is selected, the pump runs for a set period of time and then automatically switches to dam water to flush the system.
When the pumps time out, the pivot simply stops on low pressure shutdown. If the pivot stops, the system automatically shuts down the appropriate pump.
According to Mr Stottelaar, the system has provided huge gains for Geelong Leather in terms of time saving, maintenance costs and staff efficiency. “Not only has it simplified operation of the system, it has also reduced breakdowns and failures previously caused by manual operation.” He continued, “overall, the system is running very well and we are more than happy with the results.”
The success of this installation highlighted other potential uses for radio control to the engineering team at Culcairn. As a result, a second radio link system was installed to control an existing bore pump used to deliver water to a holding tank, which is then used throughout the tannery. When the tank is full, the bore water is diverted via pneumatically operated valves to top-up the irrigation dam. Mr Stottelaar stated, “again the constraints of an industrial site didn’t allow hard wiring between the pump, tank and dam. The radio system provided the perfect solution.”
For more information on Geelong Leather, visit the Geelong Leather website.
Irrigating warm season grasses to ensure long term viability (10/11)
The lead up to summer finds councils and sporting clubs throughout the country facing a common challenge; to reduce water consumption on their sports and playing fields while at the same time keeping them fit for play. Many have chosen to convert their playing surfaces to warm season grasses, such as Couch, Buffalo or Kikuyu. However this, as the saying goes, is only part of the solution.
Warm season grasses are designed to be more water efficient than cool-season turf. However, like most plants, they do require water – particularly while establishing their root systems – to remain viable in the long term.
Since 1994, Irrigation Consultant, Rainlink Australia has been at the forefront of the industry, delivering innovative yet practical irrigation solutions to help their customers ensure the long term viability of their investments. According to Roxene Carroll, Managing Director of Rainlink, “a reliable water supply is crucial to the success of any irrigation system. This is why we investigate the water supply options at the design phase of any project.”
The importance of this was highlighted during a recent project, in which the client intended to support the new irrigation system via mains water supply. Rainlink identified that the supply from mains would be insufficient to meet the demands of the new irrigation system, recommending a booster system be installed to deliver the increased pressure and flow required.
Rainlink turned to CAP Industries for a reliable, cost-effective pumping solution, having worked with the company on a range of projects in the past. CAP Industries supplied a custom-built system complete with Lowara SV multi-stage pump and SPV variable speed pump control system, all mounted in a lockable enclosure.
“The installation went off without a hitch and we are very pleased with the result” said Ms Carroll.
While this project involved the use of mains water, it is important to recognise that water supply options will differ at each site. These include the collection and use of rainwater, stormwater and even recycled water of various different classes. Ultimately it comes down to what is most practical, and perhaps more importantly, sustainable in the long term.
Radio control provides cost-effective solution for Devon Park Horse Stud (07/11)
The Devon Park Horse Stud in Victoria’s picturesque Yarra Valley region epitomises thoroughbred breeding at its finest. Privately-owned and operated, the spacious, modern facility relies on its pump system to deliver water to the property’s horses, buildings and any gardens on site.
The existing pumping system at Devon Park, while operational, offered a number of challenges.
Most of these could be attributed to the extensive cabling involved in the system. Damage somewhere along the approximately 1 km of cabling in the system meant pumps had to be operated manually and tank levels continually monitored by staff.
After meeting with Mr Tom Balshaw, Manager at Devon Park, CAP Industries installed and commissioned a point to point radio control solution for the pumping system. Radio control offered a range of advantages for Devon Park Stud including: quick and easy installation, no more maintenance of cables, and most importantly, cost-effective automation of the pumping system.
According to Mr Balshaw, the new control system has greatly improved the overall operation and usability of the pumping system. He explains “it allows for automatic starting and stopping of pumps based on tank water levels, provides clear indications of whether pumps are running, and shows whether the tank is empty or full.” The end result is a not only a significant saving in costs, but also marked improvement in productivity for Mr Balshaw. “It saves me at least an hour a day” he says.
Teaming up to make the grade at Pandanas Darwin
The Pandanas Apartments are without doubt one of Darwin’s most exciting recent infrastructure projects. Rising 28 levels in the heart of Darwin’s CBD, Pandanas Darwin has been described by developers, Gwelo Developments, as a “dynamic mix of residential and serviced apartments, luxurious penthouses, restaurants, retail spaces and a day spa.”.....read more
Aquablock Plumbing recommends RWP systems
As an accredited GreenPlumbers® plumber, Aquablock Plumbing in Victoria offers specialised expertise in water conservation – including rainwater harvesting and reuse.
Aquablock began installing the RWP and RWPi series of rainwater pump systems as part of their involvement in Community Water Grants installations throughout Victoria.....read more
McCrackens Bayswater chooses RWP systems for no-mixing guarantee
McCrackens Water Services in Bayswater, Victoria deliver specialised pumping, water and irrigation services to trade and retail customers in Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs. Over the past 18 months, the team has sold and installed approximately 50 systems from the RWP and RWPi series of Rainwater Pump Systems.....read more
Kew Golf Course enjoys a 25% increase in performance
The Kew Golf Club, situated alongside the Yarra River, is one of Melbourne’s finest courses. It is irrigated via a pumping station which draws water from the Yarra River, and due to changing river levels, suction conditions for the system vary greatly......read more