Puck Custom Enterprises

3,500+ Gallons Per Minute!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 15:21:00 +0000

Over the past few weeks we’ve seen some incredible results from our teams in the field!

For a dairy customer, we set up a PCE Application Team with a 550 hp prototype PCE Lead Pump Boat, two new PCE 6089 Boosters and 2 miles of 10 inch mainline hose. After the final booster, they push through a length of 7 inch drag hose into a length of 6 inch drag hose to the applicator tractor.

They’ve been applying on smaller fields with a 35 ft. toolbar using Dietrich Shanks into pre-ripped soil. Everyone is very happy with their success of applying 13 Million gallons in 8 days of work!

How many average hours of run time per day?

3,500 gal / min = 210,000 gal/hr

13,000,000 gallons / 210,000 gal/hr = 62 hours

62 hours / 8 days = 7.75 hours of run time

PCE Floating Lead Pump Boat - Prototype 550 hp Engine with LightSpeed wireless controls

PCE Agitation BOAT 4010 Mixing

PCE Booster with LightSpeed - PT 6089 - 600 hp John Deere with 6819 MP Cornell Pump

2nd Booster Pump with Application Tractor

2 Application Tractors running

Flow: 3599 Gallons per Minute

Flow: 3611 Gallons per Minute

Production 2: Wheel Package

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Blum) — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 12:48:00 +0000

This week we are finishing up a new unit for boat demos up in Wisconsin. Because this lagoon has a very long concrete ramp, we have elected to install the wheel package option on this unit. The wheel package has been an option for about eight months on the boat, with most of the units going to Canada to deal with lined lagoons.

The design features pillow blocks for bearings, which are sealed, inexpensive, and easy to replace compared to other bearings, or moving parts. There is a dual rear wheel, and a single front wheel, which are offset to allow minimum impact. They are hydraulically actuated to raise and lower the wheels. With the wheel package in the full down position, the unit sits flat on a 2:1 slope, and can be adjusted to any position between 2:1 and flat, as it sits in the photos.

Also in the shop this week is another run of HC 8 hose carts. PCE has had hose carts fabricated by another facility for most of the years they have been in production, aside from any new design/prototype builds such as the TTR-15 and TTR-20 carts. This spring demand was so high for hose carts that neither our vendor, nor our shop could have kept up while continuing to keep up with demand for boats and pumps. For this reason, a number of hose carts are now built in house, utilizing the same design that customers have come to know and trust. This has pushed our fabrication department to continue to expand.

Feel free to comment on anything here, or send me a direct mail at jblum@puckenterprises.com with any questions you may have.

Production 1: PT 6089

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Blum) — Tue, 20 May 2014 22:21:00 +0000

In the past two years, the 550 hp engine on the 5069 series of pump have taken off, and now are a majority of the lead pump and booster pumps we put out. They have proven that it is possible to achieve 3000 gpm, and to live around 2750 gpm. They have also proven that more horsepower and more pump does not mean more fuel wasted, but rather less fuel consumed per gallon pumped. So what is next?

In prototype now is the PT 6089. More horsepower, more pump. Full details and specs will come out when the unit hits production, but for now we will just say we like to push the envelope.

This will be a later post, but all this will be controlled by a totally revamped system. The best pump control system in the industry is about to get a whole lot better.

Production Series

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Blum) — Tue, 20 May 2014 18:43:00 +0000

As a farmer or a custom applicator, the best way to improve your business is to get as many gallons through the flow meter in as little time as possible, as efficiently as possible. This all has to be accomplished while continuing to provide the customer with accurate and even nutrient levels throughout the field, and the customer service he or she expects. Usually we think this means increasing flow to the tractor, but it can also mean quicker turn around when changing sets, or moving to a new site. Whatever your need, our goal as a manufacturer is to provide you with the tools to make it happen.

To focus on the product, we are launching a new Production Series that will highlight what we are doing here in the shop. The goal is to keep you up to date on our current builds, why we think they are important to the future of the industry, and how they could make your operation more effective.

These blogs won't be the pretty cut and sunny photos you are used to seeing from a manufacturer. They will be real pictures of our products in the manufacturing process, and people and tools that make it happen. Please feel free to comment and suggest, after all, we are here to help solve the issues the industry faces.

Below are some quick snapshots of some projects we will be looking at as we go forward.

Well-agitated liquid manure yields benefits one crop to next

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 20:51:00 +0000

Well-agitated liquid manure yields benefits one crop to next

Dairy basics - Manure

Written by Nancy Puck

Tuesday, 17 September 2013 10:08

Very good agitation might be the most important step in utilizing liquid manure as a nutrient to grow a crop. If every gallon is homogeneous throughout the pump-out, we have a better opportunity to be successful year after year using manure as fertilizer.

Well-agitated manure is predictable. Its nutrient content can be spread consistently throughout the field at agronomic rates. A manure lagoon without an ability to be well agitated is only as valuable as the poorest gallon of wastewater it holds in terms of nutrient value. There is too big of a risk of under-application and missing crop production opportunity when the manure can’t be evenly applied in the field.

Because of this, over-application happens too often, and this not only limits the higher return a farm could make by utilizing a nutrient asset to a fuller potential, but it also puts the farm at risk of environmental consequences.

Turning a wastewater into a high-value fertilizer is simple – agitate until everything is even and in suspension, sample the nutrient and apply correctly.

Manure, naturally, has many nutrients, micronutrients, biologicals and organic materials that are excellent at building soil structure and growing a quality crop.

In western Iowa, Kelly Cunningham operates a dairy that utilizes liquid manure on all of its crop ground without supplementing any acres with commercial fertilizers.

On new ground on which he’s been the first to utilize manure-only nutrient application, he has brought the soil’s organic material up at least 0.5 percent. He thoroughly agitates his lagoons with agitation boats and direct-injects liquid manure using a dragline system. This 0.5 percent increase in organic material may not seem like a big deal, but the increased moisture retention is obvious, he says, especially in dry years.

Near Atwater, California, another dairy owner has been operating an agitation boat for the past year on his lagoons that have limited access points for stationary agitators.

After using strong agitation to move stored solids out of his lagoon last fall, he’s seeing improved crop results on the fields that received that nutrient. Compared to fields on his farm that went without manure, moisture retention between irrigation events is better, and his corn is visibly stronger in a side-by-side comparison.

This past year, before irrigation events, he has been aggressively agitating his final lagoon with an agitation boat to send enriched lagoon water to his crop. Previously, he was utilizing agitation before irrigation, but he didn’t have the ability to quickly bring his entire lagoon into suspension, as much of that lagoon is not accessible from the shore.

The change has been significant with better agitation, and he no longer worries about solids building up in his final cell.

Storage capacity is important in how the dairy utilizes water. Removing settled solids regularly from his final lagoon keeps his flush water clean, his barns clean and his herd healthy.

Liquid manure naturally stratifies in a lagoon, and it takes powerful, aggressive agitation to bring heavier solids into suspension, especially sand.

Traditionally, agitation units are placed along the edge of a pond or storage unit, and liquid is moved horizontally for agitation. These units will keep a zone of about 80 feet in suspension. Around the edges of this area of influence, liquid velocities slow and solids settle out of suspension in mounds.

Storing solids year after year places unnecessary stress on the farm. Sure, the nutrients aren’t being fully utilized, but each year storage capacity becomes less. It’s harder to manage water, and as the situation becomes more extreme, irrigation units start plugging, odor issues rise and herd health declines.

Then, the farm faces a lagoon clean-out. Handling years of stored nutrient in a single event can be expensive, messy and may require more land than what’s available for the high loads of phosphorous.

Pumps must have high flow to maintain high liquid velocities that keep solids in suspension. For adequate agitation, the pump must be able to access the center and all edges of the storage.

Especially for large-scale lagoons, mobile, remote-controlled, floating agitation units, such as an agitation boat, have the capabilities to easily move around to address all parts of the lagoon.

Floating pump units can agitate vertically through the lagoon profile, blasting top water directly down at settled solids to bring them into suspension. The goal with good agitation is to provide complete yearly clean-out and a homogeneous nutrient for land-application.

If the manure isn’t consistent and predictable, it’s not worth much; there is too big of a risk of nutrient under-application and missing the opportunity for full crop production.

If the dairy is growing much of its own feed, this can turn into a vicious cycle of too little fertilizer on the field, yielding too little nutrient for feed, lowering nutrient in the manure further and so on, requiring the dairy to import feed or fertilizer or both onto the farm to break the cycle.

Good, effective, energy-efficient agitation is the key to maximizing the nutrient value of liquid manure.

Agitation can be expensive. How can you decrease costs of agitation? Identify the total time agitation is needed for the pump-out. Will 40,000 gallons per hour be hauled to the field, or 160,000 gallons per hour be pumped to the field through a pipeline or dragline?

How many agitation units are required to bring the lagoon into suspension? What is their fuel cost hourly and how effective are they? Are your current methods and costs achieving your goals?

Very good agitation allows for consistent application throughout the field as a valuable fertilizer. The natural characteristics of manure allow for a slow release of nitrogen that continues to be available in subsequent years.

Building organic material, biological activity and soil structure often happens in the first several years of manure application, with noticeable and positive results. Water retention in the soil increases, leaching and run-off decrease, and when applied correctly, yields thrive.

By emptying lagoons annually or semiannually before a growing cycle, nutrients can be delivered to the fields regularly and predictably.

Unless there are large changes in feed, bedding practices, scale or manure treatment, the content of the manure should be similar during each pump-out event, and management is predictable. Avoiding build-up issues through good agitation can make the whole farm run better.

Continue to use manure as a nutrient and find ways to minimize handling costs for the best financial return. PD

Nancy Puck
Puck Custom Enterprises

http://www.progressivedairy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11192:well-agitated-liquid-manure-yields-benefits-one-crop-to-next&catid=77:manure&Itemid=121

How To Calculate Friction Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 15:16:00 +0000

Prepared for Progressive Dairyman Blog:
http://www.progressivedairy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10789%3Ahow-to-calculate-friction-loss&catid=77%3Amanure&Itemid=121

How to calculate friction loss

Dairy basics - Manure

Written by Nancy Puck

Tuesday, 18 June 2013 09:59

When planning a hose system or pipeline, we must know what the capabilities of our pump are and what the losses in our system will be. In a previous article "Understanding pump performance curves" we learned how to determine the capabilities of a pump.

The pump provides energy as Total Dynamic Head (TDH) that supplies the system. Remember, TDH is measured in feet and can be converted to pressure as PSI by dividing by 2.31.

Friction loss is the consumption of energy. By definition, "Friction loss is the loss of energy or 'head' that occurs in pipe flow due to viscous effects generated by the surface of the pipe."

We need to know four things to calculate friction loss using the Hazen-Williams Equation (Figure 1):
1. Pipe length (feet)
2. Design coefficient (type of pipe rough/smooth)
3. Flow rate (gallon per minute)
4. Inside diameter (inch)

The Hazen-Williams Equation is based on empirical data and gives us reliable outputs:
1. Head loss: Feet
2. Head loss: psi
3. Velocity: Feet per second

For an example, let's plan a hose system to service your fields within two miles of the lagoon.

You bed with sand, so we will be sure to keep the liquid velocity above 13 feet per second to ensure the sand stays in suspension and doesn't settle out or fill the hose.

(Length of pipe: 2 miles x 5,280 feet = 10,560 feet)

Lay-flat hose is super smooth, and will swell under pressure, often giving us better results than C-160 pipe. (Design coefficient: 160)

We want to operate our hose at 200 psi working pressure.

This calculates to 462 feet of head. If we look at our pump performance curve for the Cornell 6NHTB-19 with a 375-horsepower engine, we see 462 feet of TDH will happen at 2,250 gallons per minute. (Figure 2)

The energy efficiency of the pump is very good there or at higher flow rates. (Flow Rate: 2,250 gallons per minute)

Naturally, a larger diameter pipe will be less restrictive. Choosing from 6-inch, 7-inch or 8-inch mainline hose, we select 8-inch. (Diameter: 8 inches)

Hazen-Williams Equation outputs for this scenario:
1. Head Loss: 601 feet
2. Head Loss: 260 psi
3. Velocity: 14 feet per second

Then we will add two 660-foot lengths of six-inch drag hose:

1. Head Loss: 304 feet
2. Head Loss: 132 psi
3. Velocity: 26 feet per second

Total System Requirements: 601 feet + 304 feet = 905 feet (392 psi)
Energy supplied per pump: 465 feet (200 psi)
905 feet ÷ 462 feet = 1.9 Pumps

Therefore, two 6NHTB-19 Cornell Pumps are required to fill the requirements of this situation.

Elevation gain or loss can be directly added or subtracted as feet of loss (uphill – subtract) or gain (downhill – add).

If we compare the same situation with using a 6-inch mainline hose, we see a total of 2,739 feet of head loss at 2,250 gallons per minute, requiring six pumps to overcome the total friction loss.

Limiting factors of a system can be the working pressure of the hose or pipe and the velocity of the liquid it can handle. Understanding pumps and friction loss can better inform the investments we make. PD

To learn more about pump placement, contact Nancy Puck using the link below or participate in a PCE Pump School.

Nancy Puck
Puck Custom Enterprises, Inc.
(712) 653-3045

Understanding Pump Performance Curves

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 15:10:00 +0000

Prepared For Progressive Dairyman Blog:
http://www.progressivedairy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10280:understanding-pump-performance-curves&catid=77:manure&Itemid=121

Understanding pump performance curves

Dairy basics - Manure

Written by Nancy Puck

As we plan a pumping system to move liquid on a farm, we must know what the capabilities of our pump are, and what the friction losses in our system will be.

This is an overview of pump capabilities as detailed on the pump's performance curve.

On one axis of the pump curve, you will find capacity, and on the other, total dynamic head (TDH). Capacity is measured in U.S. gallons per minute or cubic liters per hour.

This tells us what the pump is capable of flowing if we fulfill the other inputs: RPM, horsepower and NPSH required.

These inputs are detailed in Figure 1 above, as well as the pump's efficiencies. Click here or on the image at right to view it at full size in a new window.

TDH is measured in feet or meters. By dividing feet of TDH by the 2.31, we can convert feet of head to pressure as psi (100 feet / 2.31 = 43 psi).

This is useful if you know how much pressure you need, or so you can read the pump's outflow pressure gauge, and in reverse, multiply by 2.31 to estimate the feet of TDH (100 psi x 2.31 = 231 feet).

You can then better understand how the pump is performing through referencing the pump curve. Higher pressure does not equal higher flow.

Why is the measurement on the pump curve in feet or meters and not pressure? Pressure is related to the type of liquid, its specific gravity. Heaver liquids will create more resistance and therefore more pressure.

Head is a fluids term that measures the kinetic energy a pump creates. The pump will move any liquid to the same vertical height (feet) if the pump can be spun at the same rpm.

For liquids with a higher specific gravity than water, more power is required. Pump performance curves are based on clear water at sea-level.

RPM tells us how fast we are rotating the pump. Using the rpm curves, we can find how much TDH the pump will create at a given flow rate at any point on that curve.

Intersecting the rpm curves are horsepower requirements. Horsepower increases with higher flow rates and higher TDH.

Net Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHr) is the required minimum inflow to keep the pump from cavitation and allow it to work properly. This number helps us calculate how much lift a pump has on the intake side.

Pumps create a vacuum at the center of the impeller that draws fluid into the pump. After priming the pump, this vacuum continues to work if the pump is within a close enough distance to the liquid allow atmospheric pressure to fulfill NPSHr.

If not, you may need to provide inflow to ensure this requirement is filled. Cavitation creates massive damage to the pump. We will discuss NPSHr and cavitation in more depth later. PD

Nancy Puck
Puck Custom Enterprises, Inc.
(712) 653-3045

July Pump School

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 20:59:00 +0000

Just completed another PCE Pump School today! Thanks to those of you who joined us!
Finding smart ways to save money while increasing your company's capability to generate income is what every business owner strives to do...but how often do we take an entire day to sit down and review our methods, practices, and goals? How often do we have our peers gather around and share what works and doesn't work?
It has sure taken PCE many years to gather the content for our pump school, and with each class and interaction with other manure applicators we find more issues to address. I really want to extend a THANK YOU to everyone who has joined us at PCE and we are excited about where this industry is going. If you would like help projecting your costs on a system or have any questions about dragline systems please give us a call, send an email, or join us at the next school!

Lagoon Agitation - Comparing Fuel Efficiencies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 19:53:00 +0000

Question:
Do you have any numbers for the fuel savings from using an agitation boat vs. multiple agitators on a larger manure storage?

Answer:

Yes, what we find is significant fuel savings, and a much better clean-out for the time available to pump-out the lagoon.

In Detail:
Let's define "larger manure storage" as a 15 million gallon site or larger where it is common for 3 lagoon agitation pumps to be used (the long-reach models that are backed in, and then moved around during the pump out).

We'll do a comparison with the PCE Agitation Boat, model 2067-C. This unit has a 275 horsepower, Tier 3 emission engine direct coupled to a Cornell 6NHTB-17 Pump (17 inch impeller with cutter blades). This is the most popular, commonly sold boat right now. It is a 75% efficient pump where it's designed to run it in it's pump curve, and can move up to 4,000 gallons per minute at that efficiency. We will average the constant flow through the pump at 3,500 gpm. See Pump Curve at the bottom.

So most of the fuel savings is found in operating 1 engine instead of 3, but we can estimate further when we examine the models of lagoon pumps. These pumps are open-faced impeller pumps allowing them to deal very well with trash, but only allows their efficiency to be about 20%. I haven't found online data on this, but a verbal quote from a dealer was 17-19% efficient. If you look at various models of lagoon pumps and choose the best and biggest out there for the large pits (which is what you'll need), we find a large range of horsepower requirements to be 160-240 hp.

How long will we run these pumps? We can estimate the time required for agitation by taking the total gallons available and dividing by the flow rate of the pump to find total hours of agitation needed to turn the pit once. We estimate "turning it" 3 times for good agitation. During most of this time we are pumping to the field, so we won't be agitating the full amount 3 times, but we will use 3 for the ease of math. The quality of agitation should be tested with samples to see what is really happening, but we have found a multiple of 3 to be sufficient for planning purposes. Of course, you have to use good practice not to pump all the water off the top before agitation, so starting agitation before pump-out is still important.

15,000,000 gallons / 3,500 GPM / 60 minutes = 71.4 hours x 3 turns = 214.3 hours / 12 hrs per day = 17.9 days

The limiting time factor will often be in relation to the system pumping to the field. As an example, a line running at 2,000 gallons per minute for 7 hours a day (understanding that sets have to change and there is down-time on the pump-out system while the agitators are still running).

15,000,000 gallons / 2,000 GPM (to the field) / 60 min = 125 hours / 7 hrs per day = 17.9 days

FUEL:
PCE Boats are set up to run between 1600-1770 RPM. The JD engine we use, says it consumes 0.35 lb/hp-hr at 1600 -1800 RPM, and creates the necessary horsepower at this RPM. See Engine Spec

With a PCE Agitation Boat, to move on average 3,500 gallons per minute, the 6NHTB-17 pump requires 220 hp. There are about 7 pounds of diesel fuel in a gallon, so 220 hp x .34 lb/hp-hr / 7 lbs = 10.7 gallons per hour.

To generalize fuel consumption across all engines, a field guideline is: 1 gallon of diesel fuel produces about 22 horsepower. ( 220 / 22 = 10 gallons per hour. ) We'll use this rule to allow for differences in tractors and engines running lagoon pumps for our comparison purposes.

Lagoon Pumps ask for 1,000 RPM and 160 hp - 240 hp.
160 / 22 = 7.3 gallons per hour
240 / 22 = 10.9 gallons per hour

With 3 Units running:
7.3 x 3 = 21.9 gallons per hour
10.9 x 3 =32.7 gallons per hour

TIME Allowed: 214.3 hours
21.9 x 214.3 = 4,693 gallons for three 160 hp engines
32.7 x 214.3 = 7,008 gallons for three 240 hp engines
10.7 x 214.3 = 2,293 gallons for a PCE 2067-C Boat

COST @ $3.50 per gallon:
4,693 gallons = $16,425.50
7,008 gallons = $24,528.00
2,293 gallons = $8,025.50

In our custom pumping operation, we find a range of 10-16 gallons per hour for each lagoon pump. The fuel consumption depends on the tractor you are using to run the pump. We also find the boat needing only 5-8 gallons per hour, but averaging closer to 6 to produce the results we want.

3 Tractors running pumps:
13 gallons per hour x 3 engines x 214.3 hours x $3.50 = $29,252

PCE 2067-C Agitation Boat:
6 gallons per hour x 1 engine x 214.3 hours x $3.50 = $4,500

These fuel comparisons also do not take into consideration the effectiveness of the clean out. With a 20% efficient pump next to a 75% efficient pump we could make the conclusion it will take 3.75 times more energy for a less efficient pump to do the same work. However, we would need a pump curve from a lagoon pump to fully draw this conclusion.
Cost of transport for 3 tractors and lagoon pumps can also be considered in time and fuel VS transport of the agitation boat on a trailer behind a pickup. The fuel storage of the tractors will also require re-fueling the units about 3 times more often.
Cost of ownership can be considered with average lagoon pumps selling for about $30,000 plus tractor or engine unit ($15,000 min), and the agitation boat selling at about $125,000. The boat just about pays for itself in fuel savings for some operators.

Conclusion:
In theory, at a large site of 15 million gallons or more, in comparison to running 3 lagoon pumps with 160 hp engines, the PCE Agitation Boat is twice as fuel efficient.

In our operation, at large sites of 15 million gallons or more the boat can be up to 6.5 times more fuel efficient than running lagoon pumps.

Pumps are all designed uniquely to achieve different results. This comparison is for agitation purposes at a large outdoor lagoon site. The pumps compared do not have all the same features or fill all the same needs.

"Twin Line"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Do you have extra hose you leave at home? Does a significant amount stay on your reel? Are you wondering how to gain gallons per minute and distance? Is an underground pipeline limiting your flow rates because of pressure restrictions?

Sometimes, a good solution can be splitting the outflow at your pump into two lines that lay side by side. Maybe one of those lines jumps into an underground pipeline and it's sister line continues to run above ground. Then, they meet at the center pivot and join into another pump. Perhaps that pump is ready to push through the last few pieces of drags to the tractor, the process is repeated with another set of twin line, or they merge through a single hose for a shorter distance.

The idea is to decrease friction losses by allowing each hose to flow half of our total flow rate.

Let's say you have a pump unit at the manure storage site that will flow 1750 GPM. Perhaps it's a PCE PT 2047 with a 4NHTB Cornell Pump and a 275 horsepower JD 6.8 L engine. This works with any pump, just be sure to consult your pump curve.

If we take a look at the pump curve, we can follow the CAPACITY across the bottom to 1750 GPM - that's our goal. On the left vertical axis, find 2000 RPM at the top. Follow that dark black line over to where it meets 1750 gallons per minute (GPM). This just over the 250 horsepower requirement, noted on the right side of the chart by the slashed line traveling diagonally up and to the left. Along the top of the chart 20 FT is noted as NPSH REQUIRED. The pump will require close to 21 FEET of head coming into the pump to operate correctly at this flow.

The chart shows with all these requirements filled, the pump will produce about 400 FEET of Total Dynamic Head (TDH). 400 divided by 2.31 equals 173 PSI.

If we split the 1750 gallon per minute outflow into 2 lines each flowing 875 gpm, lets see how far we can go compared to a single line flowing the full 1750 gpm.

Single 8 inch line @ 1750 = 23.5 feet of head loss per 660 ft. length
400/23.5 = 17 lengths of distance

Single 7 inch line @ 1750 = 45 feet of head loss per 660 ft. length
400/45 = 8.88 lengths of distance

Single 6 inch line @ 1750 = 95 feet of head loss per 660 ft. length
400/95 = 4.21 lengths of distance

Single 5 inch line @ 1750 = 232 feet of head loss per 660 ft. length
400/232 = 1.72 lengths of distance

(8 lengths per mile, or 200 meter lengths)

Twin 8 inch line @ 875 gpm each = 6.5 feet of head loss per length
400/6.5 = 61.5 lengths /2 = 30.7 lengths for each line
divided by 8 = 3.8 miles (compared to 2.125 miles solo with the same pump at the same flow rate)

Twin 7 inch line @ 875 gpm each = 12.5 feet of head loss per length
400/12.5 = 32 lengths /2 = 16 lengths for each line
divided by 8 = 2 miles (compared to 1.1 miles with a solo line at the same flow with the same pump)

Twin 6 inch line @ 875 gpm each = 26.5 feet of head loss per length
400/26.5 = 15 lengths /2 = 7.5 lengths for each line
divided by 8 = 0.94 miles (compared to 0.52 miles with a solo 6 inch hose)

Twin 5 inch line @ 875 gpm each = 64.3 feet of head loss per length
400/64.3 = 6 lengths /2 = 3 lengths for each line
divided by 8 = 0.375 miles

In conclusion, a twin line can help you maximize the ability of a single pump to reach it's best gallons and best distance.

These numbers are based on cool water. They do not take into account elevation changes, requirements of the next pump in line, variations in temperature or changes in direction. This is just a guideline to show how a single scenario would work in theory.

Please post questions and comments below or give us a call. 712-653-3045

Thank you!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Headed to the North American Manure Expo next week in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.

On Tuesday, August 21st, Puck Custom Enterprises will present Pump School in Baraboo, WI. Register Online! Class starts at 12:30, and will be followed with a digester tour at 3:30. For those interested, sign up: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PWJKYDT

At Pump School, Ben Puck and team will discuss how manure applicators can get the best performance out of their pumps by reviewing the fundamentals of how high pressure pumps work, how to read and understand pump curves, and how to calculate friction losses in lay-flat hose to better place inline units. Increasing flow from 1200 GPM to 1500 GPM can mean a savings of over 100 hours for 40 million gallons. That can equal quality savings in fuel and labor for an operation.

The following day, Wednesday, August 22nd is the Expo. PCE will have a live demo of the Agitation Boat. Remotely controlled from shore, the agitation boat is a floating pump & engine unit using high pressure nozzles to shoot liquid downward and stir up solids on the bottom. Mixing lagoons in this manner provides the best unified product to pump to the field and apply as nutrient. The agitation boat isn't limited by access points to the lagoon, and can be directed over trouble areas to bring piles of solids into suspension for pump out.

Also showcased in live demonstrations will be PCE's MobileStar™ Pump Control system. MobileStar™ is a cellular-internet based technology to send and receive engine signals. From a computer or tablet, a user can turn the engine on or off, control and monitor engine RPM, open and close hydraulic gates on the trailer, prime the pump, and read inflow and outflow pump pressures. These controls give the user an ability to fine-tune a system and manually synchronize pumps to optimize flow rates.

For more information, please visit www.puckenterprises.com or visit with us at the show!

Green Corn

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:20:00 +0000

Pictures showing the effects of manure application and apparently boat stirring of lagoon. Had same application rate with very little variance. Finished bottom 4 1/2 Acres following morning, that would be picture showing mid way down the run looks like I turned on a light switch. Apparently what was in hose from night before ran me to that point and then the new for the day was way different. Field I did a month later across the driveway from same lagoon looks basically the same way even though rate on it was around 15000 GPA and ones in these pictures was 25000 GPA. Jammie and ag guys have been looking at and kind of stumped by the huge difference in appearance. He said that after walking and looking at yesterday lighter colored corn is good and at the same leaf stage and such. This is highly productive ground. They did pull some soil tests to run and see what they show. Thought you might like these pictures as they show such a distinct difference. Would expect strips to look like that if they were non applied, but not as distinct as these when all was injected. Think I am headed out now to get equipment around to do a big 250,000 gallon nursery job.

Thanks

David Stephens

NPSHr

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:30:00 +0000

Net Positive Suction Head Required

All pumps have requirements to their performance, and no pump can perform well if you can't meet it's needs.

Below is part of the Cornell® 6NHTB-19 Pump Curve with a colored over-lay for this discussion.

NPSH REQUIRED is found at the top of the curves in FT.

What does this mean?

For this pump, running at 2100 RPM with its horsepower requirements met, you can pick a flow rate and easily find its NPSH REQUIRED.

1500 GPM = 5.5 FT.
2000 GPM = 8 FT.
2500 GPM = 11 FT.
3000 GPM = 17 FT.

Net Positive Suction Head Required is the required feet of head going into the back of the pump for it to function properly and achieve your desired flow rate.

Easy signs your pump's NPSHR is NOT met:

The pump is shaking
It sounds like you have rocks going through your pump
Gauges and Valves are falling off
The unit is vibrating
The tongue's jack is sunken into the ground from vibration
Your gauges are broken
Your suction cover shows physical damage of gouging and wash-out
Your impeller shows physical damage of gouging and wash-out

CAUTION! Your Pump is Cavitating!
More about cavitation: http://www.engineersedge.com/pumps/cavitation.htm

MEETING NPSH REQUIRED AT THE SITE:

Atmospheric Pressure – Friction Loss in Intake Hose – NPSHr of Pump = Static Suction Lift

Static Suction Lift tells us the maximum distance from the top of the water to the center of the pump's impeller we can operate within without causing cavitation. The pump needs to be primed, but not fed with another pump within this distance.
Atmospheric Pressure is the force of air pressing down on a body of water - providing us with free FEET OF HEAD: we will use an easy-to-remember and conservative estimation of 30 FT. for atmospheric pressure.
Friction Loss in Intake Hose is estimated using a C-140 Head Loss Chart. See Below. We have modified it for 25 FT lengths. example: 10" Hose at 2000 GPM = 0.5 FT
NPSHr is found on the pump's curve at a given flow rate. example: 2000 GPM = 8 FT.

30 FT. – 0.5 FT – 8 FT. = 21.5 FT

21.5 FT = the maximum distance from the top of the body of water to the center of the pump impeller that this pump can operate at without being force-fed and without cavitation at 2,000 GPM. If you drop the flow rate, these numbers change and it has less NPSHr, and more Static Suction Lift

Call or write with Questions!

712-653-3045 - PCE Office

nancypuck@gmail.com - Nancy
bpuck@puckenterprises.com - Ben
jpuck@puckenterprises.com - Jeremy

Jake Pumps 3,000 gallons per minute

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:38:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremia) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:49:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:54:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:46:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:09:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:52:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:00:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:10:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:26:00 +0000

Jake pumpin 2655 gallons per minute

noreply@blogger.com (Puck) — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:24:00 +0000

Jake pumpin 2655 gallons per minute

PCE Application

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:15:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Puck) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:49:00 +0000

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