September 12, 2017 – The Egyptian Construction Authority for Potable Water and Wastewater (CAPW) recently sourced four custom-made pump drives from special motor manufacturer Menzel Elektromotoren for installation in a water pump station in Cairo. Because the great volume of water processed in the plant constitutes a lingering threat for any nearby motor, these systems were required to be water-tight enough to sustain submersion at standstill without suffering damage. For this reason, the vertical high-voltage motors were finished with IP67 ingress protection.
The Berlin-based motor company is a manufacturer who can provide such motors. In order to achieve this degree of protection, Menzel provided the units with encapsulated water-proof housings and terminal boxes and specially engineered bearings. Additional gaskets made from special materials were included for each fit, and high surface pressure in all sealing surfaces were then used to achieve a complete sealing that allows these motors at standstill to be exposed to a flooded environment. The engineers used a non-corrosive housing material and subsequent surface treatment and painting process to furnish the housing with a low surface roughness.
In case of imminent submersion of the pump drives in the facility, the motors can now be switched off, safely await the water to recede, and then be restarted right away. The four six-pole squirrel cage motors with 740 kW rated power, 3300 V rated voltage and 990 rpm are now instrumental to help ensure an uninterrupted water supply to the population of Africa's largest metropolis.