​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Control Panel Function and Design

Every control panel is custom designed by engineers at Airvac. Our experience in vacuum technology has allowed us to create a control panel that is tailored to specifics of vacuum sewer collection technology.

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The control panel controls operations of the vacuum and sewage pumps. The standard control panel package for new vacuum stations is designed to use a vacuum pressure transmitter and level transmitter on the collection tank and a flow transmitter on the combined force main. The vacuum pressure transmitter controls vacuum pump operation and allows for Mink or Cobra type vacuum pumps to be modulated. The level transmitter controls the starting and stopping of sewage pumps, while the flow transmitter can control the sewage pump flow rate. A redundant level control system is included, in addition to the main level transmitter, for collection tank high level lockout alarm.  This provides added protection of vacuum pumps.

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The standard control panel package includes:

• PLC and VFDs

• An ethernet switch for convenient communication of the vacuum station parameters and alarms to a separate SCADA system.

• An operator interface screen that displays information, including: 

  • System parameters such as collection tank vacuum level, collection tank sewage level, and sewage pump flow rate.

  • Vacuum and sewage pump information such as run time meters and run/fault status.

  • Vacuum level and sewage level setpoints to control vacuum and sewage pump operation.

  • Collection tank vacuum level trending data.

  • System alarms list.

  • Interactive eCabinet for additional system parameters and preventative maintenance information.

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Control panel design can be modified to best meet customer needs.  

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This can include:

• Use of starters instead of VFDs for starting and stopping pumps.  This will eliminate the ability to modulate vacuum pumps or control the sewage pump flow rate.

• Use of relay logic instead of a PLC.  This eliminates the ability to modulate vacuum pumps or control the sewage pump flow rate.  It also reduces the adaptability of controls if future system modifications are made.

• For already existing systems, a replacement control panel may include the use of non-standard level controls (like level probes/relays), non-standard alarms communication (such as telephone dialers instead of a SCADA system), or non-standard collection tank vacuum level trending (physical chart recorder instead of vacuum trending through operator interface screen).