Abstract
The paper stresses the importance of water in the life of the community, the various factors governing the location and size of pumping stations, the magnitude and diversity of demand and the topography of the area of supply, all of which have a bearing on the type of machinery and the system of control to be employed. Trends from the past are traced from the slow-speed and mainly steam-driven plant of the nineteenth century, to modern high-speed installations, including progress in the design of pumps of improved efficiency and high-tension motors for surface duties and for submersible application. Reference is also made to new problems which have arisen, such as surge control, the limitations of the A.C. electric motor as a driving agent, and the increasing use of automatic and remote controls. The paper concludes with a few thoughts on the future.
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