Self-cleaning fish protection screens have been installed on the pump station at NSW’s Taronga Conservation Society of Australia (Dubbo Zoo) for approximately 6 months. Operations Manager, Stephen Thomson, claims he is now able to ‘pump water more efficiently with the screen fitted’. This is attributed to the design of the screen. AWMA’s self-cleaning intake screens have been designed to reduce velocities around the screen, resulting in minimal entrainment and impingement of debris and aquatic life. Should weed or debris be caught on the screen surface, it is removed with the uniquely integrated, self-cleaning function, that utilises internal and external brush systems.
Two pumps, drawing water from the Macquarie River, provide Dubbo Zoo with the water they require to service the facility. The pump station is located on a steep embankment along a stretch of river where abundant native fish and aquatic life (such as platypus and turtles) reside.
The two pumps have a combined flow rate of 10M/D. The screens were installed on two inclined axial flow pumps with 18m long retrieval systems. The retrieval system was custom designed to feature a u-shaped manifold, with manual winch operating systems. It retro-fits existing connections, reduces installation costs and allows for ease of inspection and maintenance, if required.
The cylinder screen's self-cleaning function is operated via a self-propelled mechanism. The self-propelled model utilises the velocity of the water current to drive the brush cleaning system, providing a ‘green’ environmentally friendly self-cleaning solution.
The Dubbo Zoo Screens are fabricated from grade 304 stainless steel wedge wire with a 2mm aperture (slot size). This screen medium complies with NSW Fisheries Best Practice Fish Screen Guidelines.
This project was facilitated by Ozfish and funded by NSW Department Primary Industries.
For further information, please contact our AWMA Screen Team.
