Hidrostal – SuperBetsy mobile units, Prerostal and PreroClean self-cleaning sumps, floating pump stations
Hidrostal pumping systems are ready-made solutions built around a screw-centrifugal pump: a mobile station, two self-cleaning sump designs and a floating station. Unlike a standalone pump, the system includes the housing, drive, control and hydraulic piping, and is supplied as an integrated unit. Manufactured by Hidrostal Holding AG, Switzerland.
What is included in Hidrostal pump systems?
The group contains four items with different purposes.
| System | Type | Capacity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPS SuperBetsy | mobile station, diesel or electric drive | 100–1100 m³/h | up to 62m |
| Rest | self-cleaning sump with flow control | 2–1350 l/s (7.2–4860 m³/h) | 0.5–60 m |
| PreroClean | standardised self-cleaning sump | 2–180 l/s (7.2–648 m³/h) | 0.5–60 m |
| Floating station | pontoon station for bodies of water and rivers | as per the project | as per the project |
SuperBetsy — mobile pumping unit
IPS SuperBetsy is an autonomous mobile station. It is available with a diesel engine or electric motors. The screw centrifugal impeller has a free passage of 75–120 mm, so the station operates on media with a high solids content, fibrous and viscous liquids.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 100–1100 m³/h |
| Pressure | up to 62m |
| Clear access | 75–120 mm |
| Drive | diesel engine or electric motor |
| Electric motor | IE3 energy efficiency class |
| Frequency converter | IP 66 protection rating |
| Flooding | BetsyPrime vacuum system |
| Monitoring | GPS / GSM modem |
| The production of | Germany (branch in Borna) |
The BetsyPrime filling system operates with a vane-type vacuum pump and features Intelligent Control. Electronic and mechanical sensors in the vacuum chamber monitor the filling level and activate the vacuum pump only when necessary. When a vacuum is not required, the control system switches off the pump and shuts off the vacuum line to prevent the pumped medium from entering the vacuum pump. This extends the service life and reduces energy consumption.
The bonnet features double doors and a hinged roof panel, so access to all components for servicing is unrestricted. Sound insulation enables operation in residential areas with high noise requirements.
The diesel engines comply with current EU and US EPA emission standards. The high-capacity fuel tank is made of corrosion-resistant plastic, enabling prolonged operation without refuelling. The units are lightweight and can be stacked for transport.
Prerostal — self-cleaning sump with flow control without frequency inverter
Prerostal synchronises the pump’s output with the inflow to the station without a frequency converter. The pump and motor operate at a constant speed.
A specially configured chamber is arranged around the suction pipe, which creates a vortex. The fluid swirls in the same direction as the impeller, and the flow rate is reduced without changing the speed. In this way, the pump’s flow rate automatically adjusts to the inflow, and the station’s power consumption varies accordingly.
At the same time, the system cleans the sump. The rotational movement of the medium before entering the pump entrains floating and settled inclusions and feeds them into the pump. This occurs once per pump operating cycle, without macerators, screens or agitators.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Delivery and suction nozzles | 80–500 mm (3–20″) |
| Capacity | 2–1350 l/s (7.2–4860 m³/h) |
| Pressure | 0.5–60 m |
| Power | 0.1–320 kW |
| Power supply | 50 Hz, 60 Hz, frequency converter |
| Materials | cast iron, ductile iron, high-chrome, stainless steel, duplex steel |
The manufacturer positions Prerostal as an alternative to Archimedes screw pumps. The modular tank construction reduces construction costs, and the station ends up being shallower than one with submersible pumps featuring discrete start-stop control. The patent for Remote Prerotation was granted in 2009.
PreroClean — a standardised self-cleaning sump
PreroClean is a simplified and standardised version of Prerostal for standard sewer manholes. The dual tank is designed for shafts with a diameter of 1.2, 1.5 or 2 m.
The tank has a partial overflow and a spiral inlet channel. At the end of the pump’s operating cycle, the channel helps to remove the floating layer, so that scum and solid particles are removed almost entirely and do not accumulate in the sump. Cleaning takes place once per cycle.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Delivery and suction nozzles | 50–200 mm |
| Capacity | 2–180 l/s (7.2–648 m³/h) |
| Pressure | 0.5–60 m |
| Power | 0.2–18 kW |
| Power supply | 50 Hz, 60 Hz, frequency converter |
| Materials | cast iron, ductile iron, high-chrome, stainless steel, duplex steel |
The hydraulic features provided by the manufacturer for this system are: large free passage area of the channel; a steep and stable characteristic limiting the delivery at low discharge pressure; the shut-off head is typically double the head at the best efficiency point, which provides a pressure margin; a non-overloading power curve that allows for smaller motors to be installed; low required NPSH. The Single and Dual Tank versions were launched in 2015.
Floating pumping stations
The Hidrostal floating station is an integrated solution for operation in reservoirs, lagoons and rivers. The station comprises marine, mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and electronic systems.
The station is relocated to a new site without civil engineering works. This eliminates the capital structure costs and operational downtime required when installing a permanent station.
Extraction is carried out from the layer near the free surface, so bottom sediments do not enter the pump. The system is self-priming by design and does not require separate priming systems. All station components are subjected to the same quality control as the manufacture of the pumps.
Applications cited by the manufacturer: mining industry, water supply, abstraction of river water for drinking water systems, abstraction of river water for irrigation in the agro-industrial sector.
How to choose Hidrostal pumping systems for an application?
Temporary or emergency pumping, construction dewatering, flood control works, mine workings — SuperBetsy. The unit is autonomous, transportable and starts up without site preparation.
Prerostal is a stationary sewage pumping station designed for variable inflow and large solids. It removes the need for a frequency converter and mechanical cleaning of the sump.
Typical 1.2–2 m sewer manhole with floating layer and sludge problem – PreroClean.
Water abstraction from a reservoir, lagoon or river without the construction of a shore-based structure – a floating station.
Frequently asked questions about Hidrostal pumping systems
What is the performance of the SuperBetsy mobile station?
100–1100 m³/h depending on the model size, head up to 62 m. Free ball passage 75–120 mm.
Is SuperBetsy available in an electric version?
Right. IE3 class electric motors operate with an IP 66 frequency converter. A diesel version is available in parallel.
How does Prerostal regulate the feed without a frequency converter?
A vortex chamber around the suction nozzle swirls the liquid in the direction of the impeller rotation. The swirling flow reduces the capacity without changing the rotational speed.
How does PreroClean differ from Prerostal?
PreroClean — standardised execution for typical manholes of 1.2, 1.5 and 2 m with a smaller range: 2–180 l/s vs 2–1350 l/s in Prerostal. Prerostal is engineered for a specific station.
Are grinders or screens required before the Prerostal pump sump?
No. The manufacturer indicates that the system cleans the sump without additional mechanical or electrical devices — macerators, grates, agitators.
Can the floating station be moved to another site?
Yes, without construction work. This is one of the arguments stated by the manufacturer in favour of such a solution.
What wetted materials are available?
Cast iron, ductile iron, Hi-Chrome, stainless steel, duplex steel — for Prerostal and PreroClean.
What is needed to select the system?
Type of task (fixed station, temporary pumping, abstraction from a water body), calculated flow rate and its variability, geodetic delivery head and pipeline length, characteristics of the medium and size of inclusions, available dimensions of the well or shaft, available power supply.
