THE THAMES WATER RING MAIN - MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS

Along the route of the Thames Water ring main there are nine major unm anned pumping stations, in shafts, which lift the water from the tunne l and pump it into local distribution systems. Each shaft has the capa city to supply a town the size of Swindon with water, and has extensiv e mechanical and electrical installations ranging from large pumps to sensitive water-quality and atmospheric monitoring systems. This paper outlines the principal features and scope of the mechanical and elect rical installations in the shafts, including variable-speed drives, pu mp control systems, gas-monitoring and alarm systems, dehumidification plant, water-quality monitoring systems, isolation and access arrange ments.