Milford chronicle., 1956-02-10
Tide Water Refinery To
Purify Cooling Water

A total Of 275.OOO gallons Of
water-enough to fl 1880 bath-
tubs-will be pumped every min-
ute BY the water pumping station
now being constructed to serve
Tide Water Associated Oil Com-
pany's Delaware Flying -A Re-
finery, is miles south of Whining
ton.
Located on the mouth Of Cedar
Creek near Delaware City, the
pumping station-the mechanical
heart of the refinery's vast under
ground water cooling system-Will
house nine 1000 h. p. electric
pumps. These pumps viii draw
water from the creek where it
flows into the Delaware River and
drive it into two 78-inch mains
which run up 55-foot grade and
circulate it through Is miles Of
pipes to cool the refinery units.
To move the tremendous flow of
water "a hours a day, the pumps
will require one-third of the re-
finery's total electric power con-
sumption, enough to supply a resi-
Dental community Of $4,000.
During its passage through the
cooling system, the water will
never come in contact with oil or
with the refining process. Nor viii
it be consumed. But, as an added
safeguard. it win be circulated
through separators before it re-
enters the river.
This win insure proper cleanli-
ness. Actually, the refinery's only
effect n the water will be to warm
it slightly. The minor temperature
change viii easily be absorbed by
the Delaware River and will have
no measurable effect on it.
This was determined through a
study made at Tide Waters ex-
pense by the u. S. Corps Of Engi-
neers in their scale model of the
Delaware estuary at the Waterway
Experiment Station, Vicksburg,
Miss.
The water will also pass through
three subterranean artificial water
falls to check the force Of its
downhill return trip to the river.
The cooling system, which has
been approved by the Delaware
Water Pollution Commission, it will
not be harmful in any way to the
river or its marine life.
A channel 40-feet deep is being
dredged up Cedar Greek to facili-
tate the flow Of the river water
into pumping stations and to in
sure that it is drawn from the
river bottom where it is coolest.
Work also has begun on a large
intake basin containing debris
screens and chlorinators, officials
said.
The chlorine treatment will pUri-
fy the incoming water on its way
to the pumps, thus protecting the
equipment.
The pumping system is being
equipped with number Of safe
guards. For repairs and mainten-
ance, the pumps can be shut off
three at time, and the system will
still operate adequately. The pumps
also will be served BY dual UNDER
ground power lines, one being on
standby for emergencies.
Another unusual device is de-
signed as protection against water
hammer" Should all nine pumps
suddenly stop, as might occur from
power failure, without such a de-
vice, momentum Of the moving
column Of water would be sufi-
cient to separate the water column
and form a void in the lines. The
subsequent return surge could re-
suit in a pressure sufficient to
rupture the water lines. A large
surge tank, containing a reserve
supply Of water, is being installed
near the pumping station. An auto
matte valve would release this
reserve into the void created by any
sudden stopping Of the pumps, thus
cushioning the water hammer.
To insure perfect operation, scale
models Of the nine pumps have
been built and tested in a minia-
ture water system.