Concrete Infrastructure

Concrete infrastructure refers to the structural elements that collect, contain, and direct effluent flow - including yard pads, collection channels, sumps, transfer pits, stone traps, and screening bunkers. These components form the foundation of the system: they protect downstream equipment, reduce solids load on pumps and storage, and ensure effluent moves predictably from source to storage. The right concrete scope depends on yard layout, effluent volume, and the location of storage relative to the collection point.

Yes. Plucks Engineering can design, project-manage, and oversee the concrete and structural steel elements of an effluent system upgrade, including coordinating underground services. The concrete scope is priced as a clear package within the wider system job, so clients have visibility of what each component covers.

A stone trap - also called a sand trap or wedge - is installed in the flow path before the pump and storage to intercept heavy particles: stones, grit, sand, and anything dense enough to settle quickly. Removing these solids before they reach the pump protects impellers from abrasion and wear, extending pump service life significantly. It also reduces sludge accumulation in storage ponds, which lowers clean-out frequency and cost. Sizing and placement depend on yard flow volumes and the nature of solids coming through the system.

A screening bunker - also called a fibre bunker - is the holding structure for solids that have been separated from the effluent stream by a rotary screen. Its job is to contain separated fibres while allowing leachate and rainwater to drain away cleanly. Plucks-designed bunkers are built with the correct falls and drainage connections to direct leachate back to the stone trap, preventing spills and keeping the surrounding area manageable.

They are typically designed as part of the wider screening installation and sized to suit the farm's solids load and collection frequency.

The ENVIRO SAUCER™ is a reinforced concrete storage vessel with a cone-shaped base, designed and patented by Plucks Engineering. The cone geometry is specifically intended to prevent solids from settling and consolidating at the bottom of the storage - a common cause of sludge build-up in conventional flat-bottomed ponds. It is particularly well suited to systems where consistent mixing performance is a priority, where sludge accumulation has been a recurring problem, or where storage footprint needs to be minimised relative to volume.

The cone base of the ENVIRO SAUCER™ promotes a natural circulating flow pattern as effluent enters the vessel and operating levels change. When paired with a correctly sized stirrer, the geometry directs solids toward the mixing zone rather than allowing them to settle in corners or low areas. This keeps the effluent more homogeneous, supports consistent pumping, and reduces the volume of settled sludge that would otherwise require periodic removal.

Storage and mixing performance is shaped by several variables: where effluent enters the vessel, typical and maximum operating levels, the daily solids load coming in from the yard and feed pad, and how frequently the system is stirred or agitated. Sizing requires verified calculations for storage volume against herd size, application frequency, and regional discharge windows - not rules of thumb. Mixing capacity needs to be matched to pond or saucer geometry and depth to ensure full circulation without dead zones.

Yes. Stone traps, screening bunkers, collection channels, sumps, and associated pipework and services are all designed to the specific farm's layout, flow rates, and equipment configuration. There is no standard template - the civil and concrete scope is developed from the site's actual conditions, including yard dimensions, gradient, and the position of downstream storage.