Vogelsang XRipper Twin Shaft Grinder for Wastewater Pumping Stations

Vogelsang XRipper Twin-Shaft Grinder

Vogelsang XRipper Sewage Grinder being removed for preventative maintenance at a wastewater treatment plant
An inline Vogelsang XRipper is removed from service for preventative maintenance.

Twin-shaft grinders are known as the toughest solids reduction equipment available. They are praised for their ability to cut through tough solids and stringy waste. Everyone loves them. Well, except for the guys who service them. Unless you’re talking about the Vogelsang XRipper Twin-Shaft Grinder

Traditional twin-shaft grinders are built with two long cutter stacks made of multiple blades and spacers — as many as 150 blade/spacer sets on the largest grinders. When it comes time for service, the blades and spacers must come apart for repair. But that’s when things go sour. Putting other twin-shaft grinder blades back together is a nightmare. Getting the spacers just right takes hours. And if you you’ve misaligned something, you have to take the whole thing apart and start over.

Monolithic Ripper Rotors

So Vogelsang did it differently. Instead of the nasty stack of blades and spacers, the XRipper Twin-Shaft Grinder was engineered with two monolithic Ripper Rotors, each made from one solid block of steel. No spacers, nothing to align or stack. The XRipper is also designed with no lower bearings and an easy-to-replace cartridge mechanical seal.

A Vogelsang XRipper wastewater grinder ripper blade and seal change
Illustration depicting an XRipper ripper blade and seal change performed while the housing remains inline.

Unlike a traditional twin-shaft grinder, the XRipper grinder is easy to maintain. Everything can be done inline without removing any connected piping. Simply remove a few retaining hex nuts, and the unit can be lifted vertically while the flanges and housing remain connected to the piping.  

The XRipper’s ripper blades are removed at the same time and come off in solid sections versus individual pieces like ordinary twin-shaft grinders. Typical routine service such as changing ripper blades takes only a fraction of the time. In addition, there are no cartridge-style parts that require factory refurbishment.

Vogelsang makes it easy to replace a traditional twin-shaft grinder with a drop-in replacement for many common grinders in the market.


Advantages of the Vogelsang XRipper Grinder

  • Reduces clogging: Wastewater twin shaft grinders shred large solids into smaller pieces, reducing the likelihood of clogs in downstream equipment.
  • Improves efficiency: By reducing the size of the solids in the wastewater, the twin shaft grinder improves the efficiency of downstream processes.
  • Protects equipment: By removing large solids from the wastewater, the twin shaft grinders protect downstream equipment from damage and wear.
  • Improves quality of effluent: The twin shaft grinder helps improve the quality of the effluent discharged from the treatment plant.
  • Lowers maintenance costs: The twin shaft grinder reduces maintenance costs associated with downstream equipment.
  • Reduces odors: The twin shaft grinder helps reduce odors associated with wastewater treatment by processing solids more efficiently and preventing accumulation.

In conclusion, Vogelsang XRipper twin-shaft grinders improve the performance and efficiency of a wastewater treatment plant, reduce maintenance costs, and improve the quality of the effluent.

By Joshua Price, Service Manager, Envirep

Envirep/TLC is a leading manufacturer’s representative and service provider for municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment and pumping systems. We serve Eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and part of West Virginia.

Envirep’s staff of application engineers and field service technicians have decades of experience in equipment selection, design, operation, and maintenance. We are committed to providing our customers with prompt and professional service. We assist consulting engineers and end-users with technical support. Our experienced team is here for you, to recommend the right product, part, and service for your application.