Tag Archives: pumps

Vesconite water flingers seal the deal for mining pump manufacturer

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Water management, ,

Vesconite Bearings has come to the rescue of a southern Africa pump manufacturer looking to improve the performance of horizontal centrifugal pumps operating in mines across the continent.

The company has now received its order for Vesconite low-swell hard-wearing water-flinger polymer bearings for four of its pump sizes.

Vesconite Bearings said the manufacturer found its horizontal centrifugal pumps, as a result of high pressure, had a problem of water escaping from the gland packing – the material that should form a watertight seal around the shaft.

This resulted in dirty water being sprayed on to the non-drive-end bearing assembly and, in turn, seizure, failure, and a high maintenance and down-time cost to replace the bearing assembly.

“The manufacturer designed a water flinger (deflector) solution that would attach to the release collar on the shaft,”  Vesconite Bearings Technical Sales Consultant, Phillip de Villiers, said.

“This would mean that excess water from the gland packing would be deflected with the rotation of the shaft.”

However, the initial solution employed a phenolic laminated material, which was found to absorb water and delaminate.

To eliminate these problems, the company called on de Villiers, who suggested Vesconite as an alternative material that would not swell or delaminate and had the added advantage of being suitable in dirty environments because of its excellent wear-resistant properties.

“Samples were produced and tested and, proving successful, the manufacturer ordered water flingers of various designs for its different pump sizes,” de Villiers said. “The whole process from sample production to first order took three months.”

The pump manufacturer intends to use Vesconite water flingers in all of its pumps, which are used in a variety of applications, according to Vesconite Bearings.

It is active in a multitude of African countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe and the DRC, in which some of the first Vesconite water flingers will be installed in a dewatering pump in a mine, Vesconite Bearings says.

Weir Minerals Africa optimising pump performance for filter presses

Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Water management, , , , , ,

With mining companies focused on reducing and recycling as much water as possible while recovering valuable minerals and metals, filter presses are becoming a much more common sight in the concentration process.

Weir Minerals Africa says these “mission-critical” filter presses demand a carefully selected pump to ensure optimal performance and uptime.

Marnus Koorts, Product Manager for Slurry Pumps at Weir Minerals Africa, says the high pressures associated with operating a filter press often lead the pump to underperform.

“The operation of a filter press involves a wide spectrum of pressure and flow conditions within each cycle,” Koorts says. “This ranges from high-flow, low-pressure conditions when slurry is initially being pumped into the press, to low-flow and high pressure when full.”

He emphasises it is not enough to simply specify a pump for the average of this range of conditions. Rather, it is vital to establish the minimum and maximum values on the spectrum, and to specify accordingly.

“Filter presses in the market can demand pressures of up to 45 bar,” he says. “In many cases, therefore, the application requires high-pressure pumps such as the Warman AHPP high pressure range.” These pumps offer multi-stage high pressure operation to 1,000 psi and are used in slurry transportation and tailings management operations.

Koorts continued: “Where lower pressure requirements are present, the newer technology of the Warman WBH could be used as it is generally a more efficient pump with longer wear life of spare parts.” The Warman WBH pumps, also used in slurry transportation and tailings management applications, come with a wide variety of impellers and shaft seals and maintains efficiency through ‘one point adjustment’ during the wear cycle, according to Weir.

Failure of pumps to deliver enough pressure to a filter press results in the solid-liquid separation process being inefficient, according to Weir, with the selection of the right pump an important starting point in ensuring optimal operation.

The next key aspect of the customer’s selection, Koorts says, is the choice of sealing arrangement. This aspect of the pump can often lead to issues in the plant, when valuable product is lost through leakage.

“An expeller seal is not usually recommended, as the pressure it generates to seal the pump is generally not sufficient in a filter press application,” he said.

Weir said: “The stuffing box option can be used under certain conditions. However, the pressure of the surface water needs to be higher than the pressure inside the pump. This means that it would usually be suitable on a low-pressure pump for a low-pressure filter press.”

Koorts added: “When the filter press requires a higher pressure, then the plant will have to provide a water line with a higher pressure to feed the gland, or it will not seal properly.”

The preferred sealing option is a mechanical seal for these applications. While this is more costly, it offers substantial savings by preventing product being lost and downtime being incurred, according to Weir.

A further consideration is the level of corrosive aspects of trace elements in the slurry. This can lead to rapid corrosion of mild steel pumps. This is why many applications require stainless steel options.

Comprehensive technical backup needs to underpin each step in this process, Koorts said. For Weir Minerals Africa, this begins with its local manufacturing process, which includes foundries for casting components, through to local componentry manufacture and assembly capability.

“This quality control and capacity feeds into our spares availability and service exchanges for refurbished pumps,” he says. “The result is quick supply through our strategically located branch network with 12 offices in South Africa and eight through the rest of Africa.”

Babylon Pump’s business development efforts power up

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Power supply for mines, , , , , , , , ,

Babylon Pump & Power Ltd has entered into a conditional agreement for the acquisition of diesel engine specialist Primepower Queensland for up to A$4.2 million ($2.9 million) in cash, shares, delayed performance payments and assumption of debt.

Mackay-based Primepower was founded in 2004 and is a specialist in Cummins engine repairs and rebuilds to the Queensland resources sector, Babylon said, with the acquisition complementing Babylon’s Western Australia-based diesel maintenance division and diesel generated power and pumping rental business.

The company has grown into a highly regarded specialist provider of diesel maintenance to the resources sector with a client base including Peabody, Fortescue Metals Group, BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, Anglo American, Wesfarmers and Minerva, Babylon said. Primepower generated unaudited annual revenue of around A$9.1 million for the year to June 30, 2019, and adjusted net profit of some A$600,000.

“The acquisition is Babylon’s first move into the eastern states and forms part of the company’s growth strategy, and provides an ideal platform to expand Babylon’s successful specialty equipment rental business into the East Coast,” Babylon said.

The acquisition provides Babylon’s Diesel Maintenance division with extra scale, in addition to technical expertise in Cummins engines to complement its expertise in Caterpillar engines, Babylon Executive Chairman, Michael Shelby, said. “[It] will be the perfect springboard to introduce our power and pumping rental offering to the East Coast market,” Shelby said. “The acquisition also provides commodity diversity, exposure to a larger client base, many with national operations, and will deliver a step-change in our operating scale and revenue.”

Shelby hinted that this may not prove to be the end of the company’s M&A efforts.

“The resource services and related sectors remain very fragmented, and it has become apparent that there are a number further potential complimentary acquisitions and new business development opportunities available,” he said. “While focusing on its core business, it is Babylon’s intention to explore thoroughly opportunities to expand in conjunction with its strong organic business growth.”

The consideration is comprised of cash on completion of A$1.7 million (adjusted pro-rata for net assets), A$600,000 in Babylon shares, assumption of a A$500,000 trade finance facility, deferred consideration of A$1 million over two years (adjusted for net asset value), additional deferred consideration of A$500,000 conditional on a revenue requirement of A$8.9 million being met in the 2020 financial year.

The Primepower purchase will see Babylon acquire net assets including stock and work in progress of A$3.1 million, and goodwill and plant and equipment valued at A$1.1 million. As part of the deal, Primepower founder and owner, Michael Donegan, will also remain a Primepower executive for a minimum 12 months.

First Reserve becomes new owner of Weir’s Flow Control division

Mineral processing, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Water management, , , , , ,

The Weir Group says it has completed the sale of its Flow Control division to First Reserve for an enterprise value of £275 million ($343 million).

The deal, which was first announced on February 25, completed on June 28, the company confirmed.

The Flow Control division primarily provides highly engineered pumps, valves and other solutions used in power, industrial and downstream oil and gas applications, according to Weir.

Back in February, the company said the sale would effectively strengthen its mining and oil & gas ties: “Once this transaction completes, on a pro forma basis, more than 80% of Weir’s revenues will be from attractive aftermarket-intensive mining and upstream oil and gas markets.”

Weir Group CEO, Jon Stanton, said: “The sale of the Flow Control division marks an important step in successfully delivering our strategy. It means Weir is now a more focused business with strong positions in premium upstream mining and oil and gas markets around the world.”

The £275 million enterprise value price is subject to customary working capital and debt-like adjustments, Weir clarified.

ABEL receives diaphragm pump order from Mexico miner

Base metals, Mineral processing, Mining services, Water management, , , ,

ABEL GmbH says it has received a large order for the delivery of 14 hydraulic diaphragm pumps from a Mexico mining company.

The Germany-based company received the order in March, with the pumps to be used for the transport of sulphuric acid-containing jarosite sludge in the course of zinc production.

ABEL explained: “The entire process of hydrometallurgical zinc extraction is also known as jarosite leaching. This process separates iron and zinc by chemical precipitation. This is the most used process of zinc production worldwide.”

Marthinusen & Coutts expertise keeps Africa mine pumping

Bulk handling, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Water management, , , , , , ,

Marthinusen & Coutts has come to the rescue of one of Africa’s wettest mines by rehabilitating medium voltage pump motors at the operation.

M&C’s Cleveland Engineering Services Division, a division of ACTOM (Pty) Ltd, recently teamed up with the Marthinusen & Coutts Kitwe facility, in Zambia, to carry out the work.

A pump original equipment manufacturer had approached M&C to assess several underground pump motors.

“There was an urgency to the situation due to the risk of flooding should there be any undue interruptions in pumping operations,” M&C, which calls itself the largest after-market service provider of electrical and mechanical rotating machines in Africa, said.

“Investigations revealed the motors driving the pumps were in a poor condition, with this severely affecting the availability and the performance of the pump chambers,” the company said. This required the initiation of a detailed refurbishment program, which involved the procurement of spare parts, the setting up of an on-site bearing store, and taking the lead in returning the motors to full service, according to M&C.

“Where possible, the motors were repaired in-situ – thus avoiding any possible crisis of underground flooding – while others were removed for full refurbishment,” the company said. “The highest level of engineering practices where followed during repairs, re-installation and commissioning.”

Ongoing support is also being provided, including the training of mine maintenance staff, the development of installation and commissioning specifications, conducting of regular site inspections, management of spares, and continual engagement with mine engineering management, according to the company.

Marthinusen & Coutts operates six state-of-the-art repair and manufacturing facilities – in Johannesburg, Benoni, Sasolburg, Rustenburg, Harare and Kitwe – and, supported by a network of technically equipped partners throughout Africa, provides services not only in Africa but globally.

Metso pumps business area going with the mining flow

Bulk handling, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Metso used the recent Bauma fair, in Munich, Germany, to showcase several new solutions, including its MDR500 pump for mill discharge applications.

The MDR500 fits on a frame 1400 and is the largest frame for the MD series to benefit from an innovative pump maintenance slide base, Metso’s Director EMEA, Pumps business area, Steve Sedgwick told IM at the event, ahead of the publication of its annual feature on pumps and pipelines.

In terms of routine inspection or repair, this design allows the complete bearing frame and rotating element to be removed as a unit; thus, impeller, complete gland seal component and back liner renewal can be carried out rapidly and safely. The inlet and discharge piping can remain in place, which aids health and safety.

The MD series has been designed speci¬fically for mill discharge, very abrasive applications and cyclone feed duties, offering sustained efficiency and performance, on top of operational reliability and durability, according to Metso.

The company says it uses only high-performance materials for its MD pumps that come with excellent resistance to abrasion and erosion. Special emphasis has also been placed on components able to withstand exceptional wear from coarse heavy solids due to the modern hydraulic design.

“An oversized robust steel shaft and extra thick casings and liners are just some of the heavy-duty components equipped on our MD series pumps,” Metso said.

While the MDR500 on the Metso stand came with a rubber lining, the company also provides an alternative metal lining for coarse feeds (MDM500).

The pump (MDR500), which as the name implies comes with a 500 mm inlet, has a large diameter, slow-running impeller, on top of double adjustment feature ensuring both suction side and gland side impeller clearances can be set perfectly from new, and maintained throughout the wear life of the components.

This specimen on show was, by far, not the largest model available, with Metso saying it can meet most flow and head requirements for the intended applications.

Last year, the company introduced a new pump test rig at its Sala facility, in Sweden, equipped with a 2 MW motor that could accommodate the company’s largest mill discharge pump – the MDM650 and larger. Some of the pumps tested on this new rig have already been dispatched to a mining customer in South America.

Sedgwick said the company had also sold many pumps to miners in several countries in recent years – for base metal and other operations – and was continuing to register good demand from mining companies around the world focused on gold, iron ore and copper.

He said Metso had also recently made a delivery to a company in the CIS where the pump was being used in conjunction with high pressure grinding rollers in a hard-rock comminution circuit.

Metso doesn’t just supply the pumps that go into these heavy-duty applications, though. It has also helped integrate the equipment into the operations they were built for by supplying rubber pipes, valves and other solutions to ensure they operate to their full ability.

A case in point is Boliden’s Aitik mine, just south of Gällivare in the north-central part of Sweden, where an expansion project to take the operation from 36 Mt/y of throughput to 45 Mt/y has been going on for the past few years.

This 25% increase in production – that came with a subsequent rise in the output of copper concentrate – required every part of the Aitik plant to be optimised, Metso said.

Initial investigation showed if concentrate volumes were to step up with this expansion, the mine would run into capacity limitations with the existing tailings from the plant.

The miner needed a proven solution fast in order to achieve its production goals. It also required one that could cope with environments where temperatures could vary from -40°C to 30°C.

This is where Metso suggested a solution consisting of heavy-duty slurry pumps and rubber-lined steel pipes designed for rugged applications.

The company supplied 16 km of natural rubber-lined pipes, ranging in size from DN200 to DN600, with rubber compensators and branch pipes, and the heavy-duty pumps. The pipes offer five times longer wear life compared with a typical polyethylene pipe, according to the company, and were supplied alongside rubber hoses, and rubber bends equipped with thick long-wear rubber and an “ultra-smooth surface” for low flow resistance to increase the tailing capacity.

Xylem releases latest Godwin smart dewatering pump

Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , ,

Xylem recently launched the latest in its series of smart pumps under its renowned Godwin brand as it looks to combat the toughest mining and construction applications.

On show at the recent Bauma fair, in Munich, the new Godwin CD150S Dri-Prime dewatering pump, part of Godwin’s renowned S Series, will allow customers across Europe to dig deeper and build bigger, it said.

The Godwin CD150S offers greater flexibility due to its interchangeable impeller – dramatically expanding the application range of the pump and providing customers with “two pumps in one”, the company said. The CD impeller can now be exchanged with a Flygt N-Technology non-clog impeller, providing customers with the flexibility to tackle “stringy, modern wastewater applications with the same pump”.

Also, the pump system has been entirely redesigned with improved hydraulic efficiency, greater fuel economy, and streamlined serviceability to deliver more than 15% improved fuel economy, 40% less service time and 20% greater uptime.

“The pump’s compressor belt tensioner reduces the time taken to change and adjust the belt to approximately 30 minutes, and the addition of a new sight glass allows operators to accurately monitor the level and quality of the pump’s mechanical seal oil,” Xylem said. “This new and improved design improves service efficiency and cuts overall service time by 40%.”

Kevin Snow, Godwin Global Product Manager, said: “With the launch of the Godwin CD150S, we have redefined toughness for the construction and mining industries. The interchangeable impellers of the Godwin CD150S will allow customers to tackle a full range of solids handling applications, while Xylem’s new generation of Field Smart Technology (FST) gives customers total control of the pump from anywhere in the world.

“The CD150S is also compliant with EU Stage 5 emissions standards, offering customers a more sustainable solution to complex water challenges. The new Godwin CD150S is also available to rent from various locations across our European rental network. With the new Godwin CD150S, tough is now smart, tough is flexible, tough is sustainable, and tough is on-demand.”

The new CD150S is the latest smart pump to be unveiled under the Godwin S Series – “the smart solution for water that offers unmatched control and peace of mind anytime, anywhere”.

Designed with advanced levels of monitoring and control, efficiency and reliability, the CD150S can also be equipped with a new-generation of FST, Xylem’s first-in-industry Cloud-based telematics platform that enables the Internet of Things across the entire Godwin S series, Xylem said. “Using cellular, satellite and GPS technology, customers can track, monitor and control the pump in real-time from any smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, anywhere in the world.”

The company said: “Xylem also offers a variety of FST subscription plans to suit customer needs, and users can contact a customer service representative at Xylem’s Network Operation Centre from anywhere in the world, at any time of the day or night. In addition, the new-generation FST system is smart enough to alert operators by phone if a problem arises – eliminating the need for an additional telephone alarm box. This new, smart technology increases pump uptime by up to 20% and ensures field equipment and labour resources are utilised efficiently.”

The EU Stage 5 engines provide a 90% reduction in particulate emissions, according to Xylem.

ERP system ups inventor accuracy at Weir Minerals Africa’s Kitwe facility

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , ,

Weir Minerals Africa’s newly upgraded Kitwe facility in Zambia, its hub for central and east Africa, is benefiting from the use of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that has seen inventory accuracy rates rise, according to the company’s Luhann Holtzhausen.

The branch officially opened in early 2018 and boasts a state-of-the-art logistics and supply chain management systems to match those at Weir Minerals Africa’s main distribution hub in Alrode, near Johannesburg, it said.

Luhann Holtzhausen, Weir Minerals Africa Supply Chain Director, said: “Our Kitwe branch now has a 100% location-controlled warehouse that runs off our ERP system with Wi-Fi-enabled scanners in place. This has resulted in the achievement of inventory accuracy rates in the high 90s.

Holtzhausen continued: “The technology and technical capacity in this facility enables us to pick and bin items in real time. This will match any other system that customers may have seen globally and is also a benchmark within Zambia.”

The new warehouse is all under one roof, with high visibility through natural and artificial lighting, where every product is clearly labelled with bin location and barcodes for easy tracking, Weir said. Shelving of up to three metres high keeps all items neatly stacked, easy to identify and quick to retrieve.

“The right goods in the right quantity in the right place means that when a customer asks for an item, we know that we have it and can find it without delays,” Holtzhausen said.

As part of the company’s operation-wide system, the stockholding of the Kitwe warehouse can be viewed in real time by the supply chain management team in Johannesburg. Holtzhausen emphasised the importance of the ERP system’s ability to track trends in customer usage in a systematic and methodical manner, to avoid any stock-outs on mine sites.

Lack of timeous access to spare parts and equipment can be costly in terms of operational downtime, particularly at remote mines that take time to reach, Weir said.

“In addition to the high accuracy of our data on warehouse inventory, our systems also give us end-to-end velocity measurement to monitor the flow of goods from receipt at our warehouses to the actual time of delivery at the customer’s location,” Holtzhausen said.

Weir Minerals Africa has 75 stocking locations across the southern and central African region, and ships nearly 100,000 items each year from its main distribution hub in Alrode.

Xylem to showcase tough dewatering and flood protection pumps at Bauma

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , , , , ,

Xylem Inc says it will showcase its most resilient and innovative solutions yet at the Bauma fair in Munich, Germany, on April 8-14.

The new and improved products under Xylem’s portfolio of tough dewatering and flood protection pumps is set to “redefine toughness for the mining and construction industries”, the company said, allowing customers across Europe to “dig deeper and build bigger”.

New additions to Xylem’s portfolio include the latest smart dewatering pump from Godwin’s Smart Series – the solution for water that offers unmatched control and peace of mind anytime, anywhere. The new Godwin Dri-Prime pump has been specifically designed to combat the toughest mining and construction applications, offering improved efficiency, increased flexibility and greater sustainability, according to the company.

The new dewatering pump can be equipped with a new generation of Xylem Field Smart Technology (FST), Xylem’s first-in-industry Cloud-based telematics platform that enables the Internet of Things and allows Xylem’s customers to monitor and control the pump from anywhere in the world, the company said. Xylem’s new FST platform will be on display at the Xylem booth for the first time, with live demonstrations taking place throughout the entire show.

Jim Mowbray, International General Manager at Xylem Europe’s Dewatering business, said: “The S series has set a new industry standard with its ability to easily handle the toughest mining and construction applications, and our latest innovation will certainly redefine toughness for our customers across Europe. Our newest dewatering pump offers increased hydraulic efficiency, greater fuel economy, and streamlined serviceability, and we are delighted to bring such customer benefits to market.”

Under its Godwin brand, Xylem will also highlight its Flood Protection (FP) Dri-Prime series, the first set of high flow, portable pumps certified to handle flooding. The Godwin FP Dri-Prime series is specifically designed to remove destructive floodwaters and prevent flood water from reaching critical building systems and interior spaces, the company said. “The Godwin FP series is the only set of portable dewatering pumps to earn the seal of approval from FM Global, the largest private insurer of commercial and industrial properties worldwide,” Xylem said.

Kevin Snow, Global Product Manager for Xylem’s Godwin brand, said: “Floods can be devastating for businesses, often disrupting operations for extended periods of time. Having smart, high flow pump systems and solutions in place to help protect insured industrial and commercial properties against the growing threat of climate change is a critical flood mitigation solution for building owners and operators.

“The Godwin Dri-Prime FP Series is the latest in Xylem’s resilience-building product portfolio, and is the first to have surface mounted diesel pumps certified by FM Global. Godwin’s FP Series is compliant with the most rigorous certification standards in the world, and each pump in the series can be relied upon to handle the toughest dewatering challenge when flood waters threaten.”

At Bauma 2019, Xylem will also showcase upgrades to its Flygt 2201 series – one of Xylem’s most robust range of dewatering pumps engineered to deliver high performance, it said. The enhanced Flygt 2201 series has been specifically designed for challenging dewatering applications. “The unique, patented DuraSpin hydraulic of the Flygt 2201 has been proven to be three times more wear-resistant than traditional hydraulic designs, leading to improved serviceability and reduced maintenance costs,” Xylem said. The company will also reveal its latest addition to the series, the Flygt Super High Head Cast Iron 2201, which has the capacity to pump up to 140 m.

Xylem’s presence at Bauma follows the launch of Xylem’s new rental identity, Xylem Rental Solutions, earlier this year.