Dewatering is an essential part of the quarry production process whether it be of the materials produced or to keep a facility working efficiently.
Equipment manufacturers regularly upgrade the machinery used, and are expanding their operations in various countries to meet demand and offer top quality service.
This includes not only large pieces of equipment such as pumps and screens, but also the ancillary products that transport and control the flow of slurry around the site, especially valves, says Weir Minerals.
The company has launched three products from its global BDK range of industrial valves across its European region. The move sees Knife Gate, Diaphragm and Resilient-Seat Butterfly valves made available in response to demand from customers.
Following the roll-out, Weir Minerals expects the products to be used in several countries in a diverse range of applications, including sand and gravel production.
“BDK valves have a loyal following among customers elsewhere in the world and we feel it is a natural step to respond to demand and make them available in Europe too,” says Tony G. Locke, managing director of Weir Minerals Europe.
“They are suitable for a wide range of duties, but are also compact, and because they offer low maintenance costs, the BDK valve range is an ideal choice in its field.”
The company has planned for significant demand for BDK valves from European customers, and its aftermarket team has been trained in servicing the products, wherever in the region the customer is based.
Also coming to market are two new versions of Weir Minerals’ heavy-duty Cavex hydrocyclones in the European market, the Cavex CVXU polyurethane hydrocyclone and Cavex CVXT ceramic tile-lined hydrocyclone, which are designed to withstand severe abrasion. They join the existing range of Cavex cyclones.
The special shape of the hydrocyclones features a laminar spiral inlet geometry that allows the slurry to follow a natural path without encountering any sharp edges, thus reducing turbulence inside the cyclone. This helps maximise separation efficiency, hydraulic capacity and extend wear life, while minimising localised wear on the feed chamber and vortex finder.
Alongside the polyurethane hydrocyclones, ceramic tile-lined Cavex CVXT hydrocyclones are available to order and offer a solution to abrasive and chemically-active applications where rubber linings are not suitable.
“Cavex hydrocyclones are highly regarded for their proven hydraulic efficiency and durability in harsh environments, and the range of lining materials available make them ideal for highly erosive and corrosive applications,” says Locke.
MMPumps, this year celebrating its 80th year being run by the same family for three generations, will continue to run the business, selling and renting pumps for the Belgian market, but will be involved indirectly in the French rental market through cross-renting as well as one of the maintenance centres. Tsurumi’s new French company, Tsurumi Pump Location (TPL), which established its first depot in east France, will rent pumps off MMPumps for French customers.
“We have had a strong relationship with Tsurumi over the last 40 years and this development will strengthen our position in the market and serve customers directly,” says managing director of MMPumps, Johan Dekker. “This acquisition will increase our knowledge, productivity and sales, while providing an excellent service to our customers.”
MMPumps serves the main dewatering and sewerage markets for Tsurumi, but also covers nearly all pumping applications with self-designed and newly-built pump systems that correspond to market needs.
“By acquiring Marine Motor’s & Pumps we are establishing and growing a strong rental presence in the European market,” says Daniel Weippert, managing director of Tsurumi (Europe); chairman of MMPumps and president of TPL.
Tsurumi and MMPumps have worked on many jobs together over the years, and recently Tsurumi Europe launched a variety of new pumps at Pollutec 2014 in Lyon, France, including additions to three of its existing series and two brand new pump ranges.
The new KTD series slurry pumps features two models, the KTD22.0 and the KTD33.0, to complement Tsurumi’s existing KTZ range of submersible drainage pumps.
The new KTZE series heavy-duty dewatering pumps are equipped with an electrode control system that regulates pump operation. When the water level rises and reaches the electrode, the pump is activated, stopping one minute after the water once again drops below the level of the electrode. Tsurumi now offers seven KTZE pumps in the European market.
Also new was the LH4110W, an addition to the LH-W series slim design high-head pumps, offering a large delivery head of up to 216m.
Tsurumi has also added new models to the large pumping capacity GSZ series, equipped with a 75kW motor and capable of transporting 17,500litres/minute. The company is also expanding the GPN series sand drainage pumps, adding the GPN 415 and GPN622 to its product offering.
Tsurumi Europe has established a wholly-owned French rental company in France, to focus on the country’s untapped rental potential and grow its presence in the market.
“The French dewatering pump rental market is a major area where we see the main submersible pump players,” says Gaetan Beaulieu, head of operations at TPL.
“Now is the perfect time for Tsurumi to establish its own rental operations to cover unreached rental customers and capitalise on growing market potential.”
Meanwhile, Grindex points to the use of its Maxi H pump at a quarry in the state of Illinois, USA, which often experiences snowstorms that last for days, temperatures regularly plummet to -18C, and the state’s largest city, Chicago, is known as ‘The Windy City’.
“Pumping sump in a quarry is always challenging. The media collects dust, rocks and anything else that finds its way to the bottom of the pit. However, when you add adverse weather conditions that, over the course of the year, can vary by as much 50°C, pumping can cause the best pumps problems,” says
At the Illinois quarry, where two 43kW pumps had to run 24/7, 365-days-a-year, engineers were faced with pump breakdown at least twice a year.
The pumps had to perform in freezing conditions in order to stop the media discharge line from freezing. Pump breakdown also resulted in sump overflow and media would flood into an underground mine.
Faced with the breakdowns, engineers at the company had to decide whether to rebuild the sump operation at extensive cost or try one final pumping solution.
Following discussions with Grindex Pumps, the engineers at the quarry finally decided that they would test the operation with a similar sized Grindex pump to see how it would cope with the conditions.
Once placed in the sump, the 43kW Maxi H pump was set to work, and it ran for two years without interruption until it was eventually raised for standard preventive maintenance. During this time another Maxi H pump was added to the sump as the engineers were “so impressed with the results” of the original Grindex pump.
The Grindex Maxi pumps are the second largest pumps in the Grindex drainage pump range, and are said to be ideal for heavy-duty drainage applications, and can handle up to 230litres/second, and can pump media up to heads of 100m.
Atlas Copco Portable Energy says it has also been finding success with its dewatering pump solutions, expanded late last year with the introduction of its new range of diesel-driven portable pumps, the 4, 6 and 8inch dry-prime units PAS 4, PAS 6 and PAS 8.
While already offering electric, pneumatic and hydraulic submersible pumps, the PAS dewatering pumps are for tough environments or where power is not available.
“The PAS dry-prime pumps are best suited for transporting or lifting water with abrasive solids in suspension,” says
Applications include dewatering at construction and mine sites, floodwater or stream diversions and sewage bypass for industries and municipals.
“We understand our customers operate in critical situations. In order to get their job done, they need fast and reliable dewatering first and foremost,” says Abet Cantuba, product marketing manager pumps of Atlas Copco Portable Energy.
“The PAS combines high performance with minimum operating expense. For rental companies and dewatering contractors, this is extremely important as it enables them to get a faster return on equipment acquisition costs, which is exactly what they require to stay competitive.”
The PAS 4, PAS 6 and PAS 8, manufactured in Zaragoza, Spain, have an operating flow range of 50-600m³/hour with a maximum head of up to 37m. Solids handling capacity reaches up to 76mm.
