Flow Magazine: Quarter 2, 2022 - Focus on food & beverage production

Quarter 2 2022

Pump industry insight from

FOCUS ON: Food & beverage production

Water with your whisky?

Countering pump failures

Pump Industry News

Innovations

Applications

Expert Opinion

500 m

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Global Presence: Australia | Germany | India | South Africa | UK | USA | Malaysia

CONTENTS 3

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Editor Chris Callander chris@flowmag.co.uk 01732 671123 Contributing Editor Suzanne Gill suzanne@flowmag.co.uk Publisher Andrew Castle andrew@flowmag.co.uk 07785 290034 Accounts Touchwave Media Ltd accounts@flowmag.co.uk Production G and C Media Ltd production@flowmag.co.uk For over three-quarters of a century the British Pump Manufacturers’ Association (BPMA) has been serving the interests of UK and Irish suppliers of liquid pumps and pumping equipment.

t the recent Make UK National Manufacturing Conference, which as an associate member the BPMA attended, broadcaster and journalist Andrew Neil predicted that the current skills shortage would be a long-term issue, present throughout the 2020s. This is not a short-term problem the industry can ride out. Together, we need to act to overcome the challenge, not just for short term relief but also to ensure that engineering disciplines have a strong pool of talent long into the future.

This means not only teaching engineering skills to those looking to join the workforce, but also inspiring younger generations to take a path towards engineering throughout their education journey.

And it is not just about bringing new talent into the sector; retaining the existing skilled workforce is an important factor too. Those in engineering need to feel valued and be fulfilled in their roles, to avoid them being lost to other sectors equally keen to find new talent.

Since the last issue of flow, the association has brought together a group to look at how it can help its members and their customers with the challenge of recruiting much-needed engineering talent. As part of this group’s work and to help build a picture of best practices and initiatives already in place, we’d love to hear what you are doing, or what you have seen being done to help tackle the issue, from any angle. You can contact flow’s editor, Chris, at chris@flowmag.co.uk to share your examples.

There is already great work being done in this area, and a starting point is to ensure the best use is being made out of what already exists.

Richard Harden, President, BPMA

PUMP INDUSTRY NEWS BPMA National Metalforming Centre 47 Birmingham Road West Bromwich B70 6PY www.bpma.org.uk

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Water pipes deliver high- speed broadband

5

EMiR software acquired

BPMA Update

Twitter @bpmapumps 6 flow is a controlled circulation journal

published quarterly on behalf of the BPMA by Touchwave Media Ltd and G and C Media Ltd. For a copy of the magazine’s terms of control and to request a copy please email circulation@flowmag.co.uk The content of flow magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, publishers or the BPMA. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication and do not endorse any products or processes mentioned within it. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the publisher’s written consent.

PRODUCT NEWS 8

Versatile new generation inverter

9

Improved slab gate valve

Awards update 10

© BPMA. All rights reserved.

PEFC Certified

www.bpma.org.uk

www.pefc.org

Pump sector celebrates excellence

Projects

This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources PEFC/16-33-254

A busy few months for the BPMA

12

Project success recognised

Features 16

Edwardian home gets a boost

18

Sealing solutions deliver significant savings

22

Diaphragm valves for aggressive media

24 Maintaining pumps with artificial intelligence 28 Countering pump failures 30 Clarification issued over Regulation 4 compliance

Food & Beverage Production 32

Water with your whisky?

33

Scalable high-pressure turnkey cleaning systems

OPINION 34 We are stronger together Quarter 2 2022

4 INDUSTRY NEWS

PUMPSERV ACQUIRES FLOWTECH WATER SOLUTIONS PUMP REPAIR, SERVICE AND SUPPLY specialist, PumpServ has acquired Flowtech Water Solutions for an undisclosed sum.

The addition of Flowtech Water Solutions into the PumpServ family aligns perfectly with the company’s ambitions to grow the business and enhance its reputation as a specialised pump engineering company.

The combination of Flowtech Water Solutions’ bespoke manufacturing capability and PumpServ’s expertise in pump service and distribution, supported by a significantly enhanced team of specialist staff, will help the organisation achieve its ambitions much sooner than previously forecast.

Andrew Leech, Paul Havard and Martin Donaldson, who built Flowtech Water Solutions into a well-known and widely

recognised brand, will remain with the company post acquisition.

Commenting on the acquisition, Flowtech Water Solutions’ Managing Director, Martin Donaldson, said: “I am extremely excited about the growth and opportunities this merger will bring to the business, and I am pleased to say that, except for the management team, at this time there will be no changes to the existing structure”.

Water pipes deliver high-speed broadband NEW PROPOSALS TO ACCELERATE the rollout of broadband without digging up roads would see fibre-optic cables deployed through 17 kilometres of Yorkshire’s live drinking water mains in a government technology trial.

Broadband companies could then tap into the network to deliver gigabit-capable connections to an estimated 8,500 homes and businesses along the route, helping to level up hard-to-reach communities.

The Fibre in Water scheme will demonstrate what could be a greener,

quicker and more cost-effective way of connecting fibre optic cables to homes, businesses and mobile masts, without the disruption caused by digging up roads and land.

The first trial of its kind in the UK, it will also explore how fibre can help the water industry detect leaks, operate more efficiently and lower the carbon cost of drinking water.

The trials will last for up to two years, and, if successful, the technology could be operational in networks from 2024 onwards.

MOBILE WATER TREATMENT for UKRAINE THE WILO GROUP IS DONATING MORE than 60 mobile water treatment systems to Ukraine. Each of these systems, called PAUL (portable aqua unit for lifesaving), can filter around 1,200 litres of water per day and supply at least 400 people in crisis areas with fresh drinking water.

Thus, the water backpacks help maintain vital basic supplies in severely stricken communities.

“The PAUL water backpack is an effective yet simple solution for the local treatment and quick supply of drinking water,” said Oliver Hermes, President and CEO of the Wilo Group. “We would like to use it to help alleviate the suffering of those affected most.”

The portable containers can be refilled constantly with water from springs, wells, or rivers. They contain an ultrafiltration membrane that reliably removes impurities, pollutants, and pathogens from inserted water. This provides people in need in regions affected by heavy fighting with fresh drinking water without the need for a power supply or external energy sources.

“The supply of clean water is vital.

Unfortunately, it is no longer guaranteed everywhere in Ukraine, due to destroyed infrastructures,” Oliver continued.

HAYWARD TYLER RECEIVES SUPPLY CHAIN AWARD HAYWARD TYLER LTD HAS been recognised for its delivery performance, sustained quality, and continuous improvement with a Silver Supply Change Excellence Award from Rolls Royce Submarines.

This prestigious award is in recognition of 100% on-time Delivery performance with zero defects in a rolling 12-month period. The award is built around a culture of continuous improvement supported by a collaborative relationship that further establishes Hayward Tyler as a leading supplier to the UK defence sector.

Hayward Tyler’s legacy of quality and innovation stretches back to 1815, from the company’s early days of industrial invention to

Quarter 2 2022

its contribution to the world’s first nuclear reactor.

The journey continued to a further milestone achievement when in 1984, Hayward Tyler designed, developed, assembled, and tested critical pumps for the UK’s nuclearpowered submarines. With continual development, these pumps remain in service today, supported by a world-leading rigorous service schedule.

David Mitchell, Global Commodity Manager Pumps and Valves at Rolls Royce, presented the award to Tim Stoten, Value Stream Manager and Denis Healy, Managing Director, at Hayward Tyler’s Luton Facility.

www.bpma.org.uk

INDUSTRY NEWS 5

THE FUTURE STARTS HERE CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY ON AESSEAL’s ‘Factory of the Future’ at Mill Close, bringing the company’s total investment in Rotherham to £61 million ($80 million).

Commenting on the project, Chris Rea, Managing Director of the parent group AES Engineering Ltd, said: “This investment gives us room for expansion and paves the way for an additional £20m of investment in the Rotherham area over the next five-to-ten years depending on the continued growth of our global customer base”.

The 10 acre, low-density site includes a tree walk for educational and leisure purposes with a wetlands area and accommodation for bees, hedgehogs and other wildlife. Project spending includes £5.8 million ($7.5 million) of green-only investment, such as solar panels, battery storage, and other energy-saving or environmental measures.

A total of 175,000 sq ft of new factory

buildings are being constructed to the highest environmental standards, and the existing plant is also being updated and refurbished as part of the scheme.

When completed in January 2023, the site will house one of the world’s most advanced and environmentally-friendly

precision-engineering factories.

“The Factory of the Future is a sign of commitment not just to the Rotherham area but also to the continuing contribution of precision engineering and reliability services to a greener future for the planet,” concluded Chris.

EMiR software acquired by Commercial Software ltd EMIR SOFTWARE, THE ERP SOLUTION DESIGNED FOR electro-mechanical engineering companies, has announced its acquisition by Commercial Software Ltd (CSL).

The deal was completed on 6 May and will see ownership of the business transfer to CSL over the next two years. During this time, the next generation Software as a Service (SaaS) version of EMiR will be developed under CSL’s .Net framework.

Existing EMiR users will continue to be supported with their current version of EMiR for many years to come by the teams at Solutions in IT and FHG Software.

Gary Downes, Managing Director, EMiR Software, commented: “We have promised the next generation of EMiR on a SaaS platform to our customer base for delivery in 2024. We are delighted that the deal with CSL not only ensures that the team and resources for this new product development are available but that the established development framework and team expertise at CSL will see us deliver the next generation of EMiR.” Geoff Perkins, Managing Director of Commercial Software Ltd, added: “We are delighted to purchase the EMiR Software brand and its associated companies. We have long searched for an established, proven software, with a loyal customer base, that we can add value to and establish as a SaaS product. We look forward to working with EMiR’s customers to ensure it continues to provide the best solution for them and provide the service and expertise they expect from such an industry-leading solution.”

Quarter 2 2022

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MONTH

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BPMA Update 6 FEATURE

A BUSY FEW MONTHS FOR THE BPMA

T

he BPMA’s membership has continued to grow in recent weeks, with three new full members joining the association. BPS Pumps are the manufacturers of Beresford pumps, offering the PV and BY ranges aimed at chemical and fuel transfer applications.

Also recognising the benefits of BPMA membership are liquid transfer, emptying, mixing, filling, dispensing and metering specialist Flux Pumps International (UK).

The company has a 70-year history, having invented the world’s first electric drum pump in 1950. Operating from sites in Sheffield, Leicester and Newcastle, M Seals UK, a specialist manufacturer of engineered sealing solutions, completed the trio of new members.

Four associate members have also joined the BPMA since the last issue of flow. Conexiom provides a cloudbased platform that streamlines the transformation of unstructured trade documents into structured data.

Rustek SA specialises in providing EAC certification services to the oil and gas, industrial and energy industries. Kiwa Watertec offers product design evaluation, pre-compliance testing and testing on all potable water products. Finally, the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades represents and supports the interests of UK and international

electromechanical repair businesses, many of which offer specialist pump repair services. It also works in partnership with the BPMA to develop and deliver training in the repair of pumps and pumping systems.

Recent weeks have also seen BPMA representatives meeting members and their customers at two trade exhibitions as the industry opens up post-pandemic. The first was the Drives & Controls exhibition held at the NEC in April, where the association’s Gary Wilde gave a talk on ‘Energy Efficiency in Motor Driven Pump Systems’. The team was back at the NEC again in May for the popular Chem UK exhibition and conference. Next up for the team is the Installer Show aimed at the heating, plumbing and electrical trade. It is also at the NEC, from 21-23 June.

In May, BPMA representatives and council members were in Brussels for a joint conference held by European trade bodies, CEIR, Pneurop and Europump.

More of what the conference focused on can be found in this issue’s opinion piece on page 34. Alongside the conference, Europump members took part in a seminar

highlighting the value and importance of the circular economy to the pump sector.

But possibly the highlight of recent weeks was the Pump Industry Awards held at the end of March. Alongside the well-deserved awards, more of which can be found on page 10 in this issue, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to the Association’s CEO, Steve Schofield. It is always a challenge keeping the winner of this award quiet. But it was all the more difficult this year. However, a well-executed plan was put in place, which saw Steve tasked with ensuring a ‘pretend’ winner of the award was at the event – the stand-in was, of course, in on the plan. As a result, Steve was clearly as surprised as the rest of the crowd was delighted to be given the award for his career-long dedication to the pump industry.

UPCOMING TRAINING FROM THE BPMA Date

Course title

Duration Location

13 September 2022

Pumping Fundamentals

1 days

West Bromwich

14-15 September 2022 BPMA Pump Repair & Maintenance

2 days

West Bromwich

15 September 2022

ATEX Workshop

1 day

West Bromwich

24 October 2022

Pumping Fundamentals

1 day

Online

25-26 October 2022

Pump Systems

2 days

Online

7-10 November 2022

Certified Pump Systems Auditor (CPSA)

4 days

West Bromwich

For more information or to book any of the courses listed please visit www.bpma.org.uk/lectures *All classroom-based training is scheduled subject to the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time.

Quarter 2 2022

www.bpma.org.uk

BPS PUMPS PRODUCES THE BERESFORD RANGE OF PUMPS

MANU FACTU RED IN THE U K

Patterson Pump Ireland is a complete pump manufacturer, offering our customers some of the most reliable pumping

The small range of pumps is suitable for many applications, including water, fuel oil and chemicals

solutions available. Our fire pumps stand over life and property throughout the world.

We also offer pumps and spares for other manufacturers along with mechanical seals and seal kits from stock

BPS Pumps FIRE PUMP

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W: www.bpspumps.co.uk T: 0121 503 3000 M: 07388 570267 E: julian@bpspumps.co.uk/beth@bpspumps.co.uk

Reduce on-site labor time, engineering and installation time and associated costs. Choose a system that arrives on-site in a fully enclosed ready for use pump house. This pre-engineered pumping system saves time and money for our customers.

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8 Product News

WASTEWATER TREATMENT SOLUTION CUTS OPERATING COSTS WASTEWATER UTILITIES CAN NOW achieve compliance targets, while cutting energy consumption from aeration by up to 25%, with Xylem Edge Control. This off-the-shelf suite of digital solutions for conventional activated sludge (CAS) plants marks the latest breakthrough in the digitisation of water utilities. With Xylem Edge Control, wastewater operators can control and monitor their assets, improve nutrient removal, save energy and reduce costs.

“Wastewater utilities are constantly balancing the need to ensure service reliability and compliance alongside managing costs,” said Chris Taylor, Global Product Manager at Xylem.

“Xylem Edge Control helps wastewater utilities confidently walk that line, bringing together our digital innovation expertise and insights from our deep bioprocessing experience, in a suite of solutions that maximises process control while dramatically cutting energy consumption and supporting sustainability goals.

“Utilities around the world are well on the way to digitising their networks and reaping major water, energy and cost efficiencies. Xylem Edge Control is a versatile, multi-functional solution that meets wastewater utilities where they are on that journey – and sets them up to unlock more of the benefits of digital transformation.”

The Edge Control solutions apply analytics to realtime data to provide rapid process recommendations to optimise chemical usage and aeration.

As utilities target emissions reductions, Edge Control is the latest high-efficiency technology that can help utility companies cut energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and make fast progress towards achieving net-zero targets.

The platform can operate with any Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) under various communications protocols and connect to existing hardware, including sensors and probes.

Xylem Edge Control combines four solutions. Xylem Edge Control Pulsed Aeration is a digital, energy-saving solution that can prevent the over-aeration of underloaded treatment plants. Xylem Edge Control Ammonia Removal determines a CAS facility’s ammonia target and helps meet its nutrient discharge limits while working to maximise energy savings.

Xylem Edge Control Ammonia + Nitrogen

Removal offers wastewater utilities the potential to save energy while reducing nitrate and ammonia concentrations.

Finally Xylem Edge Control P – Removal controls chemical feed pumps, based on real-time phosphorus concentrations to reduce chemical usage, while meeting today’s stricter phosphorus limits.

The launch of Xylem Edge Control follows rigorous field testing across North America, including Washington and Indiana, including the wastewater treatment operations serving the city of Muncie, Indiana. www.xylem.com

VERSATILE NEW GENERATION INVERTER EBARA PUMPS HAS LAUNCHED A NEW GENERATION inverter, the E-SPD+, to offer customers improved energy saving, enhanced acoustic comfort, and better handling of pressure variations.

The E-SPD+ can be installed on the motor terminal board, used with horizontal and vertical EBARA centrifugal pumps, and mounted on motors from MEC 71 to MEC 132.

The inverters include two RS485 ports for communication and parallel operation of up to eight pumps and connecting to monitoring systems with a ModBus connection. The versatility of this solution enables it to be applied to different types of system, and it can be used for a range of applications, including water supply, water distribution, pressurisation, irrigation systems, water treatment, filtering and reverse osmosis, industrial cooling or heating systems and fountains.

The new generation air-cooled inverter is available in four models suitable for 230 and 400V three-phase pumps with up to 11kW nominal power. Using an optional wall installation kit, the E-SPD+ can also be combined with submerged pumps.

An innovative LCD display, which can be rotated 180° for easier

Quarter 2 2022

reading, allows for easy viewing and changing of operating parameters and for keeping track of the history of key parameters, faults and alarms. www.ebaraeurope.co.uk

www.bpma.org.uk

Product News 9

DIGITISED MONITORING FOR SLURRY PIPELINES MINING SOLUTIONS SPECIALIST, Weir Minerals has launched Synertrex IntelliWear – a new digital wear monitoring system for spools and hoses in slurry pipelines. Developed by the Weir Minerals digital specialists in Chile, the intelligent system addresses the increasing demand for optimisation and safety within the mining industry.

The solution enables mine sites to monitor the condition and wear performance of their hoses and spools via a network of smart sensors connected to their DCS (Digital Control System).

The Synertrex IntelliWear monitoring system allows pipeline operators to check their equipment in the critical wear areas and perform predictive maintenance before any unplanned disruptions and downtime – leading to reduced costs of operation and maintenance. Most importantly, safety on site is increased, as spools and hoses are replaced prior to failure, thus removing the risk of slurry leakage, which can cause injury to workers on site and to the environment.

The system is comprised of an intelligent digital sensor integrated into Weir Minerals’ Linatex and Vulco hoses and spools. A conductive wire is installed in the rubber lining at various levels of thickness. The conductive wire is installed along the entire Linatex or Vulco spool or hose throughout its diameter and as the lining wears, it activates sensors to indicate the extent to which the rubber liner has been worn and, in turn, how much life is left.

A central control panel captures the information, and a dashboard allows for visualisation and analysis of the equipment data via the Synertrex digital platform. An

Improved slab gate valve CELEROS FLOW TECHNOLOGY brand, M&J Valve, has introduced an improved version of its Model M-303 slab gate valve. The advanced design M-303 offers a host of features that will help customers in the oil & gas sector to simplify installation and upgrades, improve safety and minimise environmental impacts – reducing total cost of ownership (TCO).

Manufactured and tested for API 6D, the improved M-303 is ideally suited to high-pressure differential applications. Its floating slab gate uses the natural force of line pressure to obtain a reliable, dynamically tight downstream seal.

Low pressure sealing is accomplished with a single wave spring that energises the seat, pushing it firmly against the gate. This reduction in seal requirements, coupled with high packing reliability, dramatically reduces the likelihood of fugitive emissions.

M&J Valve has made upgrading to a new M-303 as easy as possible. The latest models have the same footprint as previous versions. Components are also forwards and backwards compatible. The M-303 is also fully interchangeable with most other slab gate valves on the market.

The M-303 is available in line sizes 6in - 84in, class 150-2500, and with a choice of manual, electric, hydraulic or cylinder actuators. www.celerosft.com/mj-valve

Quarter 2 2022

easy-to-use digital traffic light system enables quick visual identification of the condition of the hose or spool. Less than 50% wear is green, between 50% and 70% wear is yellow, and greater than 75% wear is red – indicating that it is time for preventative maintenance. Digitalisation enables customers to continue their normal operational duties while large amounts of data can be automatically analysed and interpreted in the background via the Synertrex platform.

Information collected by the platform can also be uploaded to the cloud to be viewed on a live dashboard which is automatically updated every two minutes.

The intelligent system enables operators to view real-time wear information from any device remotely – ensuring continual monitoring and better control over equipment. This control allows for optimisation, improved performance and the elimination of unwanted operating conditions. www.global.weir

10 Awards Update

PUMP SECTOR CELEBRATES EXCELLENCE ONCE MORE

Following the postponed and eagerly awaited awards ceremony last year, the 2022 Pump Industry Awards returned to its usual dateline and was staged to great applause on the evening of 31 March at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Warwickshire.

H

eralded as another great success by all those in attendance, the event once again celebrated business and professional excellence across the pump industry.

Hosted by ITV’s Andrea Byrne, the awards dinner reflected the huge enthusiasm for live ‘in-person’ events.

First time participant Megan Brownsell, Marketing Communications Manager, Atlas Copco Power Technique UK & Ireland, commented: “This was Atlas Copco Power Technique’s first time at the BPMA Pump Industry Awards, and we were delighted to have been nominated for not just one, but two awards, and although we didn’t win, we enjoyed a wonderful evening surrounded by other professionals within the industry.”

That sentiment was further echoed

by Ann Boardman, Head of Marketing & Product Management at Saniflo, who said: “As a relatively new member, Saniflo was delighted to be one of the sponsors of the BPMA Pump Industry Awards this year.

It is important to recognise the essential work and product development within the industry and to celebrate its successes.”

After the event, Event Director, Andrew Castle, said: “Bringing the 2022 awards to market so soon after staging the postponed 2019 ceremony was no mean feat. But with the fantastic support of our sponsors and the strong desire of entrants to have their efforts over the past two years recognised, the 21st outing of this BPMA initiative was one of the best yet.”

Recognising significant achievements which took place in the 24-month period up to December 2021, the nine category winners were revealed, as follows: • Product of the Year Sponsored by Process Engineering: DAB Pumps - Esybox Max • Project of the Year Sponsored by Stuart Turner: SPP Pumps for the re-engineering of a large 53-year-old split case pump.

• Environmental Contribution of the Year Sponsored by SPP Pumps: The Wilo K Series - Broken Scar (Northumbrian Water).

Quarter 2 2022

• Manufacturer of the Year Sponsored by WEG UK: Apex Pumps.

• Distributor of the Year Sponsored by Particle: Flowtech Water Solutions.

• Supplier of the Year Sponsored by Wilo: ABB. • Contribution to Skills & Training Sponsored by Tomlinson Hall: Ken Vance Salamander Pumps.

• Rising Star Award Sponsored by World Pumps: Jack Sheard - Fluid Water Solutions.

• Lifetime Achievement Award Sponsored by BPMA: Steve Schofield.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION Having spent the best part of 47 years in the pump industry, with a little under half of that time working for the sector’s trade body, Steve Schofield, CEO of the BPMA, was acknowledged for his hard work and tireless support for the pump industry, through the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Having spent the first part of his career enjoying various roles at Mather and Platt, Durco, Flowserve and Hayward Tyler, Steve joined the BPMA as its Technical Officer in 1998. Making that role very much his own, he became actively involved in many European Commission energy efficiency programmes, including the much-valued Pump Life Cycle Costing initiative.

Assuming the role of Secretary for

a host of European standards-based working groups, he has been heavily involved in the creation of various international guides in areas such as variable speed pumps and system efficiency in rotodynamic pumps.

Over the years, he has worked closely with several UK Government departments, such as DEFRA, DECC and BEIS, on numerous initiatives including the development and introduction of the Certified Pump Systems Auditor Scheme (CPSA), as well as becoming Convener for the ISO TC115 Pump System Assessment standard ISO 14414.

2023 AWARDS PROGRAMME With technology ever advancing and innovation a constant entity across the sector, we are already seeking nominations and entries for the 2023 Pump Industry Awards. Maintaining its usual Spring timeline, the gala dinner and presentation ceremony will again take place in late March at an exciting new venue.

The online entry forms, which seek entries for activities and achievements that will have taken place throughout this year, are available on the event’s website, with the entry deadline set for Friday 6 January 2023. chevron-circle-right www.pumpindustryawards.com www.bpma.org.uk

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Product news 11

PRODUCT NEWS 11

HL HYDRONICS BIOTECH PROCESS – H-LINE PRESSURISATION TY AND PRODUCT QUALITYTO THE UK UNIT INTRODUCED HL HYDRONICS BRING SWEDISH liable to failure as they have innovation to the UK with a range no diaphragm; with the added of pressurisation units and Vacuum benefit of contributing to a Degassers. The H-Line is an intelligent, cleaner system as the tanks do fully digital dynamic pressurisation unit not corrode. that can transform pressurisation across Possibly the most important all settings. PressBoost Ltd, based in advantage of the H-Line, for Manchester, and Hydronic Networks Ltd owners and users, is the fact that are now distributing this unit into the UK. the polyethylene expansion tanks The benefits of the H-Line against are maintenance free. Having standard pressurisation units are these as opposed to traditional significant. Firstly, the H-Line has an expansion tanks removes the efficiency of 90% as opposed to 40-50% need for a written scheme which is typical of standard systems in of examination and ongoing the UK with traditional expansion vessels. insurance inspections or the Furthermore, the H-Line benefits from servicing that expansion vessels require. a truly unique design with polyethylene In addition, the H-Line dramatically expansion tanks instead of steel tanks reduces the footprint of pressure PS[IV RSMWI PIZIPW JSV E FIXXIV [SVOMRK IRZMVSRQIRX ERH IEW] or expansion vessels. These are lighter equipment in a plant room. The sleek maintenance with a streamlined spare parts inventory due to the installed, typically with a low-profile H-Line unit complements the commonand LKHeasily platform. smaller footprint due to increased modern plantroom and one polyethylene efficiency. Finally, the poly tanks are not expansion tank replaces multiple or larger bit.ly/ALBiotech

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To enquire or find out more about the H-Line, contact PressBoost Ltd. www.pressboost.co.uk Email: info@pressboost.co.uk Phone: 0161 798 5872

NEWS updates 12 Project

Project success recognised

flow magazine takes a look at the seven projects shortlisted in the ‘Project of the Year’ category at the 2022 Pump Industry Awards, which were held in March this year.

I

n a hotly contested category, the coveted Project of the Year award was picked up

by SPP pumps for its work to re-engineer a large 53-year-old split case pump.

SPP received the pump, which was used in a brine transfer application, in very poor condition, and it was clear that it needed to be replaced. However, it was an obsolete design from the 1960s that was no longer available.

In addition, due to the surrounding plant layout, it was not possible to install a new alternative pump without significant piping, civil and structural modifications.

SPP had to find an alternative solution and took on the task of reverse-engineering the obsolete pump and manufacturing an identical replacement.

The company’s engineers scanned the top and bottom casings with a 3D laser scanner and captured the existing pump surface data in a mesh form. Using this information and elements of original drawings held by the pump’s user, dimensional drawings and 3D models of the pump’s components were produced. From this data, SPP was able to cast new casings from an NI Resist iron which suited the pump’s application, produce a new impeller and machine the other parts, including shafts and sleeves.

The new pump was then assembled before being delivered to site for installation in time for a planned shutdown. The pump was fitted into the existing footprint and connecting pipework without issue and, upon commissioning, was found to run smoothly, capable of delivering the required process flow of 22,000 GPM at 20ft head.

Re-engineering the pump cost SPP’s

With no replacement available, engineers at SPP re-engineered this 53-year-old split case pump.

customer less than half of the cost of a new alternative – maybe even a quarter of the cost had the civil and structural engineering changes been needed on site. In addition, the customer now has full drawings and data to enable the production of new parts should they be required in the future. www.spppumps.com LEACHING PUMPS Baker Hughes submitted a project based around the supply of leaching pumps to a gas storage facility. The pumps are designed to move huge ‘soft water’ streams to dissolve the salt located on the cavern walls and then, in a second phase, bring the salted water out of the cave back into a salt lake.

Heavy-duty multistage axially split type pumps of Super Duplex construction, driven by a 7MW electric motor, were selected for the project. Coupled with variable frequency drives, which adjust the speed and performance to match the process requirements perfectly, they delivered a

The pumps Bedford Pumps supplied to an Islington pumping station needed to accommodate a significant variation in flow.

Quarter 2 2022

flexible service.

The solution chosen, coupled with a lean manufacturing approach, enabled the project to be completed in a short timeframe and without interruption, which maximised the reliability and availability of the site, while the highest available level of efficiency was also achieved. www.bakerhughes.com FISH-FRIENDLY PUMPING STATION A project requiring fish-friendly axial flow concrete casing pumps for a new highcapacity pumping station in the Islington catchments was put forward by Bedford Pumps.

The pumping station was required to accommodate a significant variation in flow rates, ranging from dry weather flows to 1-in-100-year storm conditions, all whilst maintaining required efficiencies. Four variable speed drive pumps, each delivering into its own independent rising main, were provided, each capable of a maximum flow of 4m3/sec with a turn-down to 2m3/sec. Pump efficiency is maintained above 80%, rising to 86%, thus minimising power consumption and associated carbon footprint.

In addition to developing a unique higher efficiency axial flow variant of a concrete casing pump, Bedford Pumps also developed a new formed suction intake for the project. This allowed for incredibly low operating water levels on site, at half of the minimum submergence of a standard ‘type 10’ design. Combining the pump design with the intake provided a very low footprint,

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> 14

WEG MOTION FLEET MANAGEMENT

Your Motor Powered By Intelligence Developed to simplify and speed up the operation, maintenance and management of industrial plant, the WEG Motion Fleet Management is the ideal solution for monitoring and increasing the uptime of your industrial drive fleet. Based on cloud computing technology, the performance of assets can be monitored at any time, from any part of the world.

The WEG Motion Fleet Management allows you to check the operating status of low and medium voltage motors, variable speed drives (VSDs), soft starters, gearboxes, compressors and other assets installed in any type of industry or facility, including those in hazardous areas. Through periodic data collection and advanced data processing, valuable insights are obtained making it possible to establish predictive maintenance plans, analyse the efficiency of applications and reduce the TCO (total cost of ownership).

Project updates 14 FEATURE significantly reducing the excavation costs on site by allowing the pipework to be closer to the surface. These intakes can operate at a total station capacity of 20,000 l/sec, thus proving the infrastructure futureproof.

The original 1950s pumping station had significant reliability problems and could no longer adequately protect the area.

The four replacement pumps can pass 1.4 billion litres of water daily and provide flood protection to 9,700 hectares, including 1,500 residential and 500 non-residential properties, strategic roads connecting rural communities and 6,700 hectares of agricultural land. www.bedfordpumps.co.uk FOUL PUMPING STATION The project submitted by Campion Pumps covered the design, installation and commissioning of a foul pumping station to serve an extensive suburban area development with zero gravity to mains in Co. Dublin, Ireland. As part of a project to provide vital housing in the area, pump efficiency was a critical element of the design, as was the capacity to support the high usage of a suburban development, which included 600,000 litres of storage capacity, 2,240 houses, 16 Schools and 825 retail units.

The initial project specification sought two fixed-speed 18kw pumps. However, Campion’s engineers convinced the client of the increased energy savings and reduced maintenance costs available by using three Flygt Concertor variable speed foul system pumps, due to the varying flow demands over a 24hr period.

The improved pump specification will save the client thousands of Euros in reduced maintenance costs and the high energy efficiency of the variable speed pumps over their lifetime.

The implementation of the Campion Connect cloud-based SCADA monitoring system provided a real-time web-based platform for the customer to view the whole pumping operation. If a pump goes down, causing disruptions to the sewage pumping requirements, this will be detected, and an alert will be sent in time to implement a solution. www.campion.ie SULPHURIC ACID TRANSFER When a bank of stainless-steel mag-drive pumps for 96% sulphuric acid transfer from a bulk storage tank to a process was constantly being repaired and not performing as originally intended, Crest Pumps was called in to investigate.

By carrying out a pipework survey taking elevation and pressure readings to determine why the pumps weren’t performing and after accounting for density adjustment, it was established that the pumps were running very close to closed valve pressure. This was because the pumps were originally selected severely left of curve to accommodate a specific gravity of 1.84 and ensure the magnets were not over-loaded. This meant the pump was grossly oversized for the application.

Crest Pumps recommended the installation of its Crest Assoma magnetic drive pumps. In addition to significantly increased transfer rates and vastly improved reliability, the client is making significant financial savings. These come not only from reduced maintenance and downtime costs but also from a 20% reduction in energy consumption. www.crestpumps.co.uk MOBILE WASTE PUMPING STATIONS A project entered by Drilling & Pumping

Ensuring the pumping stations supplied by DPS were mobile created a number of challenges due to their size.

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Supplies (DPS) outlined how it had worked with Northern Ireland Water (NI Water) to develop two mobile waste pumping stations to be installed on its network.

The two pumping stations had duties of 24MLD at 16bar and 18.5MLD at 13.5bar, and both consisted of four KSB Multitec pumps. One used 4 250kW 4-pole motors powered by variable speed drives, and the building was 13.5m long, 4.2m wide and 4.2m high, with a total dry weight of 42 tons.

The other used four 110kW motors to power the pumps, while the associated services within the building also required innovative detailed designs.

As the first project of its kind for NI Water, and due to the scale and complexity of the scheme, it required an innovative approach to off-site and modular building. The water pumping stations had to be mobile and also able to withstand significant thrust forces and be safely transferred into the groundworks. The off-site design advances challenged the current asset standards and formed a road map to allow NI Water to create a new asset standard that can be replicated across the network with the main aim of providing a mobile plant that could be re-positioned to meet network or emergency demands. www.dps-ni.com LASER METAL DEPOSITION Sulzer used laser metal deposition (LMD) to repair a Super Duplex lean amine pump impeller that had suffered from cavitation damage in the project it submitted to the awards.

Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding causes heat distortion in Super Duplex, making it unsuitable for the repair.

LMD requires considerable expertise to assess each component and select the necessary consumables, control parameters and techniques to deliver a durable repair.

For greater flexibility and access, a semiautomated process was selected using a manual wire feed and automated control of the laser head. In between each pass of the LMD head, a cooling period was required to ensure the temperature of the repair site did not exceed 100°C. The repaired impeller provides as-new performance, efficiency and durability. In an application where cavitation is unavoidable, and Super Duplex is the optimum impeller material, the ability to return a damaged component to its original dimensions and performance is invaluable. www.sulzer.com

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FEATURE updates Dewatering 16 Project

GRAND EDWARDIAN HOME GETS A BOOST DURING RENOVATION Kevin Moore, Group Sales Director at Stuart Turner, explains how the company’s Aquaboost solutions have ensured an Edwardian holiday home can meet the water demands of up to 16 guests.

P

roducts from Stuart Turner’s range of Aquaboost Booster sets have been installed in Latimer House, an incredible three storey £1.5 million Edwardian renovation on the east coast of England. Main contractors Cubitt Theobald were awarded this prestigious project, with Columbus Plumbing offering the mechanical services and design and installation.

With the potential for high water usage and a clear desire for premium experiences throughout, the water supply required careful consideration.

The original system consisted of gravity-fed cold-water storage tanks and copper cylinders powered from the existing gas boiler, which would not have been capable of providing the desired results. Columbus Plumbing’s director Damian Brennan engaged Stuart Turner to assist with providing a water boosting and supply solution for the property.

Following a site evaluation, a suitable design and specification was agreed upon to fulfil the clients’ requirements and meet their expectations. The design incorporated an Aquaboost twin pump booster set with two Aquastor 500 litre indirect cylinders capable of delivering 150 litres per minute at 4 bar.

“Working from stage three, we liaised closely with the client,

contractor and design team to undertake a full design and installation for this exquisite home,” commented Kevin Moore, Group Sales Director at Stuart Turner.

Dubbed one of the finest seaside properties on the east coast and winner of the 2020-21 Best Residential Interior in the East of England (United Kingdom Property Awards), Latimer House now offers luxury self-catering breaks with all of the amenities you could imagine

from such a grand property. With the property accommodating up to 16 guests with five en-suites, one jack and jill bathroom, two cloakrooms, a pool room with WC sauna & shower, utility and kitchen, maintaining adequate and reliable water supply was paramount.

The combination of the Aquaboost set and Aquastor cylinders offers a powerful yet easy to manage solution, promising futureproofed results.

“During the refurbishment of Latimer House, it became clear that the incoming water supply was not sufficient to meet maximum flow demands across seven bathrooms over three floors. Combined with cold water storage, our Stuart Turner booster set ensures the performance of all showers is maintained regardless of demand,” concluded Kevin. chevron-circle-right

With the property accommodating up to 16 guests a reliable water supply was paramount.

www.stuart-turner.co.uk

Quarter 2 2022

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Zehnde hnderPumpen

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FEATURESolutions 18 Sealing

Sealing solutions deliver significant savings for pulp mill AESSEAL explains how, by using the company’s dual cartridge seals combined with water management systems to eliminate over 61 million gallons of water from 26 evaporator pumps, a pulp mill’s evaporator steam use was reduced by 103,000klbs a year.

A

northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp mill located in western Canada has two production lines with a production capacity of 365,000 tonnes of pulp per year. The facility produces high quality kraft pulps made from custom blends of Douglas fir, western hemlock, balsam fir, interior SPF and western red cedar. The diverse pulp blends are sold in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America to customers who make commodity and specialised grades of paper as well as non-paper products.

THE PROBLEM The centrifugal pumps transferring black liquor through the evaporator and concentrator area of the mill for black liquor solids concentration were sealed using conventional packing. This was the root cause of internal and external mill water leakage, resulting in excessive steam use, elevated energy costs, operational inefficiencies, and high water consumption.

Packing needs to press tightly against the rotating shaft on a pump to achieve the most efficient seal. The resulting friction means the packing must be lubricated with high volumes of flush water to prevent overheating. It also gradually wears away the pump shaft sleeve, increasing black liquor dilution rates and external leakage. This leads to maintenance expenditures that can be avoided with mechanical seals and support systems.

The thermal efficiency of recovery boilers is improved by using black liquor with high

Quarter 2 2022

The flush fluid must be selected for compatibility with the process fluid because it will enter the process. Depending on application requirements, the process fluid integrity may need to be restored. This is done by separating or boiling off the flush fluid, which requires a large amount of energy. Flush fluid cost can be the initial purchase cost, or the costs associated with the reclamation of separated diluents. For this reason, Plan 32 is not recommended for only cooling purposes.

solids concentration. Black liquor concentrators are designed to increase the solids content of black liquor to 65 – 80% before combustion in a recovery boiler. An increase in solids content means that less water needs to be evaporated in the recovery boiler.

This can increase the efficiency of steam generation significantly.

The inefficient packing in the pumps was allowing an average of 3.75gpm of the flush water to enter into the black liquor stream, diluting the product at each pump.

This ingress of cool water resulted in an excessive amount of water having to be evaporated before

the liquor could be concentrated enough for firing in the recovery boiler, and further recausticising into white liquor to cook wood chips in multiple digesters.

The amount of steam required to evaporate the diluted black liquor was calculated at roughly 12.1klb of 60psi steam every hour – an annual total of 103,000klbs – which incurred excessively high energy costs. Maintenance personnel had to make frequent adjustments to the packing to minimise the leakage of water and hot liquor, which at temperatures of up to 150°C, raised serious health and safety concerns. The leaking > 20

Inefficient packing in the pumps was allowing an average of 3.75gpm of flush water to enter into the black liquor stream.

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20 Sealing Solutions fluid also risked damaging bearing frames and bases, impacting asset reliability. The packing on the pumps had to be changed every six to 12 months to prevent premature failure.

The evaporator area in the power and recovery plant of a kraft pulp mill is one of the most critical areas of the plant. The mill cannot function if the area is shut down, and if the throughput of the evaporators is limited, production losses can occur. Consequently, running it to its optimum efficiency is essential.

THE SOLUTION AESSEAL worked with the client to survey the assets in the evaporator area and identified 26 pumps where eliminating flush water was most critical. It recommended replacing the packing on each pump with a CDSATM dual cartridge seal and a 25l SW2TM water management system.

Rather than carry out the work in stages, as is typical for such

large conversion projects, the plant scheduled work on all 26 pumps to be completed during a two-week maintenance shutdown. This was to avoid any unnecessary disruption to operations in this vitally important area. AESSEAL Canada worked very closely with the plant’s maintenance and engineering teams through the pump refurbishment process and commissioning.

The API Plan 53A supply support system supplies clean, cool water at a constant pressure to the barrier space between the double seals at a pressure higher than the product pressure, ensuring that a consistent, stable and clean fluid film keeps the seal faces cool and lubricated. The water is constantly recycled, flowing between the inboard and outboard seal faces in a continuous loop and reducing leakage to the absolute minimum – roughly one teaspoonful a day, in the form of vapour.

Based on recordings carried out before and after the installation,

dilution of the black liquor stream has been reduced by 97.9 gallons of water per minute. Evaporating this volume of water was calculated to require 12.12klb of 60psi steam per hour – totalling around 103,000klbs a year.

The steam saved was subsequently diverted to the mill’s turbo generator to provide additional carbon-neutral electrical power for on-site needs and for the North American grid.

THE SAVINGS With the ROI on the entire project’s costs achieved in less than one year, it is estimated that to date, the mill has saved CA$9.7m (£6.1m), conserved almost 500 million gallons of water and reduced its carbon footprint by 45,000 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) over eight years by adopting AESSEAL dual cartridge seals combined with water management systems. The total repeatable annual cost savings due to reduced energy and water usage alone amount to just under CA$1 million (£628,000) per year. There is also an enormous 61-million-gallon reduction of water use every year – enough to provide the total water needs of 2000 people.

The mean time between failures (MTBF) has improved from one year to five or more years. While lowering the company’s carbon footprint is worth an additional CA$234,000 (£145,000) annually, and this is set to rise to almost CA$1 million (£628,000) annually by 2030. chevron-circle-right

AESSEAL’s environmentally-friendly SW Range Systems can connect directly to the plant water line using it as its fluid and pressure source.

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www.aesseal.com

www.bpma.org.uk

LOW PRESSURE? NO PROBLEM. AQUABOOST COLD WATER BOOSTING SYSTEMS The NEW Aquaboost iBolt and iMatic range of high flow, high head, cold water pressure and flow boosting solutions.

Designed to optimise space and provide a very quiet, simple to install solution for domestic and commercial applications.

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22 Valves

Handling aggressive media with industrial diaphragm valves Marc Walker, UK Valves Sales Manager at KSB, explains how, thanks to their design, diaphragm valves are particularly suited to applications containing toxic or corrosive media.

T

he transfer of liquids in process operations is an everyday function in many industry sectors, which demands system designers and operators to give maximum attention to the mechanical elements required for optimum performance. One of those essential elements is the valve. Where the valve performs the role of a throttle device, weir type and straight-through diaphragm valves provide the most appropriate function.

The diaphragm valve is an economical solution for applications where the media being handled is corrosive or toxic. High levels of safety are paramount and are usually satisfied by alloy metal valves that can be positioned close to pumps, bends, and in both horizontal and vertical pipelines.

This has the advantage of eliminating the presence of a dead zone in the fluid chamber, preventing the accumulation of deposits which could cause contamination of the media being handled.

The general appeal of industrial diaphragm valves is that none of the actuating elements in the valve bonnet come into contact with the media at any point in its passage through the valve.

Quite simply, there can be no functional impairment or corrosion of the components.

Valve operation reliability is, therefore, ensured at all times, whether the operation is intermittent or just once every few years.

Common to virtually all diaphragm valves is the external body shape, and, internally, the pre-drilled diaphragm, which is sandwiched between the bonnet and the valve body. However, there is an exception to this concept, and it comes from KSB. Externally its weir type valves look just like all other diaphragm valves, but internally there is a significant difference: the diaphragm is wholly enclosed in the valve chamber within the recess on the valve body’s cover flange. Having supplied customers in many countries with this type of diaphragm design and monitoring the results achieved by customers, KSB affirms that its concept of the enclosed diaphragm delivers considerable advantages over other valve types.

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KSB DIAPHRAGM VALVES KSB’s diaphragm valve range encompasses the SISTO-KB straight-through valve and the SISTO 16/ SISTO-20 weir type valves with enclosed diaphragm and spiral spring support.

Compliant with all relevant international standards, these valves are all available with various linings, coatings and diaphragms and can be equipped with a range of actuators and accessories.

“KSB’s unique sealing system consists of a chambered diaphragm enclosed in the valve body backed up by a spiral spring support on the back of the diaphragm,” explained Marc Walker, UK Valves Sales Manager at KSB. “This arrangement ensures that 100% of the diaphragm surface area is supported from the back at all times and prevents uneven pressure points when the valve is closed or in an intermediary position. On top of this, the diaphragm pin is screwed into the compressor and is held through a balanced suspension while remaining manoeuvrable.

This avoids specific point loading on the diaphragm during closure so that when pressure is increased the diaphragm cannot tear”.

The perfect tightness and the fixed position of the diaphragm in its recess provides hermetic sealing to the atmosphere, minimising the potential for media leakage, which is particularly relevant for duties where toxic media is involved. The wholly enclosed and supported diaphragm maximises the service life and the pressure limit of the diaphragm.

Due to the unique sealing system of a chambered diaphragm, the KSB PIN16 design enables its valves to accept a maximum pressure of 20 bar and temperatures of up to 160°C in certain applications. The lining/coating technology used to protect the valve body from

abrasion and corrosion is another critical element in its appeal to a broad spectrum of industrial users. A further advantage of this group of valves is ease of maintenance and replacement. Should it be necessary to replace the diaphragm this can be done without having to dismantle the valve body and without using specialist equipment or measuring tools.

“KSB operates a vertically integrated production and in-house manufacturing operation incorporating research and development resources,” continued Marc.

“This approach enables the company to have complete manufacturing and quality control of all its products”. Central to the company’s product development programmes is research into new materials and technologies, which introduces stateof-the-art equipment offering components with the highest reliability. “For example,” said Marc, ”use of finite element (FEM) analysis in the development of diaphragms has allowed the company to speed up the introduction of new concepts, as well as contributing to reliability and performance”.

These attributes have established KSB’s diaphragm valves in fertiliser production, ore processing, chlorine production, raw water or ballast water treatment, gas scrubbing, and food and beverage processing. chevron-circle-right www.ksb.com www.bpma.org.uk

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FOR WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS SPP PUMPS LIMITED, 1420 LAKEVIEW, ARLINGTON BUSINESS PARK, THEALE, READING, RG7 4SA TEL: +44 (0) 1189 32 31 23 • EMAIL: STUART_WALLIS@SPPPUMPS.COM

24 Maintenance

Maintaining pumps with artificial intelligence

According to a report published by a field service software developer, 53% of all machinery downtime is caused by hidden internal faults that maintenance engineers didn’t spot. Trenton Roncato Juraszek, Application Engineer at the motors and drives specialist WEG, explains why machine learning and artificial intelligence support better maintenance and improved overall equipment effectiveness.

T

he report into the cost of machine downtime also found that production interruptions cost UK manufacturers £180 billion per year. Pump systems aren’t exempt from this. Indeed, they require costly maintenance more than other plant equipment, like IT systems, because they are so frequently exposed to the corrosive effects of water and deteriorate more quickly.

That’s why pump managers must have an effective plant maintenance strategy in place, whether corrective, preventive or predictive.

Fortunately, industrial software is playing an increasingly useful role in helping manufacturers manage and analyse data more effectively. New and legacy systems can be integrated into a software platform that links directly to plant equipment through Industry 4.0 sensors, installed at the device level, for overall system improvements.

Moreover, a new trend is emerging within industry software development: the rapid hard tech emergence. Suppliers of motors and drives that previously focussed only on hard technologies, like electric motors, soft starters and other equipment, are moving into developing software too. This accompanies a general rise in patent applications for artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and Internet of Things (IoT) platforms in recent decades – averaging five patents per year in the 1990s, which rose to 107 per year between 2010-2019.

This rapid hard tech emergence is significant because software can instead be developed and

Quarter 2 2022

programmed by engineers with hands-on experience rather than subcontracting these developments to IT companies. Examples include the WEG Motion Fleet Management platform that, combined with WEG Motor Scan sensors linked to motors and drives, makes it possible to evaluate the frequency and duration of problems and source their origin to support predictive maintenance.

But, there’s another advantage here. A sensor that might have been used to monitor a drive or motor can also be retrofitted to other equipment – including pumps. Going forward, as sensors, software and firmware become more flexible, it’s possible to create a pump specialist

monitoring platform, to ensure pump systems benefit from better, Industry 4.0-equipped preventive maintenance strategies.

REAL-TIME INSIGHTS AI and ML are changing the way industry performs maintenance.

These Industry 4.0 technologies are not only used in logistics and control or supply chain management, they can also support statistics and analytics in ways that greatly benefit overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and total cost of ownership (TCO) – but how?

To answer this, we should look at the disadvantages of manual maintenance. As mentioned, 53% of all machinery downtime is caused by hidden internal faults that human engineers can’t spot. TCO also suffers due to companies wasting > 24

A sensor that might have been used to monitor a drive or motor can also be retrofitted to other equipment – including pumps.

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26 Maintenance time and money by monitoring assets manually and then applying reactive corrective maintenance, instead of predictive maintenance through online monitoring. By spending too much money on problem corrections, companies reduce their capacity for new investments.

Fortunately, Industry 4.0 solutions like sensors and software are becoming more accessible to businesses, driven by technological advancements and falling costs.

Indeed, the global industrial automation control market size is projected to reach $196,700 million by 2028, from $126,800 million in 2021, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4%. This accessibility also extends to managers of pump systems.

MONITORING PUMPS WITH AI Let’s look at how a specialised pump monitoring platform would work.

For industrial motors, WEG Motion Fleet Management software and WEG Motor Scan sensors can apply 3D vibrational analysis to estimate the energy consumption and load a motor is carrying. Both historical and real-time data are gathered by the sensors and software and relayed to the plant’s supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and manufacturing execution systems (MES). Through AI and ML, this data can be used to automatically adjust and optimise the performance of the motor.

In this scenario, OEE and sustainability are closely connected.

As a result, it becomes possible to analyse the forecasted deterioration of equipment and advise on predictive maintenance requirements.

The same technologies can also be used to directly monitor other electric-

driven equipment such as pumps, compressors, fans and gearboxes.

Let’s use dosing pump systems as an example, which inject a precise flow rate and volume of liquid – chemical or a product – into a tank, pipeline or production line. Pre-Industry 4.0 pump systems do have fault-logging systems, but these are usually managed according to a planned maintenance strategy.

That means assets are replaced and maintained according to a predetermined schedule, with the risk that faults can worsen in-between maintenance checks. In other cases, the system might not be regularly checked, let alone actioned, leading to a reactive maintenance approach where faults aren’t addressed until it’s too late.

For WEG’s specialised pump monitoring platform, Industry 4.0 sensors attach to pumps themselves, and provide fast and accurate data collection at the device level, and relay this information to an MES and other systems. This data can be processed with software, which generates valuable real-time insights to share with plant managers and engineers.

The sensors can continually harvest data while the pumps are in operation. This data concerns a variety of performance parameters, including cycle status, vibration monitoring and chemical consumption. Both historical and realtime data that can be relayed to the plant’s SCADA and MES. As a result, operators can access the data 24/7 to make immediate and informed decisions relating to system performance. Their decision might

relate to changing pump operating modes such as manual, batch and timed, or making instant efficiency improvements. To make the most of these technologies, data must be presented in an intuitive way. WEG’s platform includes indicators, graphics and a history of measured data to allow for easy-to-understand analysis.

A significant advantage of Industry 4.0 sensors is they enable real-time adjustments, so preventative maintenance becomes possible. Defects can be immediately identified, and maintenance planned to be performed outside normal operating hours, when disruptions will be minimised.

These technologies and processes make it possible to significantly reduce unplanned downtime and costs. Moreover, this tech will benefit manufacturers’ preventative maintenance strategies and OEE and therefore manufacturing sustainability.

Retrofitting assets with smart sensors will prove crucial.

There are around 6,500 WEG Motor sensors installed on industrial equipment around the globe. The firmware is flexible, and the pending version two will be released to the industrial market as being a flexible solution for basically any industrial scenario. WEG’s goal is to integrate its digital portfolio into every customer’s MES. In effect, the flexible software will be key to centralising all the information a manager would like to know. chevron-circle-right

Operators can access the data 24/7 to make immediate and informed decisions.

For details of the full range of training available from the BPMA, scan the QR code to access a digital version of the new and updated training guide.

Or for a copy in the post, email your name and address to: training@bpma.org.uk

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28 Maintenance

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Countering pump failures

From worn bearings to a damaged seal, seemingly minor issues can lead to the shutdown of an entire pump system. Luckily, a preventive maintenance strategy can help identify potential threats before disaster strikes. Brian Tait, Head of Pump Services at electromechanical specialist Houghton International, explains how.

T

he specific maintenance requirements of industrial pumps depend on several factors, including the type of pump, the clarity and viscosity of the pumped medium, the compliance requirements of the specific industry sector and more. However, all industrial pump systems need regular maintenance to minimise costly, inconvenient, and possibly hazardous unplanned downtime.

Take the dairy industry as an example. If the pump seal in a UHT milk pasteuriser fails and a maintenance engineer cannot repair it quickly, the entire production batch will be destined for the bin. Now, imagine the same happening in a chemical processing plant where a pump is transporting hydrochloric acid for PH balancing – in this case, failures can lead to more than just financial losses. A careful inspection of the sealings could have identified the early signs of damage and avoided catastrophic failure in both cases.

PUMP PERFORMANCE TESTING Despite the clear advantages of preventive maintenance in terms of cost, improved efficiency and increased safety, from Houghton International’s experience, emergency repairs seem to be the prevailing method of caring for pumps. Instead, pump owners should take advantage of modern testing and condition monitoring systems, such as pump performance testing and vibration analysis.

A pump performance test can measure the efficiency of the overall pump system, defined as the ratio of the delivered water horsepower and the brake horsepower delivered to the pump shaft. In a pump

Quarter 2 2022

performance test, the efficiency level is represented by a curve that indicates how the pump works regarding pressure and flow.

One of the parameters measured by the test is the best efficiency point (BEP) – the point on the curve that leads to the most efficient operation.

Efficiency will be at zero when the discharge valve is closed, and there is no flow. As the discharge valve opens and the flow increases, efficiency will increase too.

It will then decrease again as the flow becomes more turbulent and congested.

Somewhere between zero and excessive flow, there is a flow rate that leads to ideal efficiency – the BEP. To be 100% efficient, the horsepower input should be the same as the water horsepower output. This is never the case due to normal causes of energy loss such as friction and leakages.

Consequently, a 75% efficiency rate is considered optimal, while 50% or lower indicates a potential issue.

imbalance, flow pulsation, a bent or damaged shaft, bearing failure and cavitation.

A vibration reading of 1-2mm/sec is generally considered healthy.

Based on the type of pump, the specific application and the medium being pumped, a qualified technician can advise on the proper course of action when vibration exceeds this threshold.

Because of the many variables to consider, pump owners who opted to have a vibration sensor installed should discuss with a trained professional what a healthy vibration range should look like in their system and should not be tempted to simply increase the threshold when the sensors flag up an issue.

In critical equipment, such as industrial pumps, seemingly minor issues can quickly turn into major headaches. By taking a preventive approach to pump maintenance, pump owners can ensure their operations keep flowing. chevron-circle-right

All industrial pump systems need regular maintenance to minimise costly, inconvenient, and possibly hazardous unplanned downtime.

VIBRATION ANALYSIS Pumps produce vibrations that appear at specific frequencies across a wide spectrum. Pump spectral analysis examines these frequencies to identify problems such as misalignment and

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30 Compliance

Clarification issued over Regulation 4 compliance

Following clarification over certification requirements, Gary Wilde, Technical Services Officer at the British Pump Manufacturers Association, is encouraging M&E consultants and other water equipment specifiers to get fully up-to-speed with the Water Supply (Water Fittings Regulations 1999), with a particular focus on the requirement of Regulation 4.

P

romoting the efficient use of water, safeguarding water supply, setting legal requirements and protecting public health is a top priority for the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA), whilst ensuring a fair and level playing field for its members.

Unfortunately, and for quite some time, the BPMA has been receiving feedback from member companies that there has been a degree of misunderstanding in the water sector regarding certification of products for use in water supply. As such, the association has been actively pushing for change in this sector by lobbying the UK Government and other interested parties.

In essence, there are currently three relevant approval/certification schemes operating in the UK for Regulation 4 compliance in relation to water fittings and components.

These are NSFreg4, WRAS and KUKreg4, with the latter being a member of the BPMA. All three schemes provide the legally required testing and certification demanded

Quarter 2 2022

by Regulation 4 and therefore offer the same levels of product approval, and with it, the much-valued level playing field. Therefore, the BPMA approves the use and adoption of each and any of these approval/ certification schemes and their full acceptance by customers.

For many years, M&E consultants and other water equipment specifiers have been saying to BPMA members and other suppliers that the pumping equipment being provided must be WRAS approved. This is simply not the case.

WRAS is just one of the three certification schemes available in the UK, and any one of them can offer the same level of compliance certification with Regulation 4.

Manufacturers are under no obligation to be WRAS approved. It should also be noted that within the WRAS scheme, the decision making of the final approvals no longer

involves the water companies, which again helps to ensure a level playing field for all parties.

In keeping with this clear guidance, it is good to see that many manufacturers are now correctly highlighting that their products meet the requirements of Regulation 4 Compliance, rather than simply citing the certificate issuing body. We can only hope that more companies will follow suit, ensuring the market becomes better advised, and the resulting brand awareness helps increase Water Regulation 4 compliance across the sector.

It is a matter of compliance being the key requirement, ahead of any approval/ certification body being used to certify that compliance. Some will remember the evolution of Corgi to Gas Safe, and in many ways, this has not been dissimilar – branding vs attainment. Or, to put it another way,

Water authorities are now stating that products must be compliant with Water Regulation 4, not simply WRAS approved.

www.bpma.org.uk

Compliance 31 WRAS is to Regulation 4 compliance as Hoover is to vacuum cleaners.

Just to be clear, the water supply (water fitting) regulations require that: 4.(1) Every water fitting shall be of an appropriate quality and standard and be suitable for the circumstances for which it is used.

4.(2) For the purposes of the regulation, a water fitting is of an appropriate quality or standard only if: A) It bears an appropriate UKCA or CE mark, B) It conforms to an appropriate harmonised standard, C) It conforms to an appropriate British Standard, D) It conforms to a specification approved by the regulator.

The enforcement of the Water Regulations is a statutory responsibility of the water authorities, and they employ water regulation inspectors to attend site and examine water systems to ensure compliance.

Water authorities are now stating that products must be compliant with

Water Regulation 4, not simply WRAS approved.

The advantages of the KUKreg4 route are that all certification decisions are made within Kiwa so that it can deliver an immediate certification decision, with no cut-off dates for approvals or application submissions, and with no hidden external fees. A particular benefit is that in some circumstances the testing can be cross-referenced with existing Kiwa certificates or equivalent BS and EN standards to demonstrate compliance with Regulation 4, enabling a KUKreg4 certificate to be issued without the cost and time of repeat testing.

Additionally, there is an option under KUKreg4 1+ Certification for avoiding cyclic five-year full retests by means

of an annual surveillance of the manufacturing facility.

This more efficient route to compliance means new highefficiency products can be launched to the market far quicker, without the delays previously associated with the approvals process, allowing the all-important energy savings to be realised much sooner by both the end-user and the environment.

So, going forward, it is no longer appropriate to make any reference to products or materials being compliant with WRAS approval. It should be stated that products are Regulation 4 compliant or, where appropriate, Regulation 31 compliant. chevron-circle-right

It should be stated that products are Regulation 4 compliant or, where appropriate, Regulation 31 compliant.

www.bpma.org.uk

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32 Food & Beverage Production

water with your whisky?

There’s steam, and there’s high-quality steam. There are pump solutions and intelligent pump solutions. ERIKS and Grundfos proved the difference at a distillery as Nick Lees Product Manager, Pumps, at ERIKS explains.

S

team plays a crucial role in production at William Grant & Sons’ distillery in Girvan, Scotland. Any water required in the process is preheated by steam.

Direct injection steam is used when cooking the 5,000 tonnes of grain treated at the distillery every week.

Steam is also used to heat the cooked malt or grain when it reaches the distillation columns – to remove the vapours that contain the all-important alcohol.

In other words, there’s a huge demand for a great deal of steam. But not just any steam.

UNDILUTED QUALITY High-quality steam retains less water, which has knock-on beneficial effects in the whisky production process. It not only produces less condensate but also provides better heat transfer, making it more energy efficient.

However, at William Grant & Sons’ distillery, the steam they were using wasn’t of high enough quality and was causing a number of problems, including an excess of water vapour passing down the line, excessive condensate, water hammer and other operational complications.

The issue of steam quality caused particular problems for the plant operators, whose job it was to manually control the steam level on the boiler feed.

As the Distillery Maintenance Team Leader, Scott Curran, explained: “The guys shouldn’t have that responsibility.

The better the level control, the better the steam quality. And the more energy-efficient it is, the less impact it has on the planet.”

THE INTELLIGENT SOLUTION It’s a long way from Girvan to Birmingham, but making the trip proved worthwhile for Scott when he attended a Grundfos iSolutions event there. It had been flagged for him

Quarter 2 2022

by James Mason – ERIKS’ regional planner for their onsite engineering stores at Girvan. James thought it might help Scott find a solution to the high failure rate of the boiler feed water valves.

Grundfos iSolutions uses intelligent connectivity for pumps, sensors, controls and SCADA systems, to improve the efficiency of a wide range of applications. And it was while watching a demonstration of a continuous control system for a boiler that Scott had what he now calls his ‘lightbulb moment’.

Why couldn’t the same solution be applied to a boiler feed water valve?

The answer was: it could. And Grundfos iSolutions undertook a Six Sigma Yellow Belt trial project on a single William Grant & Sons boiler to prove it.

The first step was to replace the fixed-speed CR pumps for the boiler feed, with Grundfos iSolutions CRIE pumps incorporating integrated variable speed drives. Then, as the CRIE pump controls the level – increasing or decreasing in speed, in line with demand for steam – the

now redundant modulating valve was removed.

In addition, the Grundfos pump uses built-in functions in the drive – such as limit-exceed and signal relay output – to control a bypass valve. This secures the flow through the economiser when the burner is running, but the boiler is not calling for water.

With all control handled by the drive, complexity is reduced, but still, everything happens at exactly the right time for safe and efficient boiler operation.

There’s a huge demand for a great deal of steam. But not just any steam.

SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE Assessing the situation six months on, Scott describes the solution as having ticked all the boxes. There is now improved steam quality and improved level control. The greater boiler energy efficiency delivers up to 6% savings on boiler gas usage with an additional 40% energy savings from one pump. Plus, there had been no boiler feed water valve failure in that half-year period. chevron-circle-right www.eriks.co.uk www.grundfos.com

www.bpma.org.uk

Food & Beverage Production 33

SCALABLE HIGH-PRESSURE TURNKEY CLEANING SYSTEMS FOR WASH DOWN APPLICATIONS IN the food, beverage and associated industries, high pressure is the key to efficiency and performance. In addition, the ability to regulate that pressure and the flow, as demand requires, enables operators to complete the cleansing with less water and power, hence less cost.

Many plants need high-pressure wash down capabilities for cleansing and sanitation plus odour control, dust suppression and scale removal.

Scalability is the key as often single pumps cannot meet the demand.

SundWASH systems have the ability to add additional pumps as operations expand and/or require more pressure, for example, for additional spray wands.

Also, the software, unlike other systems, can idle the pump (or pumps) during periods of low demand to save energy. For example, with a two pump system, one might be sufficient most of the day, but at the end of the day or end

of a shift, all spray wands may be used at once to clean up and prepare for the next day’s production.

The pumps can also be powered up or down during periods of peak demand as required.

SundWASH highpressure systems are complete packages comprising all of the component parts for a centralised cleaning system. The modular layout, with SundWASH pumps being arranged in parallel, offers a small footprint, with additional wash down modules easily added to accommodate plant growth or changing circumstances.

The high pressures produced increase efficiency and enable operators to complete the wash down with less water. A SundWASH system can save

substantial quantities of water in a single day or week, often meaning that the payback on a SundWASH system is less than the first year of operation.

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34 Opinion

We are stronger together Ken Hall of Calpeda Pumps, and Honorary Life Member of the Europump Council, comments on the recent joint conference held by European trade bodies, CEIR, Pneurop and Europump.

W

ith CEIR representing the valves and fittings sector, Pneurop covering manufacturers of compressors, vacuum pumps and pneumatic tools, and Europump being the voice of the European pump industry, the joint conference represented a broad section of suppliers to European industry.

Under the working title of ‘Sustainability and Decarbonisation: how can the EU’s industrial policy support industry’s efforts?’, the event’s core aim was to assess the European Commission’s assertion, following the latest updates to its New Industrial Strategy, that it will rely heavily on industry to deliver on the major challenges faced by the economies and societies across Europe.

Quite a task given the complexities surrounding such a wide-ranging set of demands and aspirations, the magnitude of which was clear throughout the extensive discussions.

The event considered climate change, research and innovation, digital transformation, CBAM, sustainable taxonomy, circular economy and ecodesign, as well as the restriction of certain metals and substances due to environmental concerns. However, it became obvious that whilst the EU institutions and our pumps, compressors and taps and valves sectors are following the same goals, the challenges we encounter on this journey are not always the same.

Our societies and our economies are changing faster than ever before, which affects the way we consume and, in turn, the way we produce, which inevitably impacts the requirements and expectations for those operating within the pumps, compressors and taps and valves industries.

There is no question that Europe needs to become a climate-neutral continent and as such, ‘green’ will become ever more prominent on the agenda of the EU and its technology industries; that there is no getting away from.

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Attendees also learnt that the two biggest drivers of change at policy level are the digital and the green transformations, quite aptly named the ‘twin transition’ as they will inevitably go hand-in-hand. But underneath these two main considerations are a vast number of individual measures regulating most aspects of everyday business, affecting product design, production processes, supply chains, the materials and substances being used, as well as the way in which data is managed.

It was readily acknowledged that the three sectors represented by this conference have a role to play in this transition, and the examples in terms of innovation and sustainability presented by industry representatives during the plenary debate clearly demonstrated the seriousness with which that responsibility is being undertaken.

Extensive exchanges between industry and policy makers will be required to guarantee a smooth transition. It is crucial for our industry (and others) to be given a voice in shaping further legislation and its implementation. Policy measures need to undergo a reality check before being implemented, and attention must be given to avoid smothering industry in overregulation – with the counterproductive effect of weakening competitiveness.

Small and medium sized companies can easily get lost in the regulatory jungle and incur crippling costs trying to comply and adapt to new rules. This must therefore remain an important consideration.

In conclusion, the two key takeaways from this shared conference were that the green and digital transitions are the foundation for a competitive economy and that this transition, and

Ken Hall of Calpeda Pumps, and Honorary Life Member of the Europump Council.

the implementation of measures along the way, need to go hand-in-hand with industry.

The official aim of the EU’s industrial policy is to ensure European industry becomes more competitive as a driver of sustainable growth and employment. For this, we need the EU, but for it to work, the EU needs us.

In this respect, the work we do at CEIR, Pneurop and Europump, our constant dialogue with policy makers, and the strong alliances we have with stakeholders are the foundation for our industries to strive and grow. This event was a perfect demonstration of what needs to be done, and what can be done when we join forces. chevron-circle-right

“This event was a perfect demonstration of what needs to be done, and what can be done when we join forces.”

www.bpma.org.uk

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