Blog

The test tool from Tsurumi helps to check the oil chambers of sewage or dewatering pumps for leaks (Image: Tsurumi)

Tsurumi’s test tool, which gives information about the tightness of the pump if users suspect a defect in the oil chamber, could soon be made available to customers.

The tool is currently only used at Tsurumi’s service facilities but the company is considering offering it to clients.

It is screwed into the thread of the oil drain and pressurised with compressed air. Two bar are sufficient to check the tightness of the oil chamber. If the needle of the manometer drops, it could signal a leak and so the pump should be serviced.

Sometimes a critical look at the oil is enough to detect a leak, especially if water or dirt are visible. The mechanical seal on the shaft is often involved as it shields the water-bearing components from the rest of the unit.

Tsurumi manufactures the component from silicon carbide, one of the hardest materials available. To further increase safety, the seal is designed with a double inner layer. The company also uses its centrifugal oil distributor, which achieves permanent lubrication of all relevant areas.

Weir Minerals Africa has released its new heavy-duty Warman SSB-A, a versatile submersible pump which combines wear resistant materials and specialist hydraulic engineering for abrasive solids’ handling.

Engineered for abrasive applications and for handling solid particles, the pump’s applications include mine dewatering, removing mill scale and cleaning up sumps as well as moving slurry, coal-pile run-off or dirty water with a solids content of up to 60% by volume. The pump can be moved easily between applications, so is suitable for temporary problems such as pipe bursts or leakage.

The hard-wearing design includes casting the casing, impeller and wear plates from Weir Minerals’ Ultrachrome A05 high-chrome alloy, while the motor is designed for continuous and efficient operation using the pumped media to assist in dissipating heat build-up in the motor windings.

The impeller radial load is balanced out by the opposing forces created by the twin-volute discharge. This stabilises the pump during operation, allowing it to be placed in any position without the risk of oscillating. The design also optimises the life of the cantilevered shaft and its components.

AllightSykes, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of Allight towers and Sykes pumps headquartered in Perth, Australia, has introduced the Sykes Acoustic Stackable Pumpset to complement its extensive range.

The new product has automatic priming, solids handling capability and 316 stainless steel wear plates and impeller, enabling use for mildly corrosive fluids.

The stackable frame can stack pump units two high which means the pump can be operated without having to open doors. The control panel, throttle control, suction and discharge pressure gauges are all accessible from the outside. All drain ports are fitted with isolation valves and hosed to the outside of the acoustic canopy, making maintenance straightforward.

Powered by a fuel-efficient Perkins 400 Series or 1100 Series engine, oil change intervals are up to 500 hours, lowering costs and making it more environmentally friendly.  Safety is also key to the pumpset, with two external emergency stop buttons, a fire extinguisher recess and a robust design.

The company says it has taken its established pumps and incorporated new features making them quiet, reliable and efficient, with automatic priming and material options for corrosion and abrasion resistance.

Tsurumi Europe’s LH and LH-W Series pumps have been developed specifically for pumping water in deep mines and chemically acidic environments.

In this situation, the pH value of the water is as important as the pump used.  If the value falls below neutral, there is a risk of serious corrosion damage to the machinery. A pH value of around seven is considered neutral (in fresh water without CO₂). Many dewatering water pumps struggle in acidic environments and Tsurumi is one of the few manufacturers which can supply pumps for pH values down to two.

The LH6110 pump has 110 kW motor power and can pump water up to 177 m vertically, achieving up to 3.000 l/min. As a submersible motor pump, it is also pressure-resistant to an immersion depth of 30 m.

If numerous mineral substances are found at the extraction site, the water takes on an acidic character. To deal with this, this series is built with austenitic stainless chrome-nickel steel with a molybdenum addition and uses the material DIN 1.4401, also known as AISI 316, offering higher resistance to the aggressive operating environment.