MechChem Africa December 2017

⎪ Pump systems, pipes, valves and seals ⎪

The design of the SlurrySucker allows it to be used on plastic-lined dams without risking any damage to liners, as it uses water to agitate the solids, and does not have cutters that could damage the pond liner.

The new SlurrySucker Mark II, with a vortex-type impeller and a redesigned dredge head, achieves up to about 50% solids concentration by volume.

when operating at any point on the hydraulic coverage curve with 1.0 SG. Grease lubrica- tion is standard. These pumps have a heavy-duty construc- tion,withchromeironCR28%material,which has been hardened to withstand abrasive materials and for increased service life. When in its annealed state, it is 280‑400BHN and, after undergoing heat treatment, it is 650‑700 BHN. Other available materials include cast iron and SS316. q “This is particularly important froman en- vironmentalperspective,aswastewatercould leakout if the linerwas cut or damaged, which could contaminate groundwater,” Vine says. Inaddition to the turnkey serviceprovided here, IntegratedPumpRental alsooffers con- tracts where the teamwill come to site every year to inspect anddredge thedams toensure they are kept operational and efficient. q werepleased tohave completedourmandate successfully without a single blockage,” he adds. “It took just one day at the end of the process to decommission the equipment and move off site.” Vine emphasises that the design of the SlurrySucker allows it to be used on plastic- lined dams without risking any damage to liners, as it uses water to agitate the solids, and does not have cutters that could damage the pond liner.

compared to the 30-40% concentration with the standard dredge head. Larger holes and a vortex-type impeller allow for larger solid objects such as boots, gloves and hessian bags to pass through without blocking the system. “After being awarded the contract, we quickly moved our equipment onto site. The total weight of the SlurrySucker is only about two tonnes –perhaps four tonneswith acces- sories – so it is relatively lightweight and easy tomovearoundusinga road trailer,” saysVine. “We spent a day setting up the unit, then 25 dayscleaningeachdam,workinganeighthour shift each day.” Operatedbyjustoneperson,thesix-metre long and three-metre high unit agitates the sediment in single metre-wide paths as it moves up and down the pond. “After about two months on the job, we

property,”LeeVine explains. “Each dam measured about 100m

by 100 m and was about three metres deep. Weestimated that theywereabout 70%filled with sediment.” The company’s new SlurrySucker Mark II, witha vortex-type impeller in the slurrypump and a redesigned dredge head achieves up to about 50% solids concentration by volume. Vine says this is significant especially when

Vortex pumps for slurries with solids Becker Mining South Africa’s PVS range of vortexpumps has beendesigned toefficiently pump sludge and slurries containing large abrasive solids and fibrous materials in light, medium and heavy service industries. and a large stock holding of spares and raw materials ensures swift delivery throughout the country.”

The PVS series, with a robust one-piece casing, has been designed to efficiently cope withall typesof solids andfibrousmaterials. A locknut that fastens the impeller to the shaft prevents the impeller from turning off if the motor is started in the incorrect direction of rotation. These pumps have a

The PVS range, which can handle solids to 72 mm and SGs to 1.5, achieves up to 87 m heads at speeds of 2950 rpm. These units are available in two- and three-inchmodels, with a 0.7mspindle length and singlemotor drive. “Themost important feature of these ver- tical pumps is the recessed, non-clog impeller design that prevents binding and clogging problems. Since the impeller is clear of the pump casing, any solids and fibrousmaterials that enter the suction inlet will be expelled through the pump discharge, without dam- aging the impeller,” says Rick Jacobs, senior general manager (SGM) for consumables, Becker Mining South Africa. “Another advantage of Becker’s pump design is that spares are completely inter- changeable. This reduces inventory man- agement costs and simplifies on-site repairs. Because all components are locally manu- factured, these pumps are readily available

sleeve stuffing box clear- ance thatminimises blow- back of materials being pumped around the shaft sleeve, without requiring sealing contact. A high strength pipe column maintains alignment be- tween the bearing frame and its casing. There are no submerged bearings on the cantilevered shaft. Bearings have been se- lected for a minimum ser- vice life of 24 000 hours

Becker Mining South Africa’s PVS range of vortex pumps has been designed to efficiently pump sludge and slurries containing large abrasive solids and fibrous materials in light, medium and heavy service industries.

December 2017 • MechChem Africa ¦ 13