MechChem Africa July-August 2023

MechChem JUL-AUG 2023 AFRICA

Minerals

This month: Waste recycling: drives for a sustainable economy

Mobile substations: key design principles

Artificial intelligence: Don’t call me stupid!

Technology for large quantities of green methanol

16

06

CONTENTS 30 Water, wastewater and pumping solutions 6 Five tips for choosing dewatering pumps Pumps expert Steve du Toit of IPR provides five key insights that will help in understanding the respective benefits of diesel and electric dewatering pumps. 7 Atlas Copco hinged door concept praised 9 New water policy calls for all hands on deck 10 Grindex Mega for heavy duty dewatering 11 Verderair HC-PURE: the hygienic double diaphragm pump 13 Tips for stockpiling water Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals 14 Bonfiglioli recycling solutions: working towards a sustainable economy Tony dos Santos of Bonfiglioli South Africa outlines the company’s global capability in waste recycling, an increasingly crucial sector for the modern circular economy. 16 SKF SA delivers turnkey local bearing and housing solution 17 PowerTwist Link belting with wedge profiles 18 Further investment from SEW-EURODRIVE Minerals processing and materials handling 20 SmartCyclone™ innovations optimise separation efficiency MechChem Africa talks to cyclone specialist, Abrie Schutte of FLSmidth, about the significant advantages that innovations such as SmartCyclone TM bring to mill circuit operations. 22 Dimple Tube technology enhances sugar productivity 23 AdWinMethanol ® technology: for large quantities of green methanol 25 Multotec’s 12-turn spiral for increased recoveries Hydraulic, pneumatic and automation solutions 26 Give your vacuum handling system a lift Irina Hermann, Product Manager, SMC Germany, talks about smart vacuum solutions and the often-overlooked components that can cause a system to underperform or fail. 28 SmartLink 2.0 takes the guess work out of compressed air performance 29 Smart Mine GM to lead digital transformation PowerGen, PetroChem and sustainable energy management 30 Zest WEG Mobile substations: key design principles Sollie Herbst, senior manager for Energy Systems at Zest WEG, presents an overview of the company’s mobile substation offering. 32 Steam boilers added to Rand Air’s rental fleet 34 Optimising energy usage while also going ‘greener’ Environmental management, waste and cleaning technologies 36 Dealing with disposal of expired chemicals and pesticides Mahmood Patel, EnviroServ’s National Laboratory Manager, talks about the management of pesticide waste and the safe and legal disposal of substances used to kill, repel or control forms of plant or animal life considered to be pests. Innovative engineering 42 Artificial intelligence: Don’t call me stupid! Tim Foreman of OMRON in Johannesburg, talks about harnessing AI to make machines smarter so they can figure out for themselves why they have stopped or why there is a problem. Regulars 2 Peter’s comment: Record temperatures and solutions to the freshwater crisis. 4 On the cover: Weir Minerals invests for a sustainable Africa. 38 Products and industry news. 44 Back page: SMART AI innovations boost SA’s healthcare system. 44

Published bimonthly by Crown Publications (Pty) Ltd Cnr Theunis and Sovereign Streets Bedford Gardens 2007 PO Box 140, Bedfordview, 2008 Tel: +27 11 622 4770 e-mail: peterm@crown.co.za www.mechchemafricamagazine.co.za Editor: Peter Middleton e-mail: peterm@crown.co.za Advertising: Elmarie Stonell e-mail: mechchemafrica@crown.co.za Design: Katlego Montsho Publisher: Karen Grant Deputy publisher: Wilhelm du Plessis Circulation: Brenda Grossmann The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editors.

Transparency You Can See Average circulation Jan to Mar 2023: 10 217 Printed by: Tandym Print, Cape Town

Front cover: Weir Minerals Africa www.global.weir

July-August 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 1

Record temperatures and solutions to the freshwater crisis

During the third week of July, temperatures in Italy reached 45°C and were expected to peak at close to the European record of 48.8°, while wildfires raged in both Greece and Spain. Temperatures in California’s Death Valley approached 53.3°; and in China, temperature warnings of 40 to 45° in the semi-desert region of Xinjiang were issued. In response, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organisation, said: “The climate crisis is not a warning. It’s happening. I urge world leaders to act now.” In addition, a war rages on in Europe, we are seeing high global inflation, low growth, high debt, and rising discontent, all of which results in climate action being pushed well into the background. As is evident from several of the articles in this issue, ESG and the focus on environmental, social and governance factors to promote and assess the sustainability of companies and countries is taking root in many South African companies. The local energy crisis is making adoption of renewable solar solutions seem much more sensible. In addition, the disarray of our water infrastructure coupled with the effect of power outages on water availability are driving people towards water efficiency, storage, and reuse solutions to, at least partly, mitigate against water utility outages. But much more action on water is likely to be needed if, as expected, global warming continues to cause additional water stress to already dry cli mates. For a rural school in the Eastern Cape, WEC Projects has recently completed the installation of a NEWgenerator TM off-grid wastewater recycling system, to help rural and smaller communities in Africa with clean sanitation. The system creates a closed loop water cycle, eliminating waste while recovering biogas, producing nutrients for fertilisers and recycling ‘grey’ water for flushing and cleaning. The Circle of Blue Water Reporting website (www.circleofblue.org) has published a list of the top 19 things experts think we should be doing to solve the global freshwater crisis. At the top of the list is educate to change consumption and life styles. “Crisis involves education to motivate new behaviours. Coping with the coming era of water scarcity will require a major overhaul of all forms of consumption, from individual use to the supply chains of major corporations.” Inventing new water conservation technologies is Number 2, with the article suggesting that where aquifers are drying up and rainwater is increasingly unpredictable, innovative water conservation must become the focus, with energy consumption an as sociated consideration. Recycle wastewater using

modern cleansing technologies is third – drinking water use included. And, with some 70% of the world’s freshwater being used for agriculture, improving irrigation and agricultural practices is Number 4. Appropriately priced water? The suggestion is that raising prices will help lower waste and pollution. Developing energy efficient desalination plants, using solar power, for example, is at six. A new British system for irrigation is also referenced, which deliv ers saline/brackish water via an underground piping system directly to the roots of plants. But these innovations bring to light another needed resource—the capital for technological experimentation. In terms of water harvesting, the article reports that Pakistan and India are overhauling their rain water harvesting systems in an effort to provide in dependent control of local water resources. Further down the list, at Number 10, is the suggestion that we manage our ecosystems holistically, but adopt a practical, common-sense approach to overseeing natural resources that consider economic, cultural, and ecological goals. Underpinning this approach is the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and each facet is related to and influenc es the others. The example given is community-run sewage treatment plants that pursue partnerships with clean energy producers to use wastewater to fertilize algae and other biofuel crops. The crops, in turn, soak up nutrients and purify wastewater, significantly reducing pumping and treatment costs. Back in January and February of 2009 in Victoria, Australia, a bushfire swept across the state, killing 173 people and destroying 400 000 ha of town ships and bushland. In Strathaven, in the heart of the affected area, a forged metal tree called The Blacksmith’s Tree has been erected to commemo rate the people who lost their lives. Local groups have since installed swales to direct and slow the passage of water and have planted an indigenous garden around the Tree. This prompted the State Government to repair erosion along the nearby creek. Today, the garden is being used as a seed bank by the local community-run nursery, and the area is home to wombats, wallabies and a variety of native birds. In wet weather, the swales fill with water and frogs are heard throughout the garden. The solutions we need to sustain us though cli mate change are not unknown or unrealistic. They just need to be prioritised, and for people to cooper ate with each other to implement them.

Peter Middleton

Comment

MechChem Africa is endorsed by:

2 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2023

Weir Minerals invests for a sustainable Africa Rajen Govender, Managing Director of Weir Minerals South Africa, talks about recent innovations at the company’s South African facilities and its efforts to support long-term sustainable growth in sub-Saharan Africa. I n support of the company’s extensive product range for the global mining, minerals processing, power and general industrial sectors of Africa, Weir Min 50 tonnes – we have started to supply globally, mostly to Europe but also in Africa including Nigeria,” Govender says.

Towards sustainable energy use To further the global Weir Minerals’ sus tainability ambitions, the Isando facility has recently invested in a grid-tied solar power plant, which is now installed on the facility’s reinforced roof. “We have been systematically reducing our carbon footprint and are on track to reducing 50% of our total carbon emissions in the region. We have some amazing products that are designed to benefit customers in terms of energy and water efficiency, across our entire range of pumps and other products, such as our HPGRs. But we also believe we should be influencing the green and clean manufacturing agenda,” he explains. “So, every part of our roof is now covered with solar panels, 2 181 of them, each capable of producing 540 kWp of power from the sun. This significantly reduces our dependence on municipal electricity but, more importantly, it reduces our carbon footprint for manufac turing. Since December, the new system has been supplementing the electricity needed for our machine shop, the rubber plant and the foundry areas,” Govender tells MechChem Africa, adding that the system is estimated to be saving more than 1 600 tons of carbon dioxide per year. “While our location near the airport – a national keypoint – means we are less im

erals Africa operates three manufacturing facilities in South Africa: “Here in Isando, we have a foundry for smaller castings of below 1.0 tonne, a machine shop and a rubber shop all operating on a three-shift basis. We also have our Heavy Bay Foundry (HBF) in Port Elizabeth that can handle larger castings of up to 17 t gross, and a pump assembly, screen assembly and rubber plant in Alrode” says Rajen Govender, Managing Director of Weir Minerals South Africa. “We have surplus capacity, across all areas of the facilities, to support market growth and we continuously strive towards lead time reduction to market. The LEAN manufacturing tools we use em power the facilities to reduce waste, improve on-time delivery (OTD) and shorten the lead times to market.” The Alrode site, he continues, also houses our regional warehouse and distribution cen tre and the Linatex rubber facility, which man ufactures rubber linings and mouldings for pumps, mills and made-to-order hose sections and bends. “We have just installed an amazing large screen test bay at this facility so we can test our locally manufactured large vibrating screens. While we have always manufactured a smaller range of vibrating screens, this test ing facility caters for the larger double deck screens – our latest screen’s weight exceeds

pacted by load shedding, the system gives us a sense of security from a business continuity perspective. We will now always have power to keep the facility up and running, excluding the furnaces, of course,” he says, adding that even on the furnaces, some grid-draw reduc tions also accrue due to savings on startup. “The idea is to install systems at all three of our South African plants, and we are al ready looking to prepare the roof at Alrode in preparation for an installation there,” says Govender. “We hope to be able to run the whole Alrode plant off the solar system, because furnaces or other energy intensive processes don’t run there,” he adds. Further supporting its sustainability goals, Weir Minerals Africa has also installed a Replicast plant for manufacturing cast ing moulds at its Isando facility. Replacing conventional wooden patterns and split sand moulds, this technology uses dimen sionally precise ceramic cavity moulds made from expanded polystyrene replicas, Replicast moulding and Industry 4.0 Machining

Weir Minerals has installed solar systems on the roof of the Isando facility, to significantly reduce dependence on municipal electricity and the carbon footprint for manufacturing.

4 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2023

⎪ Cover story ⎪

Two new testing laboratories To raise the bar with respect to safety, qual ity and customer satisfaction levels, Weir Minerals has established two new laborato ries to further its world-class manufacturing capability. “We have equipped these labs with the latest technologies to align our manufacturing operations with global best practice standards. A focus on quality as surance through the manufacturing process ensures good quality products and investing in upstream quality assurance has been part of the reliable supply success. Quick results mean the operation team can fine-tune the manufacturing processes, catch any discrep ancies and implement changes very quickly. This helps us to optimise product availability and on time delivery,” he says, adding: “it gives customers a great deal of confidence in terms of product quality, lead times and supply cer tainty, while also reducing waste, rework and time lost repairing manufacturing defects.” From a competitive point of view, the laboratory facilities also support research and development in improved equipment and materials, which further benefits customer operations. “By keeping our testing in-house, we are better able to protect our intellectual property. I think the other spinoff from this is that it contributes to skills development, encouraging staff to improve production processes and quality standards. It helps us to build-in a continuous improvement culture,” he adds. Water harvesting A further aspect of Weir Minerals’ drive to implement its global sustainability goals is that water harvesting has been implemented in all its South African manufacturing facili ties. “Water used in our facilities is now being collected and reused in various other areas of the plants. At Isando, for example, where we need a lot of cooling water in the rubber shop, instead of having to draw on municipal water

Govender informs MechChem Africa . A polystyrene replica of a casting is made first. This is then dipped several times into a ceramic-forming slurry to coat the surface. The coated polystyrene replica is then fired, which hardens the ceramic while completely removing the polystyrene, creating a very accurate ceramic shell that, when supported by sand, is used as the mould for casting. Because it is inert, the ceramic shell reduces the possibility of hydrogen defects, while also significantly improving the as-cast accuracy and surface finish of the product. The Replicast process eliminates parting lines, cores, and draft angles from the com pleted casting, which reduces casting weight and fettling requirements. It also reduces machining requirements on a finished casting. Furthermore, the risk of gas, sand inclusions and hot-tear defects are significantly reduced. Combined with the improved moulding pro cess, new Integrex Industry 4.0 machines have further improved machining efficiencies. “Our Replicast plant has reduced the com ponent turnaround, improved casting quality and reduced waste. Also, though, it further reduces the energy requirements and our carbon footprint,” he adds. Because molten metal is no longer in direct contact with the casting sand, the Replicast system does not require the use of resin and catalyst for binding the supporting sand. Instead, Grade 30-35 AFS silica sand can be used which, prior to being compressed, is first passed through a vacuum bin to remove any air. And because the sand contains no acids or resins, it can be reused many times, which results in further environmental and sustain ability advantages. “In addition, the new system releases fewer harmful gases into the atmosphere during the casting process, further helping us to meet our corporate sustainability goals and to reduce environmental impacts,” says Govender.

for this purpose, we can use collected and recycled water from the plant. And in the HBF plant in Port Elizabeth, which is a water scarce region, we have installed larger collection tanks to store more rain and recycled water, all of which is fully utilised in the facility,” says Rajen Govender. “Our three local manufacturing sites enable us to deliver locally manufactured pumps and, depending on the application, product mix and customer’s installed base, we can typically claim between 60 to 80% local content for South African mines. “We have very deliberately expanded our integrated solutions approach so we can offer solutions for everything from after blasting to tailings, including highly efficient processing solutions, such as our Cavex ® hydrocyclones, Trio ® crushers and Enduron ® HPGRs. “We are committed to the sustainable and efficient delivery of the World’s need for natural resources from African mines, and to a better and greener future for our planet,” Govender concludes. www.global.weir

The large screen test bay at the Alrode facility for testing locally manufactured large vibrating screens.

Left: Weir Minerals Africa has also installed a Replicast plant at its Isando facility for manufacturing casting moulds. Right: Edward Motha presents rubber testing results from a Weir Minerals Testing Laboratory in Isando.

July-August 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 5

Five tips for choosing dewatering pumps When deciding which pump best meets the needs of a dewatering project, users are faced with a variety of diesel and electric options. Expert Steve du Toit of IPR provides five key insights that will help in understanding the respective benefits of diesel and electric dewatering pumps.

tering pumps as a fourth point to consider. Submersible pumps can provide days of unat tended dewatering operations – even in the toughest environments where the water table needs to be lowered. “They will also have less noise impact on the immediate environment, so they can be run during the night even in densely popu lated areas without causing any disturbance,” he said. “Some models can run for up to 2 000 hours without needing attention and can even sustain dry running conditions.” Atlas Copco centrifugal pumps have fuel autonomy of around 40 hours and can continue to operate even when significant volumes of air are introduced. They can run in these ‘snore’ conditions as a result of an oil-free diaphragm vacuum pump’s automatic priming. Extra-large fuel tanks can allow them to run for longer periods without refuelling. The fifth factor in selecting pumps is maintenance and service, says du Toit. Atlas Copco’s electric submersible pumps are extremely durable and offer high wear resistance. The modular construction of these types of pump provides for simplified maintenance procedures – with some models equipped with on-site servicing and parts replacement kits, including seals and impellers. “Maintaining centrifugal pumps is also relatively easy, with the exception of replacing wear parts and engine filters,” he concludes. “An important feature of this type of equip ment is the inclusion of advanced controllers with data monitoring capabilities. These can alert the owners or operators when service interventions are required.” www.pumprental.co.za

IPR offers both the Atlas Copco electric submersible pump range as well as the diesel driven pump range. Steve du Toit unpacks the benefits of each option.

E very dewatering project will invari ably have specific priorities – such as the volume to be pumped, the amount and nature of solids in the medium, emission limits, and performance/ duty requirements. Meeting these needs re quires a grasp of the comparative advantages of diesel and electric pumps. According to Steve du Toit, product man ager at IPR, there are five main considerations to bear in mind. As a leader in dewatering solutions with over 16 years in the business, IPR was recently appointed as the master distributor in Southern Africa for Atlas Copco dewatering pumps. IPR carries a wide range of diesel powered and electric Atlas Copco pump solutions, for purchase and for rental. “The first consideration is usually the vol ume of water to be discharged, and this relates to the power and flow of the pump,” says du Toit. “Atlas Copco’s diesel powered centrifugal pumps are designed for high volumes – with a typical flow range of 10 to 1 500 m 3 /h.” Related to the pump’s power is the head it can achieve, which for these pumps can reach over 50 m. He notes that the pumps are also able to operate at variable speeds, so they can manage different flow-head combinations. “By way of comparison, electric submers ible pumps can offer power ratings up to around 80 kW and can typically manage flows up to 20 000 ℓ per minute, with a maximum head of 85 m,” he explains. “This range is typical but some higher head pumps are also available.” The second consideration is the amount and nature of solids in the water to be pumped. Diesel driven centrifugal pumps can manage both clean and dirty water as well as water carrying trash and fibrous materials. Thanks

to features such as semi-open impellers and abrasion-resistant pump casings, these pumps can handle solids of up to 76 mm. “In contrast, electric submersible pumps have the ability to handle abrasive materials and solids of up to 12 mm – or even higher with sludge pumps,” he says. “When a project involves the pumping of suspended solids, it is ideal to equip the pumps with hardened impellers.” Thirdly, it is important to consider the ap plication’s particular limitations. Underground mining, for instance, will usually require the units to be easily portable and to have no emissions. This makes electric submersible dewatering pumps the right choice. “On the other hand, fully automatic self priming diesel centrifugal pumps are the de facto choice for delivering fast dewatering solutions to sites where an alternative power source, such as a generator or mains feed, is not available,” says du Toit. He highlights the performance of dewa

Access to power is an important consideration when selecting a pump.

6 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2023

A simple but brilliant innovation has given Atlas Copco diesel driven dewatering pump sets – distributed locally by dewatering specialist IPR – the edge over its competitors. Atlas Copco hinged door concept praised ⎪ Water, wastewater and pumping solutions ⎪

A patented hinged door on Atlas Copco’s diesel driven dewatering pump sets saves users time and trouble, ensuring there is no longer any excuse to avoid regular inspection and maintenance. “The simple but brilliant hinged door concept has meant a massive improvement in ease of maintenance for users of these end-suction dewatering units,” says Steve du Toit, IPR Product Manager for Atlas Copco. “It reduces the downtime required for inspection and servicing of Atlas Copco’s PAS and PAC pumps, as it requires none of the traditional equipment that was normally involved to safely lift and move large pump covers.” An individual technician can now conduct inspections and maintenance on their own – a job that previously required a team with appropriate heavy lifting equipment to open and handle the end-suction cover. Depending on the size of the pump, it would also have required certain certified rigging equipment and a mobile crane or forklift. “With the hinged door, you need none of

these items,” explains Du Toit. “The technician simply loosens the bolts on the cover, and swings it open on the hinge – gaining access to the impeller within as little as three minutes.” This makes the feature very useful in ap plications varying from mining to agriculture. In mining, he highlights the strict safety com pliance requirements that make it essential to use the proper lifting equipment for heavy pump end-suction covers. Where pumps are used in the agricultural context, it is often difficult to get the required lifting equipment into the remote locations where pumps may be operating. “The quick and easy access to the wear plates, the impeller and the mechanical seal is particularly important in applications where the pump is expected to run continuously – where it must not be stopped for any length of time,” he says. “The patented hinged door drastically reduces the inspection time, so it can be returned to work much more quickly.” South Africa’s market response to date has been enthusiastic, he says. Perhaps the great est contribution of the hinged door innovation

is that it allows users to check and service pumps regularly – when in the past it was such an arduous task it was often just avoided. “Of course, this regular maintenance has a positive long-term impact on the pump’s performance, reliability and lifespan,” he says. “By facilitating frequent inspection, the hinged door can benefit the user by lowering their total cost of ownership by ensuring they don’t have to replace pumps prematurely.” www.pumprental.co.za

With a patented hinged door now a standard feature of Atlas Copco’s PAS and PAC ranges of pumps, a technician can gain access to pump internals within three minutes.

By facilitating frequent inspection, the hinged door can benefit users by lowering their total cost of ownership and ensuring they do not have to replace pumps prematurely.

July-August 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 7

A4: Xylem

8 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2023

⎪ Water, wastewater and pumping solutions ⎪

The draft policy on Integrated Water Quality Management (IWQM) – published by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) on 10 March 2023 – signals a new age of partnership is called for if South Africans are to have sustainable access to water, argues SRK’s Lindsay Shand. New water policy calls for all hands on deck

L indsay Shand, associate partner and principal environmental geologist at SRK Consulting, highlighted that the new draft IWQM policy published by the DWS recognises how the country’s water quality is deteriorating – and that this is having consequences for human health and the economy. “We can no longer rely on a water licence or contract with a water provider to be certain of receiving water of an appropriate qual ity,” says Shand. “Furthermore, water quality compliance monitoring is no longer a tick-box exercise; it is a necessary measure to ensure all water users within a catchment receive us able water, understand the water quality risk and utilise the water for a suitable purpose.” The draft IWQM policy places increased responsibility on all water users to take responsibility for their water use and water quality management. “The draft policy fol lows a risk-based approach, and emphasises a catchment management approach, which aligns with water stewardship, making it more relevant and necessary than ever to ensure that businesses, industries and mines are more cognisant of their water management,” she says. Water stewardship, through the as sociated standards of the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), guides companies in managing aspects such as water governance, metrics, site risks, catchment risks, quality

targets, strategies and performance. She argues that the draft IWQM policy is significant for its recognition of the multi faceted water challenges being faced by the country. The DWS has said that deteriorating water quality in rivers, streams, dams, wet lands, estuaries and aquifers is reducing water availability – as more water must be retained in the river systems to dilute polluted streams to acceptable standards. “In light of these challenges, the draft policy aims to enable government to partner with civil society and the private sector in ad dressing the issue of water quality across the country,” she explains. “As a society, we need to take a much greater responsibility for our water management, to preserve this precious resource for current as well as future genera tions.” The draft policy recognises that manag ing water quality is complex and requires an integrated and sector-wide approach, she continues. The DWS is also emphasising that the success of this approach is highly reliant on co-operation and collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders. “Development, advancement and uplift ment of all people places responsibility on every individual – at home and in the work place. It requires all individuals to carefully manage water use and quality,” says Shand. “If we do not all take care of this finite resource through responsible use and pollution man

Lindsay Shand, associate partner and principal environmental geologist at SRK Consulting.

agement, we will suffer the consequences of our actions.” She points to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 – on Clean Water and Sanitation – as another important indicator of the effect society is having on water systems and the environment. “This SDG includes the monitoring of our water resources, which provides a tool for tracking and understanding the changes that are oc curring,” she explains. “However, data takes time to be captured and to provide an indica tion of that change, and this may often come too late for the required action.” She notes that SRK’s water stewardship team of AWS-credentialed specialists has been working with clients to help them better understand their water use and management needs. This has created a foundation for businesses to build more resilience into their operations, ensuring they can continue to operate in the knowledge that shared water resources are well managed. www.srk.co.za

Water must be retained in the river systems to dilute polluted streams to acceptable standards.

July-August 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 9

Grindex Mega for heavy duty dewatering The heavy-duty Grindex Mega pump continues to make a mark in dewatering applications with its high reliability and durability. Justin Bawden, of Integrated Pump Technology explains. D emand for the heavy-duty Grindex Mega pump in dewatering ap plications continues across the Southern African market, particu

larly in across-border countries like Zambia and the DRC. Justin Bawden, Key Accounts Manager at Integrated Pump Technology, says that as the official Grindex pump distributor for the region the company has focused on providing this quality product underpinned by high level of support. “The robust Grindex Mega pump is popu larly known as the 'workhorse' of pump dewatering,” he says, “and continues to make a mark with its high reliability, durability and ability to handle abrasive particles with un precedented ease.” The Grindex Mega pump with its robust cast iron construction was engineered specifi cally for rigorous applications such as those found in the mining sector, and elsewhere. He points to the fact that the pump is also capable of handling corrosive liquids such as salt water, or to dewater in environments where pH levels range between 6 and 13. With zinc anodes available for additional corrosion protection, this pump provides an unmatched combination of dependability and longevity. Available in two distinct configurations – the Grindex Mega N for standard head ap plications and the Grindex Mega H for high head pumping requirements such as deep excavations found in open pit operations and

The Grindex Mega pump with its robust cast iron construction was engineered specifically for rigorous applications such as those found in the mining sector.

underground mines – the Grindex Mega pump is as versatile as it is robust. "One of the Mega pump's standout features is its high flow rate – a remarkable 150 ℓ per second at a maximum head of 200 metres. It represents a significant step forward in pumping large volumes of dirty water, making it the go-to solution for heavy duty dewatering tasks," Bawden says. Furthermore, the Grindex Mega pump has been designed for ease of use, from installa tion to operation. The plug-and-play setup

simplifies the process, allowing users to get it up and running without the need for extensive technical expertise. This powerhouse dewatering pump is avail able through Integrated Pump Technology's strategically positioned network of distribu tors, guaranteeing fast and efficient service. Dedicated to providing dependable pump solutions, the company is committed to upholding the highest standards of product quality, service and customer satisfaction. www.pump-technology.com

Left: The robust Grindex Mega pump is known as the 'workhorse' of pump dewatering. Right: As the official Grindex pump distributor for the region, Integrated Pump Technology focuses on providing high levels of support for the Grindex Mega pump range.

10 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2023

⎪ Water, wastewater and pumping solutions ⎪

Verderair HC-PURE: the hygienic double diaphragm pump Verder Liquids, a leading provider of innovative pumping solutions, has unveiled the Verderair HC-PURE series, a line of hygienic double diaphragm pumps engineered for optimal cleanability and uncompromising durability.

T he Verderair HC-PURE pump is me ticulously crafted from SS 316L, to meet the highest hygienic standards, complying with EC-1935/2004 and FDA regulations. Its electropolished surfaces minimise bacteria traps and contamination risks while enhancing corrosion resistance. With easy maintenance and extended lifes pan, downtime in the production process is significantly reduced. In late 2020, Verder expanded its range of hygienic pumps with the launch

on water from many sources – ranging from drinking water to factory/industrial effluent, and everything in between – to determine the presence and levels of potentially harm ful substances, whether the water is used for drinking, agriculture or to be disposed of after an industrial process,” she says. She adds that ground and surface water sources must be closely monitored, and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and the National Water Act’s SANS241 Drinking Water Quality standard outline the minimum requirements for safe drinking water. Moses Lelaka, WearCheck’s technical water lab manager in Johannesburg, explains some of the quality systems that govern the water-testing process: “SANS241 sets out the Verderair HC-PURE pumps are designed for various industries handling a wide range of low and highly viscous fluids. They are ideal for applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, dairy, food, beverage and brewery/winery sec tors. Darryl Macdougall, Managing Director, Verder Pumps South Africa says: “The launch of the Verderair HC-PURE series further showcases why Verder is a global leader in advanced industrial and niche market pump solutions.” “With changing requirements and stan dards linked to hygiene within manufacturing With the Verderair HC-PURE, Verder once again demonstrates its ongoing commitment to R&D, technical excellence and delivering innovative pumping solutions that elevate hygienic processes to new levels. Key features that set the Verderair HC-PURE apart include: • Electropolished SS 316L for exceptional cleanability. • Solid machined centre block made from PE/Polyamide. • Rotatable stand for quick draining and servicing. • Single-piece manifolds with smooth corners. • PTFE/EPDM over-moulded diaphragms for longer lifetime. • Manifold clamps for effortless disassembly. • Maintenance-free air valve ensuring reliability.

and processing facilities – and particularly the product production line itself – technology and quality of product is key. And whether a singular or multi-product line, the integrated pumps and piping solutions installed through out are often the backbone network of these facilities. “In recognition of this, Verder remains fo cused on providing customers with advanced solutions that meet their needs – and these pumps meet the highest quality and market standards, making them ideal for use in fa cilities where cleanability, hyper-hygiene and safety are key to safeguard the quality of the end product,” adds Macdougall. Launched globally in June, the The Verderair HC Pure FD range of hygienic double diaphragm pumps is designed to sit at the start of production processes involving food and beverage products, including dairy and brewery/winery processing.

of HI-Clean air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) an electric-operated double-diaphragm (EODD) pumps se ries that was designed and developed to be fit-for-purposes in various product pro cessing applications. Verder further ex panded on the quality of these pumps and, in 2022, launched the e-PURE elec trically-driven double dia phragm pump series. The HC-PURE SB series for hygienic applications is purpose designed to suit the final stage of hygienic production processes.

Verderair HC-PURE series is avail able, including for Africa, through Verder Pumps South Africa and its distribution network. www.verderliquids.com/za/en

Scan the QR code to access a Verderair HC PURE features video.

Determining drinking water safety is essential

Access to safe drinking water is a privilege not shared by many in Africa. Often, drinking wa ter is contaminated, meaning scores of South Africans are obliged to turn to groundwater. However, to avoid disease and ill health, it is important to ascertain that this groundwater is fit for human consumption. Condition monitoring specialist com pany, WearCheck, recently integrated its sister company – previously Set Point Water Laboratories, now WearCheck Water – into its operations, adding yet another analysis service to the company’s repertoire. Thelma Horsfield, general manager of WearCheck Water, explains that the com pany is ISO 17025:2017 accredited and tests water from any source. “We conduct analysis

minimum requirements for potable water to be considered safe for human consumption, covering physical quality, chemical compo nents, heavy metals levels, organics, and microbiology. Additional determinants for nearby pollutant influences must be added to SANS241 – where there is nearby agriculture, for instance, fertiliser contamination should be checked. “Monitoring is an invaluable tool that signals environmental changes in the water table that can quickly occur due to seasonal changes, rainfall, drought, heavy industry, agriculture, natural disasters, and more. Responsible monitoring signals any changes in water quality before any harm to life occurs,” Lelaka concludes. www.wearcheck.co.za

July-August 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 11

⎪ Water, wastewater and pumping solutions ⎪

Tips for stockpiling water Water is vital.As much as our world stops when the power goes out, the prospect of no water is much more dramatic. “Fortunately, you don't need an expensive inverter and batteries to stockpile water,” says Chetan Mistry of Xylem Africa.

"W ater is versatile and can last for a long time if stored responsibly," says Chetan Mistry, Strategy and Marketing Manager at Xylem Africa. "How you store your water depends on its uses: potable water for drinking or cook ing requires much stricter management than non-drinking water for washing or irrigation, since water-borne diseases and parasites are among the most dangerous threats to human health. "But it's not difficult to adopt basic water management techniques, and everyone should look at some type of water storage, especially rainwater capture and water recy cling systems. In a water-scarce country like South Africa, we mustn't wait for the taps to dry. We should look after our water, and stor ing water is a good way to appreciate the most precious resource on our planet." You can store water for emergencies or to lower utility costs. Yet some mistakes could ruin your efforts and even create health hazards. To help avoid such situations, Xylem Africa suggests the following tips when stock piling water. Decide your needs. Do you need water to drink or cook? Do you need to keep your veg etable garden hydrated? Will a lack of water harm certain operations in your business? Water serves many functions, so deter mine your priorities and stockpile accord ingly. Some people can do with a few jugs of drinkable water, while others may need large storage tanks of non-potable water suited for other jobs. The consensus is that an adult drinks around 3 litres of water a day, and you can double that to cover cooking needs per person. If you are a business, monitor water consumption for a month to see where the most demand exists. There are different ways to access water. The simplest is stockpiling water from a municipal supply or buying bottled water. Capturing rainwater is a very affordable way to capture large amounts of water, and some are fortunate to have access to boreholes. You can also recycle water from your premises. Water used for washing dishes or clothes, for example, can be reused for ir rigation, refilling toilet cisterns, or outdoor washing. With the appropriate filters, you also can make contaminated water drinkable. But avoid water contaminated with chemicals, such as water mixed with non-biodegradable

soap, or bio-matter (such as food waste or faeces). In theory, water can be stored indefinitely. But this requires starting with clean water, keeping it away from light and chemicals, us ing sterilised containers and avoiding future contamination. It is hard to do in practice—es pecially if the water is for drinking. Consider rotating water stockpiles every six months, and look at decontamination options such as filters, UV light or controlled quantities of chlorine. Don't assume that water with no taste or odour is safe: certain diseases (chol era) and chemicals (heavy metals) can linger in water without giving hints of their presence. Many of these tips include maintenance, but it's worth emphasising again. Leaving water infrastructure to fend for itself will create disease. There is no starker example than the recent cholera outbreaks resulting from poorly-maintained treatment sites. And what applies to towns and cities also applies to individuals: poorly-maintained containers, pipes and filters will encourage bacterial and parasitic growths that are very dangerous to humans—sometimes even without directly consuming the water. Purifying water There are different ways to keep water pure, such as using filters, UV lamps or chlorine, though these will vary depending on the amount of water and how you plan to use it. You can also purify water by boiling it or adding small amounts of bleach. But note that most techniques only kill biological con taminants. Removing chemical contaminants requires special filters. And again, remember that contaminated water can still appear clean and odourless, so err on the side of caution. The tricky thing about water is that it sup ports chemical and biological activities. Water also expands when it heats up or freezes, and it can degrade metals and certain plastics. Your containers have a big say on how long water stockpiles can be maintained. Outdoor containers should have adequate UV protec tion to stop sunlight from breaking them, causing chemicals to leach into the water. You can use containers made from concrete or metal. However, the most common options use plastics such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and polycarbonate, treated for sun light exposure. Jugs and bottles used indoors should be

kept out of sunlight. Glass is the best medium to store small amounts of water. You can also use containers made from food-grade high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastics (called #2 plastics as they are stamped with a '2' inside a three-arrow triangle). Avoid plastics marked 1,3,6, and 7 as they are often weak and can cause chemical leaching into the water. And always sterilise containers before use. When storing large amounts of water in tanks, you can consider adding pumps and pipes for easy access. It's wise to make this decision early as it will impact other choices, such as additional costs, where tanks will stand, the types of pumps and filters, and how you want to connect the tanks. For example, a tank system that irrigates your garden dif fers from one connected to your building's plumbing. Many suburban homes already stockpile water in the form of swimming pools. Though pools are not the best way to store water due to evaporation, you can cover them for more longevity, and it's simple to add chlorine to fight off contamination. However, pool water is often unfit for consumption, as it is exposed and so you should filter and treat it before drinking. Also, watch out for over-chlorina tion, which could make the water dangerous for plants. But, generally, your swimming pool is a large and very convenient water container. www.xylem.com/en-za

July-August 2023 • MechChem Africa ¦ 13

Recycling to reduce pollution and waste volumes going to landfill has long been a key element of waste management. Increasingly, however, it is a crucial sector for the modern circular economy and the protection of the planet. Tony dos Santos of Bonfiglioli South Africa outlines the company’s global capability. Bonfiglioli recycling solutions: working towards a sustainable economy

“G lobally, we have been active in the recycling industry for the past decade and, thanks to numerous prod uct developments and expansions, we have established a solid reputation in this sector,” says Tony dos Santos, Bonfiglioli SA’s MD. “We offer a complete range of solutions to meet any need in this rugged and de manding market. Recycling solutions have to be developed with the highest levels of customisation in mind, which requires, right from the initial design, in-depth in teraction between our customers and our Bonfiglioli design teams. This ensures that all the required specifications and variants are known so that the end product can be perfectly matched to expectations,” he says. “This is why our pre-sales and after-sales

A modular energy efficient Bonfiglioli C-Series geared motor with a BSR synchronous motor and a decentralized DGM inverter.

teams – spread strategically across all con tinents – play such a crucial role, and why delivering complete support is at the heart of our global success. The product range and its proven reliability are only the starting points of a profitable relationship,” he adds. Bonfiglioli’s custom solutions for re cycling plants cover the complete range of applications from shredding machines to conveyors and compactors. “From the inverters to the motors, gearboxes and geared motors, we have Bonfiglioli com ponents that can be selected, customised and used in machine designs that meet the needs of whole recycling systems. We have successes in many different kinds of waste recycling, including rubber tyres, metals, paper and plastic, always with a focus on application-driven customisation,” he adds. Key Bonfiglioli products for recycling systems Primary shredding, which is used to

equipment, delivering the high torque per formance required. The R3 Series planetary range is purpose built for the recycling sector and par ticularly well suited to primary shredding machines in recycling plants. Compact and powerful, R3 planetary gear trains are the ideal choice for severe duty applications where shock loads and impacts are more the rule than the exception. The R3 also offers several mounting op tions for flexible configuration with respect to the gear layout, the output shaft and the motor interface. Depending on the torque needed, the R3 Series can be equipped with a hydraulic motor adapter, while an electric motor adapter is available on request. Secondary shredding, while not always necessary, is used if further size reduction is required to suit the needs downstream. If, for example, the waste must be sorted into different material types, then a secondary shred-size may be required to allow separa tion of the different materials in the waste. “For some materials, secondary shredder torque can be over 2.0 kNm. Thanks to a high peak load capacity, planetary gears such as the Bonfiglioli 300M series offer best-in-class mechanical performance, and Bonfiglioli is one of the few OEMs that can guarantee these levels of torque for a complete range of shredding machine applications. Conveying systems are a third corner stone of most recycling systems. Bonfiglioli offers products such as the parallel shaft F-Series and the helical bevel A-Series drives for a variety of conveying systems. High dynamic response and energy ef ficiency are signature features, and these are cost-effective with extended service intervals for low costs of ownership. Waste material recovery solutions will often have compactors at the end of their

‘pre-chop’ the waste material to a size appropriate for stor age, transport or downstream processing, is at the starting point of many recycling plants. Bonfiglioli planetary products are a key feature of shredding

Compact and powerful, R3 planetary gear trains are the ideal choice for severe duty applications such as primary shredding machines. Inset: Bonfiglioli R3 EVOX 318 geared motor.

14 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2023