MechChem Africa June 2019

A large order of 24 ceramic impellers destined for a copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo may be a viable alternative to conventional pump impellers since, in the right application, these are expected to last up to five times longer. Multotec ceramic impellers boost uptime

skeleton – is growing in popularity and the manufacturerhasexportedsome300ceramic impellers linings into the Africanmarket dur- ing the past four years. “The key advantage of our ceramic tech- nology is to extend the replacement intervals forthesewearparts,”saysJarrett.“Thisinturn reduces downtime on the plant and raises productivity, invariably delivering positive impacts to the bottom line.” To further enhance the ceramic value-add, Multotec offers ceramic components on cer- tain other strategic pump components. “Our ceramic shaft sleeve, for instance, contributes to longer life, and canbe replaced easilywithout the risk of damaging the shaft,” adds Jarrett. “We can also provide other components such as the throat bush and the frame plate liner with ceramic protec- tion for better wear resistance and longer service life.” Jarrett highlights that all applications of ceramic solutions must first be thoroughly investigated before the best option is final-

Mark Jarrett, business development manager at Multotec Wear Linings.

D esigned and manufactured in South Africa by Multotec Wear Linings, part of the Multotec Group,anorderforceramicimpel- lers signals the value the technology brings by way of longer wear life and less plant downtime. “The impellerswill be used in slurry pump- ing applications where particle sizes are less than 6.0 mm,” says Mark Jarrett, business development manager at Multotec Wear Linings. “The ceramic solution is particularly effective in resisting abrasion, while also able to deal well with high levels of acidity and alkalinity.” The ceramic design – where alumina ce- ramic components are bonded mechanically and chemically onto a stainless-steel impeller

ised. “Our experienced Multotec technical professionals will conduct a detailed and methodical assessment of a customer’s plant conditions before recommending the appro- priate solution,” he says. “We consider the key characteristics of theplant process to confirm if the ceramic solution is the optimal one. This includes understanding the total wear condi- tions of the plant system.” q Designed and manufactured by Multotec Wear Linings, the ceramic impeller is a viable alternative to conventional pump impellers.

16 ¦ MechChem Africa • June 2019