MechChem Africa March-April 2021

⎪ Pump systems, pipes, valves and seals ⎪

better energy efficiency and, because en- ergy costs of pumps outweigh initial purchase costs, this rapidly reduces the total cost of ownership. “For a recent application in Polokwane, for example, we looked at our Grindex Bravo 600 22 kWpump as a replace- ment for a currently installed30kWsubmers- ible. Our 22 kW pump performs at the same duty as the current pump, but it draws over 25%less power, so it ismuchmoreenergyeffi - cient. Adding to this, aswith all GrindexBravo pumps from 400 up, this pump has a built-in cooling jacket, which means that the Bravo 600 does not need to be fully submerged for the pump to be effectively cooled. “In this operation, the operator cannot keep an eye on it 24/7, so the water level often drops below the safe level for keeping the pump cool. We think our pump, being more rugged and better cooled, can solve a whole lot of the problems they are experienc- ing. Most importantly, though, the improved energy efficiency will reduce electricity con - sumption, which will result in a TCO saving of 51% over a five year operational period of the pump “Two of our Bravo 600 units are currently on trial and performing as expected, so we expect this to lead to the steady replacement of the existing fleet withGrindex Bravos over the next fewyears,”Marshpredicts. “Through our sister company Integrated Pump Rental, we also have a substantial rental fleet, which we can use for demonstrations in situations such as those on a trial basis. This helps to allay purchasing risk concerns and to assure operators that our solutions will deliver as promised,” he adds. In addition, Integrated Pump Technology

and upskilling local pump operators to realise howa pump’s performance can be optimised, mines can become a little more sustainable, which enables themto supportmore jobs,” he says, adding that basic pump knowledge can go a long way in this regard. Best fit for purpose solutions “Grindex pumps are the Rolls Royce of the industry,” Marsh believes, as is evident from the 30-month warranty offered with every new Grindex purchase. “This, we find, gives a high level of confidence to mining engineers with respect to quality and value for money,” he notes. He says that Integrated Pump Technology is able to identify a pump solution for almost every mining application it encounters. “For dewatering, we can offer pumps with twin impellers that offer very high heads – up to 200 m – for pumping water from deep underground. Our biggest is a 90 kW and we go down to 0.75 kW units. For below ground use frommultiple mine stopes, 5.5 to 37 kWpumps with high headH-impellers are preferred, while closer to the surface, we can use the 90 kWGrindex high flow pump units with N-impellers to transport the water out of themine and into surface storage facilities,” he explains. Adding to the suitability of the submers- ible pump range for the harsh conditions of African mines, he says Grindex pumps in the power range of up to 18 kW have their own built-in smart device for self-monitoring, which protects against phase rotation, dry running and overheating. “This is a huge advantage in remote underground situations where access is difficult,” notes Marsh. Every mine, however, requires a different solution with respect to dewatering, water transfer or slurry. “We see our role as devel - oping pumping solutions that are perfectly tailored to a mine’s needs,” he assures. “We then presentminemanagerswith the cost ef- fectiveness of the solutionwehave identified, typically breaking down the total lifecycle or ownership costs based on efficiency, perfor - mance, life and reliability gains. This enables users to do a like-for-like comparison of our Grindex solutions compared to an existing installation or to a less well engineered, and therefore cheaper, alternative. “Werecentlycomparedoneof ourGrindex submersible pumps to a vertical spindle solu- tion for adewatering application, for example. Mostly due to the significantly longer life and a much lower installation cost of using a Grindex submersible pump, the total cost of ownership of the Grindex solution was 51% lower than the vertical spindle option, making it easy for us to present a convincing argument,” Marsh relates. AgoodfitGrindex solution inmanymining applications will usually deliver significantly

has a dedicated engineering team that pro- vides custom-designed solutions for the chal- lenges facing customers. “We pride ourselves on being able to fix problems where others have failed.Weare somuchmore thanapump in a box reseller. “Going forward, our strategically placed accountmanagersareseeinga lot of potential. Mines still have to operate andmany are now looking at performance efficiency opportuni - ties as well as expansion projects and new developments. Our distribution network is ready and waiting to support them in all of these areas,” Marsh concludes. q

The Grindex Bravo pump has its own built-in smart device for self-monitoring offering optimum protection.

Every new Grindex Bravo submersible pump carries a 30-month warranty.

March-April 2021 • MechChem Africa ¦ 13