MechChem Africa May-June 2025

⎪ Cover story ⎪

gear unit to absorb high radial and axial bearing loads that occur during the agitating process. Advantages of oversized output bearings include quick assembly, large bore capacities, high radial load capacity and longer service life. To enhance efficiency, BMG offers an agitator version VL2 bearing with increased bearing spacing and reinforced bearings, as well was a drywell version, VL4, with an additional oil drip plate with leakage or oil sensors. The bearing spacing of VL2 to VL4 versions are increased with output flange attachments, while the gear unit size remains unchanged. Nord also offers the VL6 design that allows the gear unit to be mounted onto the face of the housing. Coaxial drives are recommended for agitators and mixers that require a double agitator, due to the large size of the tank. Double agitators often consist of agitator blades that rotate in one direction in the middle of the tank, while a scraper blade rotates in the opposite direction. This sys tem is designed to efficiently move mate rial settled around the wall of the tank and return it to the agitation blade. NORD offers the option of operating two shafts inside each other for coaxial agitators. The inner agitator is driven by the upper gear unit and the outer agitator by the lower unit. The direction of rotation and the speeds of the agitator and scraper can be completely independent of each other. NORD IE5+ synchronous motors – with the highest defined efficiency class – enhance the performance of these mixers and agita tors and are also ideal for food processing, pump and conveyor applications. Notable features include a compact and hygienic design, high corrosion resistance and easy cleaning. Because a very high percentage of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of an electric IE5+ synchronous motors and frequency inverters

Left: Nord decentralised frequency inverters are also ideally suited for controlling associated pump applications. Right: NORD IE5+ synchronous motors – with the highest defined efficiency class – enhance the performance of mixers, agitators, pump and conveyor.

increasing the efficiency of entire drive systems. Actuating pump drives via frequency inverters enable different pump charac teristics to be selected, simply by changing the system parameters. Various parameter sets are directly stored in the inverter and pumps can be adapted to different media, flow rates or process requirements. BMG offers fully matched Nord drive systems that are tailored to the exact requirements of every customer’s applica tion. Modular systems are easy to expand or upgrade, using a minimum of different types and sizes of components. Local as sembly by BMG enables prompt delivery of drive systems and the ready availability of spare parts. BMG plays a pivotal role in supporting the productivity and production targets of industrial, manufacturing, mining and agricultural sectors of economies in all the countries it serves. As Africa's larg est distributor, manufacturer and service provider, the company has a reputation for delivering quality engineering consumables and components, including: bearings and seals; power transmission components; drives, motors and controllers; hydraulics, pneumatics and filtration; heavy and light duty materials handling; pumps and valves; lubrication, fasteners and gaskets; and a wide range of specialist maintenance and monitoring tools. www.bmgworld.net

motor is made up of the energy consumed by the motor, these new generation IE5+ motors offer a fast return on investment (ROI). They also offer a constant torque over a much wider speed range, and they are particularly easy to clean, with high corrosion resistance due to their smooth and fan-less motor design. For even greater system efficiency in agitating and mixing processes, BMG spe cialists recommend Nord DuoDrive geared motors, which feature the Nord IE5+ motor integrated into a single-stage helical gear unit. With a system efficiency of up to 92%, this wash-down-capable geared motor has one of the highest efficiencies on the market in this power class. Driven by frequency inverters, these sys tems also achieve high efficiency in partial load operation. Frequency inverters also bring simple plug-and-play commissioning to the drives for systems such as mixers and agitators, all of which, compared to other drive systems, delivers further significant reductions in the operational and total ownership costs for end users. Pumping applications Nord decentralised frequency inverters are also ideally suited for controlling associated pump applications. These units save space in control cabinets, reduce costs for wiring and cables and simplify maintenance, thus

The Nord MAXXDRIVE ® series is the only complete industrial gear unit system with a one-piece UNICASE lightweight housing for mixing and agitating processes.

May-June 2025 • MechChem Africa ¦ 5