MechChem Africa September 2017

⎪ Products and industry news ⎪

Altivar VSD’s for fans and pumps

Fire-suppression solutions boast 80% local content Fire&SecurityTechniques ofCenturion isAfrica’s largest supplier of fire-suppression solutions. It also boasts 80% local content in its extensive product range, which complies with the relevant pressure equipment regulations, as well as SANS 347:2012 and SAN14520. In addition, the company works closely with both its clients and installers to ensure adequate project support, which also extends to system commissioning. “We also strongly advocate independent third-party inspection, including room-integrity testing,” explains Fire & Security Techniques CEONeil Hughes. A highlight of Fire & Security Techniques’ development to date has been building its own cylinder production plant. “I am very proud of that divisionwithin the company,”Hughes reveals. “Our local LPG cylinder plant is now producing up to 50 000 cylinders from the 500 m 2 factory.” This forms part of a strategic plan to decen- tralise both the business itself and production. “The new approach will give us a better means of measuring the market and client requirements. Furthermore, it will drive down our costs and al- lowus to focus on exports.” In this regard, the Fire & Security Techniques product range is undergo- ing international approval. “We hope to open up newmarkets upwith our simple-to-use products and our high level of certification.” In addition, Fire & Security Techniques has enjoyed strong partnership with Fire-Eater of Denmarksince2006,whichdistributestheworld- renowned Inergen fire-suppression technology. “Our aim is to exploit our natural synergy with Fire-Eater in order to maximise our opportuni- ties in Africa, predicated on our strong technical capability,” Hughes says. www.fireandsecurity.com

New to Magnet’s range of variable speed drives (VSDs) are Schneider’s Altivar™ Easy 610 VSDs, which improve equip- ment performance – particularly on fans and pumps –and reduce operating costs by optimising energy consumption and enhancing user comfort. Fit-for-purposeAltivar Easy 610VSDs are IP 20 frequency inverters for control- ling three-phase synchronous motors, in the power range from0.75 to 160 kWand mains voltages between 380 and 415 V. “Altivar Easy 610 VSDs have been designed especially for fan and pump ap- plications in diverse industries, including water andwastewater, oil andgas, process and machine control, as well as building management. This robust system can withstand operation in harsh environ- ments and is able toadapt tovarious levels of thermal stress,” says Brian Howarth, managing director, the Magnet Group. “These VSDs are designed for use in two operatingmodes that optimise the drive’s nominal rating according to the system constraints. “The two modes of overload – normal duty (ND) mode for applications requir- ing a slight overload – and heavy duty (HD) mode for more significant overload conditions, ensure efficient operation in variable and constant torque applications associatedwithpumps, fans, compressors and conveyors,” he explains. Altivar Easy 610 VSDs have a com- munication module (Fieldbus embedded: Modbus) available for seamless integra- tion into the main automation design. These drives feature various configurable I/O option modules as standard to fa-

cilitate adaptation to specific applications. The control terminal features analogue input and output, as well as digital input and relay output. This plug-and-play sys- tem, where parameters are pre-set in the factory to specific configurations, saves process control and operating time. These VSDs can operate safely in a temperature range between –15 ˚C and +60 ˚C. Cooling airflow is separate from the printed circuit board to avoid dust and oil corrosion, while other protective features include a protective coating on the electronic cards and busbars have a plating to prevent chemical gas corrosion. A plain text or and optional remote graphic display terminal can be used to control, adjust and configure the drive. These terminal display current values and are able to download and store several configuration files. Removable terminals, with an LCD backlight screen can also be connected and mounted on the front of the drive or mounted on an enclosure door, using a remote mounting accessory. www.magnetgroup.co.za New to Magnet’s range of variable speed drives (VSDs) are Altivar™ Easy 610 VSDs from Schneider Electric, which improve equipment performance and optimise energy use, particularly fans and pumps. The heavy duty, hardened chrome iron construction of the wet end of the HS series significantly increases service life. These pumps have recessed impellers that allow large abrasivematerials to pass through the pumps without damaging the impeller, thereby extending the pump life and service intervals by reducing wear. The hydro solids pump range offers flexible drive arrangements – from direct drives to various V-belt drives, while the vertical spindle range of pumps are manufactured in different sizes with various shaft lengths to suit customer requirements. www.za.becker-mining.com are available invarious sizes – from50mm to 203 mm units.

Becker Mining SA has recently supplied five of its Hydro-solids (HS) pumps to a new furnace slag granulation process plant at a platinum mine in the Limpopo region. “This contract, for the manufac- ture of two 8×8-12HS pumps with V-belt drives and 160 kW motors and three 6×6-18 HS pumps with V-belt drives and 90 kWmotors, was delivered prior to the required delivery date,” says Rick Jacobs of Becker Mining SA. “These robust pumps have been designed for optimum efficiency, lowmaintenance and extended service life in harsh operating conditions.” Becker’s HS pump range includes four models, the HS (horizontal type), VHS (vertical type), PVS (vertical type) and HTMS (submersible) pumps. These pumps HS pumps for platiniummine

Fire & Security Techniques has established its own local LPG cylinder plant as part of its growth strategy.

September 2017 • MechChem Africa ¦ 41