MechChem Africa September 2018

Mech Chem SEPTEMBER 2018 AFRICA

This month: Holistic solutions for pumping slurry in mill circuits

Bio-based disinfectants: a development journey

Local content verification for Mining Charter III

Industrial efficiency initiatives:An AMSA success story

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Pump systems, pipes, valves and seals 8 The benefits of holistic engineered solutions for pumping slurry in mill circuits

P U B L I C A T I O N S CR O WN

According to Weir Minerals Africa pump product manager Marnus Koorts, the wear life and efficiency of a high-quality pump may not be optimal if the selection of other pump circuit components such as valves, pipes and bellows is neglected. MechChem Africa finds out more. 11 Moving sand slurries with ease using correct pumps 13 Solar water pumps reduce electricity use 14 Foam dosing trailer guards against surface fires 15 Pump rental operator showcases products 16 Industrial efficiency initiatives: An AMSA success story Local manufacturing and food processing 18 Local content verification for Mining Charter III MechChemAfrica talks to Multotec CEO,Thomas Holtz,about the localisation of manufacturing for the mining and minerals processing industries and his company’s pioneering approach to local content verification. 20 China invests in SA stainless metallurgical complex 22 Quality inspection for food and beverage lines 23 Upgraded sawing machines for faster cutting of larger sections Power generation, sustainable energy and energy management 24 Fast, reliable and predictable mobile power David Stanford of Atlas Copco Power Technique talks about the QES mobile generator range, which is designed to be easy to move, easy to operate and easy to service. 26 Engineering optimal energy solutions for Africa 27 Infrastructure specialists welcome return of renewable energy Chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas 28 Compact PSA biomethane plants for France A compact model of a biogas treatment system called SmartCycle ® PSA, developed by ETW Energietechnik GmbH, is taking root in France. 30 Oil-and-gas boom in East Africa benefits local company 31 Women power prepares to pay it forward Environmental management and cleaning technologies 32 Do you really know where your used oil lands up? Bubele Nyiba, CEO of the ROSE Foundation, highlights the value of used oil and urges generators not to sell it on to unscrupulous and unlicensed recyclers. 33 SA hits new recycling high: 2.15-billion bottles Innovative engineering 40 Bio-based disinfectants: a development journey A proudly South African company called Biodx has developed a cost-effective disinfectant technology that comes from nature and works with nature. MechChem Africa talks to CEO, Burt Rodrigues. REGULARS 2 Comment: Mining Charter III and B-BBEE: positive engagements 4 Filtration Solutions for efficient contamination control David Dyce of Fluid Technology at BMG, talks about the company’s comprehensive filtration solutions offering. 6 SAIChE IChemE: Member Group News 34 Product and industry news 44 Back page: Synertrex IIoT platform announced

Published monthly by Crown Publications cc Cnr Theunis and Sovereign Streets Bedford Gardens 2007 PO Box 140, Bedfordview, 2008 Tel: +27 11 622 4770 e-mail: mechchemafrica@crown.co.za www.mechchemafricamagazine.co.za Editors: Peter Middleton e-mail: peterm@crown.co.za Glynnis Koch e-mail: glynnisk@crown.co.za Advertising: Brenda Karathanasis e-mail: brendak@crown.co.za Design: Darryl James 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. P U B L I C A T I O N S CR O WN P U B L I C A T I O N S CR O WN 2015/02/10 01:17:09PM

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September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 1

Mining Charter III, B-BBEE and localisation: positive engagements

D uring an interview with Thomas Holtz of Multotec about the provision for local content verification in the draft of Mining Charter III, he asked: “Why has it taken 24 years for this to get into our mining equipment supply terminology? By its own admission, the DTI has said that it has been focusing on ownership at the expense of procurement. Butwith respect to jobs and local skills development, procurement is where the leverage is,” Holtz argues. Multotec andHoltz have been extraordinarily sup- portive of the Preferential Procurement & Supplier Enterprise Development requirements of the draft Charter, most notably in the aspect pertaining to certi- fiedproofoflocalmanufacturingandservicingsupplier content from an external agency such as the SABS. “We are enthusiastic supporters of this clause, with some recommendations. We think that the threshold may be a little too high, but in principle, verification will establish the real beneficial facts and enable us to systematically raise the thresholds,” Holtz notes. And in a proactive move, in full knowledge that the Charter is still in draft form and that local content verification is a proposal, Multotec has already been evaluated by the SABS against the “well articulated” draft guidelines. Of the 13 product families evaluated, Multotec is already achieving a verified 60% local manufacturing threshold in each – this based only on direct input and labour costs. Evidence that companieswere positively engaging with localisation and the newMiningCharterwas also apparent during the week of Electra Mining Africa at Nasrec. Sharing news of Zest WEG’s progress, CEO Louis Meiring, lifted out the integrated nature of the Group’s four local factories: ShawControls, with over 30 years’ experience in themanufacture ofmotor con- trol centres (MCCs), distribution boards, switchgear, control desks and, more recently, portable and contai- nerised substations andE-houses;WEGTransformers Africa, oneof the largestmanufacturersofmini substa- tions and distribution transformers in South Africa; ZestWEGGroupGenerator Sets, a Cape Town-based manufacturer of custom-built generator sets; and EnI Electrical, theZestWEGentity responsible for deliver- ing integrated electrical and instrumentation projects throughout Africa. “We have also recently established an Integrated Solutions division, whichwill spearhead our entry into the renewable energy sector,” said Meiring, adding that the integrated way in which these entities work with each other is what sets Zest WEG apart from its competitors. ZestWEGhasinvestedsomeR250-millioninrecent

Peter Middleton

yearsupgradingitsmanufacturingfacilitiestomeetthe global quality standards required by its Brazilian par- ent. “Butwe can’t go tomarket in SouthAfricawithout alsohaving the requiredB-BBEEstatus. And today I am proud to announce, followingmonths of hardwork by Juliano Vargas and his team, that we have converted Zest WEG into a Level 1 B-BBEE company,” Meiring said, while displaying the certificate. “This is a fantastic achievement, which we believe demonstrates our commitment to transformation – and it is also likely to bring a step change in growth to our company,” he concluded. In another Electra Mining interview, Graham Anderson of Mitak, an Alrode-based foundry that is among the largest dedicated hard-chrome white iron (HCWI) foundries in the world, took us through the company’s local manufacturing processes, starting with laser 3D scanning of the mill or chute lining pan- els required to protect a mine’s critical assets. From there, 3D printing enables a very accurate pattern to be created, which can be directly used tomanufacture a sand casting mould. Aproduct sample, which can be quickly verified for accuracy and quality via the 3D scanning facility, can then be cast to a very high quality. “Over 60% of our product is exported, mostly into the mature markets of Europe and the USA,” said Anderson. Inmining, two of the harshest applications for cast components are mill and chute linings. Both are typi- cally subject toextreme levels of erosive, corrosiveand gougingwear. “Over thedecades,Mitakhas developed arangeofsingularlyeffectiveHCWIalloysthatarewell suited to these conditions,” he said. The local content? Over 90%, the key inputs being iron, ferrochrome and ferromanganese, which are all products of the local mining industry. South Africa’s local manufacturing base was built around servicing the mining industry. It slumps when themining industry slumps. For long-termsustainabil- ity, job creation and stability, therefore, it makes total sense to strive for preferential procurement of locally manufactured mining-related equipment. For too long, however, local procurement has been achievable by importing product and selling it on via black-owned B-BBEE front companies. Local verification may well result in a system that creates meaningful local manufacturing jobs – a much more obvious solution path to a healthier economy and a transformed society. As Thomas Holtz points out: “We should all be supporting what is good for the country, instead of simply focusing on the financial benefits to owners and shareholders.” q

MechChem Africa is endorsed by:

2 ¦ MechChem Africa • September 2018

David Dyce, business unit manager of Fluid Technology at BMG, talks about the company’s comprehensive filtration solutions, which ensure that fuel and lubricant oil are maintained within the required cleanliness standards for the better protection of modern equipment assets. Filtration Solutions for efficient contamination control

B MG’s Fluid Technology division is committed to improving opera- tional efficiencies for customers in all industries, by providing essen- tial filtration, separation and purification technologies. “With broad technical capabilities and an extensive range of quality-branded fluid power components, BMG is able to offer total process, filtration and lubricationman- agement solutions throughout Africa, even in chemical and corrosive environments, as well as in arduous mining conditions,” says David Dyce, business unit manager, Fluid Technology, BMG. “BMG’s Fluid Technology team has a thorough understanding of the filtration process and offers solutions to ensure fluids – including oil, fuel and lubri- cant oil – are within the required cleanliness standards. “Efficient filtration disciplines result in op- timumperformance, improved reliability and extendedservice lifeofmachinery, equipment and vehicles. Without a structured control and contamination prevention programme, prematureequipment failure is likely tooccur, resulting inunnecessarydowntime and costly replacement of parts.” Optimum filtration performance, com- bined with lower differential pressure of

the system, significantly reduces energy consumption, which is critical to maximising production efficiencies. Bulk fuel and lubricant oil filtration Contamination is the biggest threat to the supply of clean bulk fuel product. The main causeof contamination indiesel and lubricant oils iswater anddirt ingress. Foreignmaterials encourage the culture of bacteria, which feed on hydrocarbons, degrading fuel quality and resulting in equipment failure. BMG has recognised a greater demand from industries – including earthmoving, mining, agriculture, transport, chemicals and petrochemicals, as well as shipping – for products and solutions that ensure ‘cleaner’, non-contaminated diesel and lubricant oils. Mobile filtration trailers BMG’s mobile filtration trailers provide reli- able and cost-effectivefiltrationof diesel, oils, lubricants andaviation fuel –not only at filling stations, but also onmines, construction sites and in the field. This mobile filtration system removes particulate and water ingress – the two most destructive contaminates for diesel engines, on both light and heavy vehicles. Bulk fuel filtration systems ensure cleaner fuel tomeet

the finer tolerances ofmodern diesel injec- tion systems. BMG’s mobile filtration trailers consist of a 12 V dc pump, mechanical flow meter, water separator andfilter, a 6.0mhose and dispensingnozzle. The tank (500 to3000 ℓ ) has a lockable filler, baffles and a breather. Bowsermaterial options includemild steel, stainless steel and polyurethane. On-board filtration solutions BMGhasalsoextendeditson-boardfiltration range, to include products that protect new TK4 and TK5 engines – which have tighter tolerance levels for their injectors – against wear and water damage. These products, which include complete coolant, lubricant and filtration service kits for 250 hours, 500 hours, 750 hours and 1 000 hours, can be adjusted to meet the required services schedules. BMGalsohas convenient servicepack kits available for all types of excavators, dump trucks, loaders, graders and crushers. Technical experts assistwith the selection of the correct filter for every application, to ensure optimum performance and extended service life of every system. BMG’s extensive fluid technology range also encompasses EcoPart filter elements for stationary andmobilehydraulic systems from theFiltrationGroup. These components, with defined filter performance and purity class, complywith stringentDINand ISOstandards and have all other necessary standard indus- try approvals. FG EcoPart series, which includes a wide range of pressure filter and return filter elements, is available from BMG in different versions, with various grades of fineness. FG EcoPart: the high-performance desiccant breather

BMG’s mobile filtration trailers provide reliable and cost-effective filtration of diesel, oils, lubricants and aviation fuel – not only at filling stations, but also on mines, construction sites and in the field.

4 ¦ MechChem Africa • September 2018

⎪ Cover story ⎪

FG EcoPart series, which includes a wide range of pressure filter and return filter elements, is available from BMG in different versions with various grades.

These components are suitable for diverse hydraulic applications, as well as gear oil treatment. FGFilter elements aredesigned to

ventional dust caps or breathers often found on new equipment. When contaminated air enters the top of the breather, it passes

reduce the solid particle contamina- tion to the prescribed contamina- tion class, to prevent the ingress of dirtfromtheenvironmentandmain- tain the properties of the hydraulics fluid for an extended time period. Included in this range are FG desiccant breathers, which protect lubricants andmachines fromdam- age caused by moisture and the ingress of particles. The FG breather replaces con-

through layered filter media, blocking particles fromentering the breather, thus preventing wear to equipment surfaces. The filtered air passes through a bed of silica gel, which effectively removes moisture. Silica keeps the equipment dry by attracting moisture from inside the equipment reservoir during service or shutdown. FG desiccant breathers have an enlarged housing, which en- sures up to 20%more absorption of moisture than conventional breathers. The centre tube is constructed from a robust nylon material, providing rigidity to the element and allowing an even airflow through the silica gel. For additional systemprotection, sec- ondary filter media prevent any possible migration of silica dust. For optimumchange-out inter- vals, a clear polycarbonate outer- shell provides a visual indicator of the condition of the silica gel. Multi-layer polyester filter me- dia provide 3-micron particulate filtration and polyurethane foam collects oil mist and distributes air evenlyover thefiltermedia and the

moisture-absorbing silica gel. Breathers are suitable for use in hydraulic units, where there arehighhumidity and tem- perature fluctuations. The normal hazards of condensation – rapid ageing of hydraulic oil, degradation of additives and corrosion – are prevented. Typical applications include wind energy, power plants, tunnel construction, aerospace and manufacturing processes, as well as pet- rochemical and chemical plants. In addition, BMG supplies FG coalescer filters, which are used in the fuel line for the efficient operation of marine diesel engines. BMG Fluid Technology BMG’s fluid technology services include solutions for hydraulics and pneumatics, lubrication, fuel and industrial filtration sys- tems, hydraulic hose and fittings, as well as instrumentation, pumps and industrial valves. Thecompany’snationalbranchnetwork,of over 130outlets, supports anextensive range of fluid technology products and bespoke systems, with field services and technical resources. BMG also offers a design and manufacturing service, according to exact requirements, for small installations and major projects alike. q

September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 5

SAIChE IChemE Members Group news

MechChem Africa summarises recent events and activities of the SAIChE IChemE regional members groups in the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Western Cape Members Group In the first half of 2018, two very successful webinars were arranged by Prof Jim Petrie and hosted by IChemE at UCT. The committee members of theWestern- Cape Student Chapter, Kai and Alexandra, promoted SAIChE-IChemE at the University of Cape Town’s, Engineering and Built Environment (EBE) Postgraduate Student Council (PGSC), a student governance body that aims to provide a lasting impression of university experiences to its postgraduate students. Annually, the council organises a variety of events that are aimed at moulding postgraduate students into individuals that are socially conscious in addition to achiev- ing academic excellence. The events entail networking, career development and giving back to the community. The Student Chapter planned to have a panel of three women engineers to address students and to celebrate ‘Women’s Month’. Additionally, they have planned to hold an event on the theme of sustainability. The idea is tohavea varietyof chemical engineers from different industries addressmembers on sus- tainable design in industry, which should lead to some lively and rigorous debate. In the last quarter of 2018, several indus- trial excursions are scheduled. The Student Chapter has arranged a farewell function in October, to wish students well for the final examinations. The Branch is also hoping to arrange an event to facilitate interaction amongst engineers in industry, academia and among the general membership, with the intention of making it an annual event. Practical Distillation The KwaZulu-Natal group would like to invite you well in advance to the course ‘Practical Distillation Technology With Henry Kister’ from the 29 th to 31 st July 2019 at Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg. Gauteng. Course registration is R35 000 for the full three days and in- cludes Kister’s latest textbooks and all the course notes, teas, coffees, snacks and lunch. Please note that SAIChE IChemE members get 10% discount and that companies sending more than ten delegates get 5% discount. courses@saiche.org.za

If you would like to participate in any of the above-mentioned events, please contact the Western Cape Branch via saiche@mweb.co.za Gauteng Members Group Carl Sandrock, chairman of the GautengBranch, provided a fascinat- ing look into some of the history and technicalities of whisky distillation. The importance of the best ingredi- ents, ie, water, barley and yeast, as well as the intricacies of the malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation processes, were discussed. The presentation included showing the designs of the copper stills at the various traditional distill- eries. These not only allow some of the flavours unique to each distillery to be developed, but are also works of art in their own right.

Kai and Alexandra of the Western-Cape Student chapter, who promoted SAIChE IChemE at the University of Cape Town’s Engineering and Built Environment (EBE) Postgraduate Student Council (PGSC).

The event was kindly supported by brand manager of The Glenlivet, Isaac Pooe, who informed the attendees on the tasting and appreciation of whisky and also surprised them with a donation for tasting purposes of The Glenlivet Founders Reserve, First Fill (white AmericanOak) from the newNadurra range, as well as an exquisite 18-year-old example of such. After some hors d’oeuvres , the tasting continued with strong examples of the wide range of whiskey styles and flavours on offer to the consumer. Additional tastings

included the new experimental Project XX fromGlenfiddich, which incorporated blend- ing of 20 specially selected but very diverse casks of Glenfiddich Single Malt. Unusually, the tastingnotes suggested taking thiswhisky with a flake of salt, literally. Showing that whiskey does not have to be overly expensive to be enjoyable, the directly imported Glen Moray 12-year-old Elgin Heritage provided easy drinking and value for money. This whiskey is distilled in the Speyside region innortheasternScotland, which has the greatest concentration of malt

Carl Sandrock, chair of SAIChE IChemE’s Gauteng Branch, explains the various processes of whisky making.

6 ¦ MechChem Africa • September 2018

⎪ SAIChE IChemE news ⎪

SAIChE IChemE SAIChE Board members: President: C Sheridan Imm. Past President D van Vuuren Honorary Treasurer L van Dyk + Vice President: Honorary Secretary: EMObwaka Vice President: D Lokhat Council member: JJ Scholtz Council member: AB Hlatshwayo Council member: K Harding Council Member: M Low Council Member: HMazema Council Member: MChetty Council Member: A de Bondt Council Member: MMabaso Council Member NN Coni Member (co-opted): MD Heydenrych Member (co-opted): MHughes Member (co-opted): CMausse Chair Gauteng: C Sandrock Chair KZN: D Lokhat Chair Western Cape: HMazema Contact details SAIChE PO Box 2125, North Riding, 2162 South Africa natural gas in cement hydrate by Monte Carlo simulation’. Thefirst runner upwasBoldwinMutsvene fromDurbanUniversity of Technology (DUT) who presented a paper called ‘Enhanced bio- hydrogen production from carbohydrate-rich industrial wastewater’ , while In third placewas SphesihleMtsweni aPhDstudent atDUTand an nGap lecturer at Mangosuthu University of Technology who presented a paper titled ‘Effect of controlling factors on horizontal roughing filter performance: the pre-treatment of domestic greywater’ . The winner of the poster presentation category was EK Armah, also from DUT, who presented a poster titled ‘Anaerobic co- digestion of agricultural biomass with industrial wastewater for biogas production’ . Congratulations to all participants and thank you for your support over the past ten years. q

Brand manager of The Glenlivet, Isaac Pooe, informs SAIChE IChemE attendees on the tasting and appreciation of whisky.

whisky producers in the world compared to every other whisky-producing region. The evening ended with a wonderful smokeyQuarterCask Laphroaic, named after the maturation process, which takes place in quarter casks that speed up maturation and allow generous oak contact – in technical terms, think surface area to liquid volume – which impressed tasters with the intense peatiness of a true Islay whiskey. Judging by the high level of interest and the convivial atmosphere that prevailed at this event, this may become an annual event. Please keep a look out on your emails for the next one. KwaZulu-Natal Members Group This year the South African Institution of Chemical Engineers’ KwaZulu-Natal Branch hosted its annual ResearchDay on the 15 th of August at the School of Engineering building of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). This was the tenth such event organised by the Branch. The inaugural Research Day was

held on 21 st August 2008 at the Innovation Centre at UKZN. As Elly Obwaka – the organiser of the in- augural event and this year’s judge – recalls, the participants in that first event, a mere three presenters, were exclusively under- graduate students presenting on projects undertaken in the various departments of chemical engineering in the region. This year all participants were either postgraduate students or academics, representing a full half-day symposium of eight presenters. Obwaka also noted with interest the vast improvement in theassessment of theentries. For the 2018 event, presenters’ abstracts were critically assessed and on this basis eight oral presenters and five poster pre- senters were selected. At the event, further assessment of the poster artefacts and oral presentations were carried out. The winner of the oral presentation category was Dr Matthew Lasich, a lecturer at Mangosuthu University of Technology, who presented a paper entitled ‘Sorption of

Tel: +27 11 704 5915 Fax: +27 86 672 9430 email: saiche@mweb.co.za saiche@icheme.org website: www.saiche.co.za

Attendees at the 2018 UKZN Annual Research Day.

September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 7

According toWeir MineralsAfrica pump product manager, Marnus Koorts, the wear life and efficiency of a high-quality pump may not be optimal if the selection of other pump circuit components such as valves, pipes and bellows is neglected. MechChem Africa finds out more. The benefits of holistic for pumping slurry in mill circuits

“ E very piece of equipment in a mill circuit has an effect on the whole system and when people simply focus on the primary pump, for example, its life and performance may not achieve the desired results if the selection of all the other system components are ne- glected,” Koorts begins. “We at Weir Minerals Africa work in con- junction with our clients to provide holistic integrated solutions to improve the perfor- mance of their circuits, rather than focusing on the initial capital cost of individual pumps, valves or piping. While we believe we have some of the best individual products avail- able, Weir Minerals Africa is more than just a premium equipment supplier. We strive to implement complete solutions that offer mines the lowest TCOwith the longest wear life and highest possible energy efficiencies,” he explains. For mill discharge slurry pumping, Koorts believes the Warman ® MC range, is the best in the world. “Slurry pumps are the largest contributor to the cost of consumables on a mill circuit, but any slurry pump will wear at

an alarming rate if not installed into a suitable system and properly maintained. “Our state-of-the-art Warman ® MCR and MCU pumps are designed to manage dense abrasive slurries that have large particle sizes. They offer the best combination of rug- gedness, durability and hydraulic efficiency through the patented design characteristics and materials incorporated. They have been developed to enable the pump to perform in applications from the most difficult mill discharge duties to water-flushed crushers and mineral sands applications. Key to improving the wear life of these pumps are large diameter, low-speed, high- efficiency impellers. And formaintaining effi- ciency, a simple full-face side liner adjustment enables the gap between the impeller and the throat bush to be quickly and easily adjusted. “Even when using the best available pump, however, it is very important to build the surrounding system to minimise the pump’s consumable and energy costs,” says Koorts. “Operators can often achieve a step-change in operational costs simply by optimising the circuit around one of our

Warman ® MC pumps,” he adds. Knife gate valves, he continues, are typi- cally needed on the inlet and discharge ends of amill circuit pump. “If apump is started into an empty system without a discharge valve, then it sees a very low head with little initial resistance. This will cause the pump speed to ramp up rapidly until it is to the extreme right of its pump curve, resulting in cavitation and impeller damage as well as wasting energy. In severe cases, the pump motor may even blow. It is therefore standard practice to start a mill circuit pump with the discharge valve closed. If done properly, this can significantly increase the lifetime of more expensive com- ponents such as pump impellers andmotors,” Koorts notes. The valve, he explains, quickly generates backpressure to simulate normal operation into a fully flooded line, preventing pump overspeed. Thesevalves can thenbeautomat- edvia thePLCtoautomaticallyopen toenable the product to flow at an efficient speed. “By also installing a valve on the inlet side of the pump, the mill circuit pump can be isolated from the external circuit, enabling

Below: A Warman AHF froth and paste pump coupled with a Linatex hose. Right: A Warman MCR450 in a secondary mill discharge application.

8 ¦ MechChem Africa • September 2018

⎪ Pump systems, pipes, valves and seals ⎪

engineered solutions

An Isogate knife gate slurry valve installed in a copper mine in Zambia. also reducing the amount of vibration trans- ferred into the pipeline and minimising the effect of water hammer. “These slurry joints alsoofferrotatingflanges,whicheliminatethe possibility ofmisalignment andmake installa- tion far simpler.Whenapipehas tobe twisted to align the flange bolts, it again causes high strain, increased vibration and faster system wear,” he notes. The piping and slurry transfer system is another important component of any mill or slurry pumping circuit on a mine. “Our Linatex hose range is designed to provide a low friction and cost-effective slurry trans- fer solution which extends wear life while reducing friction losses andassociatedenergy consumption. “Pipes are often incorrectly viewed as consumables, particularly in high wear areas suchasthepumpdischargepipegoingintothe cyclone feed. These are large diameter, high- pressure, vertical pipe sections transporting slurries with large particles up to a cyclone inlet, often 30 m above. Using hoses made from the Linatex range of rubber with different material strength, hardness, wear and friction properties, the life of these high wear pipe sections can be extendedbybetweenfourtoseventimes.This results in fewer change-outs and significant savingsfromreducedmaintenanceanddown- time costs – savings that far outweigh the cost of the engineered hose itself,” argues Koorts. “By looking at pumping systems holisti- cally and installing the right piping system, expansion joints and valves to one of our purpose-designed slurry pumps, significantly extendedwear life can be achievedwithmas- sive associated component, maintenance and energy cost reductions,” Koorts concludes. q

Isogate knife gate valves integrated with Linatex rubber lining and hoses during production.

repairs or maintenance to be done without having to waste the many tonnes of product trapped in piping. Even if this valve is seldom needed, it can save huge amounts of valuable product as well as making the maintenance task far easier and quicker,” he adds. In term of installation, however, Koorts suggests that thevalves need tobepositioned at a suitable distance away from the pump inlet or discharge. “Valves create turbulence in the product flow and, to reduce wear, a lot of researchhas beendoneon theMC ® pump’s throatbushdesigntoreduceturbulencegoing into the pump. So if a valve is too close to the inlet of the pump, the turbulence increases

and the excellent technology built into our Warman ® designs is undermined,” he points out, adding that, due to back turbulence, this is also true of the discharge valve. Koorts advises that the inlet and outlet valves need to be clear of the pump by at least two pipe diameters. On the valves themselves, he says that most knife gate valves have a seat at the bottom of the valve to seal against the knife. “But when handling slurry, there is always some trappedmaterial in the seat that caused the valve to drip or leak due to its inability to close fully. “Our Isogate knife gate valves have a built- in flushing port below the blade that enables particles to be pushed through the seal when the knife gate closes. An elastomer sleeve, supported by load distributing springs, both wipes the blade as it passes and then seals against the clean blade surface,” he explains. “Since there are no wear components in the line of flow, the valve lasts longer and requires less maintenance. The blade, in particular, lasts much longer and the Isogate valve has been designed for easy mainte- nance with moulded rubber seals that are typically replaced once per year,” Koorts tells MechChem Africa . For the pipe connection between a mill circuit pump and the valves, he recommends using the Linatex ® Flexible Slurry Joints. “Connecting pipe sections are often a little too short or a little too long, so they have to be force fitted, which puts strainon the entire system. We have had cases where the inlet flange of a pump breaks off, due to excessive strain and vibration,” he recalls. The resilient nature of the Linatex ® FlexibleSlurry Joint removes this strain, while

September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 9

⎪ Pump systems, pipes, valves and seals ⎪

Colin Adams, managing director of Integrated Pump Technology, the sole importer and principal distributor for the Grindex range of dewatering, slurry and sludge pumps for Southern Africa, talks about the advantages of Grindex Bravo submersible pumps for sand slurry applications. Moving sand slurries with ease using correct pumps

S and slurry can be one of the most challenging pumping applications as the material being transferred is thick, abrasive and contains coarse particles that often formanunstablemixture. Colin Adams, managing director of Integrated Pump Technology, says that sand slurries alsooften contain corrosive elements and sharp particles including stones, which could result in excessively high wear with a dramatic reduction in pump life. “Pumping sand slurry can be tough on pumps and it is critical that the correct pump be selected for this demanding application,” Adams says. “Attention needs to be paid to theflowrequirements andpower calculations when determiningwhich pump ismost suited toan individual application.Most importantly, these sorts of pumping tasks require more powertooperatethanthatrequiredbyaclean water pump.” IntegratedPumpTechnologyhas reported continued success with its Grindex Bravo pumps, which often replace vertical spindle pumps in these applications.

and sizes range from 3.0 kW to 70 kW. These pumps are equipped with an agitator mechanism that directs settled material to the pump’s intake. The sludge pump range has all the ad- vantages of the other two ranges as well as recessedvortex impellers and split hydraulics with replaceable rubber linings. This allows these pumps to handle larger solids with increased abrasion resistance. Manufactured in Italy, the Faggiolati qual- ity submersible drainage and wastewater pumps are considered a natural comple- ment to the company’s Grindex pump and accessory range. One of the most significant advantages that Faggiolati pumps offer is that allunitsareequippedwithpremiumefficiency IE3 motors. This is particularly important on a continent that needs energy-efficient prod- ucts and solutions. The extensive product line-up of more than 800 items ranges from Apart from the obvious advantage that a submersible pump offers over a vertical spindle pump such as its ease of installation, the innovative design of the Grindex Bravo rangeensuresminimalcontactwiththeactual sand slurry being pumped. Adams says that these pumps have been engineered to deal specifically with complex slurries, and have an integrated agitator sys- tem that allows the slurry to be placed into suspension for easier pumping. “Themajority of pumps do not have this feature and agita- tion therefore needs to come fromanoutside source, thus increasing the cost of the instal- lation as well as the maintenance required in that application,” he says. Commenting on potential increasedwear in these applications, Adams says that the hydraulic components aremade fromN-Hard 4,oneofthehardestmaterialsavailabletoday. This ensures optimumwear life. Grindex Bravo pumps are engineered to operate over the complete pump curve, not just on specific duty, and can handle from 30  ℓ /sec up to 130 ℓ /sec at a maximum head

Grindex Bravo pump design with its integrated agitator system ensures minimal contact with the sand slurry being pumped. of 45 m. The slim compact design facilitates quick and easy installation, while low noise level operation is another advantage. Lower operating costs are also possible. These high efficiency pumps are known for reduced electrical consumption as well as for lower maintenance costs. q 0.5 kW to 350 kW and pumps are available in grey cast iron as well asmarine bronze and stainless steel for specialised applications. Integrated Pump Technology has a strong network of 16 strategically located distribu- tors each of which has a solid track record. q

Global pumps on display at EMA Integrated Pump Technology showcased its range of global OEMpumps at ElectraMining Africa. The company was established four years ago as the official Southern African distributor for the well respected Grindex range of electrical submersible pumps and last year introduced the Italianmanufactured Faggiolati pumps to its product offering.

Grindex pumps incorporate a unique air valve that allows the impeller to pass air instead of water, protecting the unit in dry run conditions. These robustly constructed pumps are engineered to operate in harsh environments offering end-users reliability and energy efficiency. The range of Grindex dewatering pumps range in sizes from 0.5 kW to 90 kW with a new145 kWunit currently in field trials. This unitwill be released tomarket earlynext year. Grindex slurry pumps are robust work- horses made for use in mines and quarries

Stainless steel pumps from Integrated Pump Technology are ideal for mining applications and were on display at Electra Mining Africa.

September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 11

⎪ Pump systems, pipes, valves and seals ⎪

The smartest water utilities have figured out the power of the pump – transforming this costly and energy-intensive process can put you on the roadmap to sustainability. Solar water pumps reduce electricity use

S chneider Electric’s international knowledge on the water and waste- water industry and its ability tobreak barriers and connect ideas was re- centlydemonstratedat theWater Instituteof Southern Africa (WISA) biennial conference and exhibition in Cape Town. “The theme, ‘Breaking barriers, Connecting ideas’ is an integral part of Schneider Electric’s ethos, working as we do across both the devel- opedanddevelopingworlds,”saysMarcRamsay, vicepresident for the IndustryBusinessUnit at Schneider Electric SouthAfrica. “We have adapted our systems to meet thosechallengesfoundonthegroundatwater utilities and further upstream. For instance, the Villaya solar water pumping solution is a fully automatic system, designed to provide water at affordable cost for people with limited or no access to electricity. It uses the most advanced solar variable speed drive to regulate the speed of a 3-phase ac motor depending upon the solar energy available from an array of solar panels. The solar drive converts the dc voltage input to a 3-phase ac output with variable voltage and frequency. “Another often overlooked issue is the pump system at many of the older pump sta- tions, which have not been redesigned for manyyears.Pumpsrepresentoneofthelargest asset expenditures for a utility but also offer the greatest potential for savings. Addressing asset management, energy management and sustainability is of course crucial but our re- search has shown that 75% of pump systems are oversized, many by more than 20%. This while electricity costs account for 40% of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a pump. “The solution for the issues lies in smart pumping or intelligent pumping, along with the use of the Industrial Internet of Things

(IIoT). These approaches result in energy savings, increased equipment lifetime and maintenance cost reductions by providing higher quality and precise data. “A ‘smart pumping’ system has the ability to combine greater efficiencies with sensors and software to regulate and control flow and pressure. The IIoT incorporatesmachine learning and big data technology, harnessing sensor data, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and automation technolo- gies that have existed in industrial settings for years. “We recommend that utility owners start

small, start smart and start now by introducing energy measuring devices intosystemarchitec- tures. They can use

Marc Ramsay, vice president for the Industry Business Unit at Schneider Electric South Africa.

controllers with intelligent applications for better protectionand reducedcommissioning time, while following guidelines for standards as set by local and global organisations. They can replace fixed speed pumps with variable speed pumps and for ‘smart’ visibility of pumping systems, use remote monitoring for maintenance and energy efficiency. q

New impeller from KSB improves pump suction In its ongoing quest to push the boundaries of performance, pump manufacturer, KSB Group, has developed a special impel- ler to further improve the suction characteristics of its Movitec multistage high-pressure pumps. The new impeller is particularly useful in applications with critical inlet conditions such as boiler feed applications, aswell as applications in which the pump is required to take in water from low-lying tanks or at higher temperatures. These condi- tions are not always suitable for standard pumps, as pressure drop in the intake area can cause cavitation in the first pump stage, resulting inexcessivewear of pumpparts ormotor bearings aswell as a reduced service life of the pump due to damaged parts and an unbalanced hydraulic system. The new impeller is offered as an alternative to the standard product. When developing the new impeller, KSB’s design engineers went to great lengths to ensure it can be used with a number of Movitec variants without necessitating modifications to the outer pump cas- ing. The new impeller features a modified inlet diameter, vanes that allow a slightly diagonal through-flow and a newly designed stage casing, all of which serve to substantially improve the pump’s NPSH (net positive suction head). The multistage centrifugal pumps from KSB’s Movitec range are designed for handling fluids such as water, coolants, condensate and mineral oils. They are ideal for a wide variety of applications ranging from industrial boiler feed installations in steamcircuits, recirculation and fire-fighting systems, cooling water circuits and washing plants to pressure boosting in general process applications. q

September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 13

Mike Feldon, MD of foam dosing fire protection specialist, Dosetech, talks about the supply of its latest portable foam fire protection systems to mitigate against surface fires in the petrochemical industry. Foam dosing trailer guards against surface fires

D oseTech (Pty) Ltd and FireDos GmbH (Germany) have, for the past three years, been supply- ing the latest portable foam fire protections system into the South African petro chemical industry, says Mike Feldon, the company’s managing director. The first unique custom-built trailer system was required as a standalone water- driven system for dosing 3% foam concen- trate and to feed thewater and foampre-mix through a 22 000  ℓ /min monitor/deluge gun in order to be able to extinguish large surface fires in crude oil storage facilities. Kantey and Templer Durban were the design engineers and FireDos GmbH were able to meet the design requirements and manufacture the complete system, which included their new generation Firedos moni- tor technology, which adds not only reduced friction loss and greater throw distance,

but the ability to adjust the flow on the monitor whilst in operation from 5 000 ℓ /min to a maximum of 22 000 ℓ / min.WithDoseTech supplying the local technical support, document control and training, the foamdosing trailerwill be used to suck foam concentrate from bulk portable foamtankers in the event of a surface fire. A 2 nd trailer system was required as a stand-alone water driven system to dose 3% foam concentrate into a premix solution. This solution will be used to feed existing onsite firefighting equipment, such as tank top pourers, rim seal protection, bund pourers and existing portable monitors. MuellerCompanyrecentlyacquiredSinger control valves, which enables DoseTech to now offer a complete range of manual and automatedfire protection controls valves, in-

The ‘Oval Flat Design’ of the new FireDos monitor allows water and foam to pass through with minimal turbulence.

cluding bury gate valves with indicator posts, OS&YGatevalves, Deluge, pressure reducing, pressure relief, flow and level control valves, all with FMGlobal or UL listings. q The custom-built trailer was required as a standalone water-driven system for dosing 3% foam concentrate.

⎪ Pump systems, pipes, valves and seals ⎪

Pump rental operator showcases products

I ntegrated Pump Rental reinforced its position as one of the leading pump rental operations in SouthernAfricawith its par- ticipation at Electra Mining Africa. The company showcased a range of its pump rental solutions aimed at showing the diversity of product available, and its ability to service all pump rental needs within the mining sector. As the official representative of Sykes diesel-driven self-priming pumps in the SADC region, Integrated Pump Rental offers a comprehensive range of these pumps for hire. Offering characteristics such as high head and high flow, these large pumps are trailer-mounted for ease of use. This range offers pumping capabilities of up to 500 ℓ /sec with a maximum head of up to 208 m. Series and parallel configurations are available to facilitate higher heads and an increased flow. The company’s hydro mining solutions have gained traction over the last few years, and both the SlurrySucker and the SlurryBlaster dredgeunitwill beon the stand.

The SlurrySucker is ideal for the regular cleaning of process water ponds and return water dams, while the SlurryBlaster is suit- able for hydro mining sludge out of water

Completing the product offering was a range of accessories including hose andpump flotationdevices, hoses and control and auto- mation solutions. q

storage areas. Both units are compact in design, and easy to transport from site to site. In addition, these units have been engineered to operate without causing damage toplastic lineddams and ponds. Also of interest on the standwas the latest addition to IntegratedPumpRental’s fleet–theUrbanLEDmobile tower light. With most de- watering andother pumping applications conducted on a 24/7 basis, there is a need to ensure optimumvisibility and these tower lights pro- vide reliable lighting ensur- ing the safety of personnel.

Integrated Pump Rental showcased the Sykes diesel driven pump on its stand at Electra Mining Africa.

Nelspruit distribution partner for pumps Verder Pumps South Africa, a market leader in advanced industrial pumping solutions – is pleased to confirm the company has ap- pointed Flo-Tek as its exclusive distributor in Nelspruit and surrounding areas.

(12%), general government services (10.8%), and finance, real estate and business (9.4%). Mpumalanga is said to have higher than aver- age growth rates and that this mirrored by tremendous growth in Nelspruit, where the local micro-economy has generally shown growth of 6% per annum. Flo-Tek is a leading manufacturer and supplier of pipes, fittings, tanks and irriga- tion products for various applications across multiple sectors, including in mining and industrial, water and sanitation and irriga- tion. The company’s clients typically include government departments, municipalities, state-owned enterprises, mining and con- struction companies, and building material suppliers etc. As Verder’s exclusive distribution partner in Nelspruit, Flo-Tek will initially stock hoses

“We are very pleased to bring Flo-Tek onboard as a distribution partner. Nelspruit and the Mpumalanga Province present significant growth opportunities for our business – particularly as the key economic contributors to the region fall predominantly within infrastructure development or in- dustrial and consumer market sectors,” says DarrylMacdougall,managingdirector,Verder Pumps South Africa. The major gross domestic product con- tributors for Mpumalanga Province include, mining (21.8%), wholesale, retail, catering and accommodation (13%), manufacturing

for theVerderFlex range of pumps, and as the portfolio grows strategic stockwill be kept in Nelspruit. Flo-Tek will also continue to offer after-sales service support to their customers for quality and performance assurance. q

September 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 15

MechChem Africa talks to ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) energy efficiency manager, Louis Bosch, and Greg Adcock from pump system optimisation specialist, TAS Online, about the substantial energy and cost savings being achieved at the steel maker’s Vanderbijlpark plant. Industrial efficiency initiatives: An AMSA success story

EnergyDrive financed the whole proj- ect through a shared-savings scheme. “EnergyDrive bears the full capital cost of purchasing and implementing the VSD solu- tions.We thensigna savings-sharingcontract, where we each earn a certain percentage of the real savings achieved. Then, once the capital is paid off, this split is increased in our favour, with the scheme remaining a win-win for both parties. “They also install monitoring to enable us to analyse the savings and the system in real time. This offers us a cost-free installa- tion with immediate financial benefits, while EnergyDrive is able to recoup its investment over time, after which the company accrues profits directly linked to our savings. It is a win-win situation,” he notes. Following implementation of the VSD solution in June 2017, real monetary savings of R13 633 234/year have been achieved at AMSA’s HSMHP Plant, via energy savings of 61350GJ –without AMSAhaving to allocate any capex. “This amounts to an overall 53% reduction in total electricity consumption and an environmental benefit of 17 766 t of reduced CO 2 emissions,” says Bosch. The slab caster cooling plant Adcock cites another successful intervention, on the cooling bath of AMSA’s slab caster. “To cool the slabs they are quenched in a bath of water to enable them to be quickly moved down the line. Two 30 kWpumps are used to feedwater into thebath, witha thirdavailable for times when the temperature rises above the 70 °C set point. The heated water is con- tinuously cascading out of the bath and two 100 kWhot water pumps, which are slaves to the cascade volume, are used to pump the hot watertoacoolingtower,where30kWfansare used tocool thecirculatingwater,” heexplains. “Our first observationwas that twopumps were not needed to pump the coldwater into the bath and that one feedwater and one hot water pump could be completely removed from the system. This immediately reduced pumping consumption by 130 kW, or 50%. “On occasions when the temperature exceeds the 70° set point, the additional

T he National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC), which is part of the United Nations Industrial De- velopment Organisation (UNIDO) and hosted by the CSIR in South Africa, promotes the implementation of resource efficiency and cleaner production. “As part of the programme, the NCPC sponsors pump and fan energy assessments and case studies and Harry Rosen and myself do audits on systems on their behalf,” says Greg Adcock of TAS Online. “Our engagement with the NCPC be- gan when Harry Rosen came to AMSA’s Vanderbijlpark plant to deliver his Pump Expert Training course to our engineers. We have a very large number of pumping systems spread across this plant and during the train- ing, we were able to identify several systems and combinations of systems that could benefit from the use of variable speed drives (VSDs) to speed up or slow down the process to save energy,” continues AMSA’s energy efficiency manager, Louis Bosch. “In addition, though, the training high- lighted many other changes that we could make thatwouldnot require toomuchcapital: through simple optimisation of some of the existing pumps and, more importantly, the systems they are pumping into,” Bosch says.

The HSM HP Pumps project One of the early projects identified during the pump audit at the Vanderbijlpark plant was for the cooling water pumping plant for the hot stripmill (HSM), which consists of five 1 225 kW high pressure pumps that supply cooling water into the plant. “When cooling water is not required, the pumps cannot be switched off because pres- sure is required instantly when cooling de- mand returns. The breaks in demand can last froma fewseconds toa fewhours, sowhenno flow is required, the systemwas switched into bypassmodewith all the pumps continuing to run at full speed. If accumulated, thesebreaks were found to amount to 50%of the pumping time,” Adcock reveals. The solution involved the installation of VSDs on all five of these HP pumps to enable energy savings during periods of low cool- ing demand. “During normal supply periods, the pump speed is typically 800 rpm. During bypassmode,thespeedisnowreducedsignifi- cantly, typically to600rpmandduringperiods of sustained plant downtime, a signal is sent to the controller and the pumps are run at the minimum speed, known as idling speed – and in all threemodes, the pressures requirement of 8.5 bar can be maintained,” he explains. “This was a variable process and a good fit for energy optimisation using VSDs,” adds Bosch. “But VSDs require capital, which is a severe implementation constraint for a plant such as ours with a list of hundreds of capex priorities. That is why we partnered with EnergyDrive Systems to finance the project,” Bosch tells MechChem Africa . Describing the partnership between EnergyDrive and AMSA, Bosch says that

cold water pump can still be switched on, and if it spikes to 90°, which is very rare, the third pump can be added. The total annual savings achieved by doing that is R900000/year. “This was a low cost inter- vention. The monitoring was already inplaceandall thatwas neededwas to change the con- troller logic to switch pumps 2 and 3 on at the modified set points,” Adcock adds. Following implementation

The pump curve for one of the five 1 225 kW high pressure pumps for AMSA’s hot strip mill (HSM), before and after VSDs were installed.

A view of the HP pump station at AMSA.

16 ¦ MechChem Africa • September 2018