MechChem Africa September-October 2021

⎪ Water and wastewater processing ⎪

Left: The top of the lime buffer tank where lime is stored during the slaking process. Right: With water recovery of between 98% and 99.5%, the only liquid to leave the plant is the moisture in the dewatered sludge.

over the years both locally and internation- ally for its contribution to water quality and environmental management. It was awarded a goldmedal by theSouthAfrican Institute for Engineers and a Greening Future Award by theMail &Guardiannewspaper. It alsoearned recognition in the sustainability category of Nedbank Capital’s Green Mining Awards. Further afield, HiPRO™ was named by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as one its Lighthouse Projects in the Momentum for Change awards at COP17. www.grundfos.com/za chemical corrosion, the system includes specially selected materials such as Teflon, ceramics and polyethylene. Colour-coding is used to enhance safety and ease of use, with red specify- ing hydrochloric acid and blue for so- dium chlorite – ensuring no confusion of chemicals. “Ourcapability indisinfectingwateraligns well with our Grundfos value, particularly in helping to ensure water access for more peoplearoundtheworldandtosafeguardour precious water resources,” he says. “Many of ourcustomers inthefoodandbeveragesector share these goals, and we are confident that we can help achieve them.” www.grundfos.com/za

as loose flanges for easy installation. The stainless steel shafts mean improved corro- sion resistance with no sticking elements, while the heavy duty bearing brackets ensure correct lubrication for long pump lifetime. Drummond says the relationshipbetween Nafasi Water and Grundfos goes back many years, and its water treatment plants today make extensive use of Grundfos pumps. “When we issue our requirements for pump packages to themarket, wegenerallyfind that Grundfos is exceptionally competitive, while offering technically compliant solutions to a wide range of needs,” he says. With Grundfos pumps used extensively in breweries, distilleries, wineries and soft drink plants, it is no surprise that the company also offers leading technology for disinfecting water in these facilities. With a heritage of serving the beverage sector for the past 150 years, the company recognises that hygiene is at the centre of this industry, according toGrundfos associ- ate sales engineer Raymond Makgoga. “Alongside all thequalityGrundfos pump solutionsusedby foodandbeverageproduc- ers, our offering includes the sophisticated Oxiperm Pro disinfection system,” says Makgoga. “This is a one-stop chlorine diox- ide generator that facilitates effective and efficient cleaning-in-place (CIP) solutions.” The system creates a diluted chlorine dioxide solution from sodium chlorite and hydrochloric acid, disinfecting the water supply and allowing pipelines in a plant to be reliably cleaned in between production batches. Theuseof chlorinedioxide isable to render the water safe and hygienic without affecting its taste or smell – another vital element for success in this sector, he says. DeanNaidoo, lead key account manager OEM South Africa for Grundfos, highlights that the Oxiperm Pro has been tried and tested in many food and beverage applica-

Makgoga notes that Grundfos was also recently able to provide two multi-stage centrifugal pumps with control drives to a Nafasi Water treatment plant in the Springs area of Gauteng. The benefits of Nafasi Water plants to the local communities extend beyond the supply of clean water, notes Drummond. “NafasiWaterprioritises theupskillingof local residents in our plant operations, which has allowed some employees to enter the com- pany as operators and develop their careers to becomemanagers at these plants,” he says. TheHiPRO™process has been recognised tions. It has even been used to provide high quality drinking water for corporate drink- ing fountains. “The accuracy of the dosing system sup- ports the responsible use of water when cleaning and sanitising the inside of pipes,” saysNaidoo. “Byensuring thecorrect chemi- cal strength, theuser canoptimise thewater volumes that must be passed through the plant pipelines to remove microbes.” Water can even be recirculated through the Oxiperm Pro at a higher strength if pipeline testing indicates that the sanitation standard is not yet achieved, he says. The componentry of the Oxiperm Pro includes three smart digital dosing pumps, a reactor and a controller. Designed to resist

Disinfecting water in the food & beverage sector

Operators conduct inspection and checking reports to ensure optimal performance, and that proportional dosing flow is maintained.

September-October 2021 • MechChem Africa ¦ 11