MATERIALS HANDLING
PUMPING UP productivity L
New hose pumps deliver step-change improvements to reliability at Brazilian copper mine
arge numbers of new heavy- duty hose pumps have recently been installed at a copper mining company in Northern Brazil.
An initial prospective order for pumps at this site was lost to competitive hose pumps. However following repeated hose failures and lengthy downtime, the mine’s operators opted to install 32 Bredel hose pumps from Watson Marlow Fluid Transfer Group (WMFTG) as part of the next investment phase. T e success of that subsequent installation prompted the replacement of all 40 of the competitive pumps with Bredel models. T ere are now 84 Bredel hose pumps spread across the company’s two copper sites.
Accuracy and reliability T e mine requires pumps in its fl otation area for chemical metering. T is is an important part of the mining process that demands both accuracy and reliability, not to mention pumps capable of working 24/7. Precision is particularly important as the chemicals are not only expensive to purchase, but their transportation to this remote area, is also costly. Wastage has a direct impact on profi tability and spillage could have a negative impact on this environmentally aware company. T e competitor pumps originally installed ran into diffi culty – typically through hose failures – when pumping chemicals that include sodium sulphate, xanthate, methyl-isoamyl alcohol and dithiophosphate. Indeed,
There are currently 43 Bredel pumps at each mine
the company reports that it needed to replace hoses as frequently as every month, due to chemical attack and poor pump installation advice. T is experience is in stark contrast to the support off ered by WMFTG. Despite the fact that the mine is located in a remote and densely forested area of Brazil, the customer reports that WMFTG has off ered ongoing project assistance throughout the specifi cation, installation and commission phases. In addition, WMFTG will shortly be delivering training to the maintenance and process teams at the customer’s second mine.
42 pumps at each mine Today, the mine’s operators have 42 Bredel pumps at each of their two mines - both operate at fl ow rates of between 22 and 540L/h. Since the installation of the fi rst pumps, none of the hose problems previously encountered with the competitor pumps have been reported. In addition, the accuracy and
reliability of Bredel pump technology is helping the company keep chemical costs under control and ease-of-maintenance is cited as a further benefi t. ●
For more information visit
www.wmftg.com
www.engineerlive.com 43
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
