PUMPS, VALVES & ACTUATORS FEATURE
GOING MOBILE WITH ATEX AND ELECTRIC PUMPS In a potentially
From oil refineries to vineyards, and all types of applications in between, Börger says electric driven, ATEX-approved mobile pumps can offer many advantages over diesel-powered versions...
A
Mobile Pump? If the first picture that pops into your head is that of a
diesel-powered, generator-type unit, then fine; there will always be a need – but aside from diesel not striking the right environmental chords, what if your mobile pump has to meet the demands of ATEX? Chalwyn valves and Spark Arrestors
certainly do their job to meet Health & Safety requirements, but they do not, for example, control surface temperatures in the T4 range of 135°C. Such are the rigorous and sometimes complicated demands of ATEX that it is not uncommon for pump users to position control panels away from the ATEX area in order to comply with the regulation. Not the end of the world, but far from convenient. For an increasing number in industry
though, that first picture of a mobile pump is beginning to change instead to that of one with an electric-drive. “I think there’s still some lack of
awareness that ATEX-approved electric- drive mobile pumps are available,” said David Brown, managing director of Börger. “There must be”, he added, “because I’m quite shocked to see non-ATEX units still in use at some petrochemical sites.”
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS Börger sells mobile pumps that are diesel as well as electric, so Brown is keen to stress that he’s not on an anti-diesel crusade. Where needs must, especially for emergency use where no power supply is available, there are no end of Börger pumps in operation, including, for example, in the Republic of Ireland, where they are used to combat flooding. However, Brown believes that where mains power is available, electric-driven mobile pumps – lighter, far less cumbersome and so much better for the environment – leave costly (storage, transportation, labour) diesel units lagging way behind. “Diesel usually has to be bought in bulk
too,” continued Brown, “and there’s the time involved of having to keep topping up a diesel mobile pump - plus the fact that such a large amount of fuel is used. But in a potentially explosive environment, an ATEX-approved mobile pump is a must. Just recently for a petrochemical company, we built a customised ATEX- compliant mobile pump for transfer
telescopic loader or a crane transports the pump to its respective application site. The fluids are often polluted with organic solids, so a filter system is in place to separate them out. Without hardly any pulsation, tri-lobe screw rotors pump the medium, with only the lobe tips of the rotors needing replacement in case of wear. “The unit is operated from a fully ATEX-
compliant control cabinet on the actual mobile unit,” said Brown. “This makes everything so much more convenient for the operator. If defined pressures or temperatures are exceeded, the pump switches off automatically. And in order to protect against uncontrolled pressure surges, the mobile pump is equipped with a Variocap and a bypass with rupture disks. Knowing that everything is ATEX-
An electric pump on the move
operations and removal of residues from storage tanks in an Ex zone 2 of their refinery.” Brown explained how in order to be able
to use the pump everywhere on the rough refinery premises, the mobile unit (including the drive) is mounted on a base-frame equipped with fork-lift openings and crane lifting eyes. A
compliant provides great peace of mind.” Börger has also recently supplied mobile
pumps for a mineral oil company’s refinery. The entire pump unit, including the pump itself, the drive and the control technology had to be manufactured in ATEX-compliant design. For flexible use on the premises, the mineral oil company need to convey changing media and use the mobile pumps for "pigging" the pipelines – on the basis that the highest degree of safety would be met for the potentially explosive atmospheres.
The pumps are suitable for use on oil tankers
MOBILITY & FLEXIBILITY ‘Mobile’ is self-explanatory of course, so there is no end to the number of uses of a mobile pump. A world away from the strict ATEX requirements at refineries, mobile pumps from Börger are also in use at… French vineyards! Custom-built, the stainless-steel pumps are moved through narrow aisles for transfer operations, with the wine producers able to set the required flow rate easily via the control unit. Screw rotors convey the wine with low pulsation so that it does not foam up – whilst temperature sensors in the pump’s cover and pressure sensors in the suction and pressure lines ensure a high level of safety and quality. The pump can be operated via the Börger control unit or the supplied remote control. Brown concluded: “Diesel-powered
mobile pumps will always have an important role to play. But from refineries with their strict ATEX requirements - to vineyards – and for all types of applications, electric-driven, plug-in- and-play mobile pumps offer big advantages. For being lighter, far more cost-effective, safer and so much better on the environment, they are an attractive investment – and a very good hire option too.”
Börger UK
www.boerger.com
PROCESS & CONTROL | JUNE 2020 15
explosive environment, an ATEX-approved mobile pump is a must
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