PUMPS, VALVES & ACTUATORS FEATURE


PUMP STANDARDISATION HELPS STREAMLINE PRODUCT SELECTION


David Clark, of HMD Kontro Sealless Pumps, looks at a new range of centrifugal sealless pumps that has been developed to help plant operators upgrade easily when planning for the future


M


anaging and improving existing plant is essential to optimising and


maximising process efficiency and productivity. Driving operational improvement is a necessity, not a luxury, and building in flexibility is becoming the new norm when competing in challenging environments. For those managing process plants


engaged in handling hazardous or toxic liquids, preventing leakage and/or the loss of both these and of high value product, goes hand in hand with achieving a high standard of environmental, health and safety compliance. Industry is faced with ever-tightening legislation and more demanding international standards governing liability and operator safety. Introducing and maintaining a review path and upgrade process is essential if processing operations are to remain safe and profitable. Meanwhile tight budgets may dictate starting small with new facilities and scaling up over time. Fundamental to the fluid handling


process, pumps are a key component where operational savings can be made, with the latest developments offering a way to build in more ‘lean’, simplifying the upgrade process and cutting lifecycle maintenance costs. For many years, sealless pumps have


been an option for the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and refining industries. A magnetic drive sealless centrifugal pump provides total liquid containment, eliminating potentially dangerous leaks from the outset. The sealless design is also easier to maintain, with fewer working parts and no associated mechanical seal support systems to design, document, install and maintain. Since the introduction of sealless pumps,


advances in technology and materials have shaped product development still further. The HMD Kontro GSA pumps, designed more than 25 years ago, are a good example of a product range that has undergone continuous metamorphosis. The addition of new features and adaptation to meet updated ASME and ISO standards has led to product customisation with a range of options. Embarking on an exercise to design a new range of pumps that will complement


their existing GSA/GSI range of pumps, HMD Kontro listened to users to identify their key operational and maintenance requirements. As a result, the company realised that having a wide availability of


minimising the number of magnet couplings to cover the required hydraulic range and a reduction in build configuration relative to application temperature. In addition, there is the option to incorporate the HMD Kontro ZeroLoss containment shell, which reduces power consumption, as smaller motor sizes can be utilised, and increases the robustness of the pump to process upsets. Another important industry requirement


build options, many of which were customer specific, whilst desirable in some respects has the potential to reduce interchangeability across the range and often resulted in a limited upgrade path, both of which resulted in longer delivery times. This was considered crucial when up-time is a key factor for most users. Responding to these issues led HMD


Kontro to revisit and revitalise their design, leading to a new approach to sealless pumps. The result is the new CSA and CSI range of magnetic drive end suction centrifugal pumps. A major objective in the conception of


the new generation chemical service pumps was to offer a way to streamline the selection process by standardising the range and to simplify plant-based maintenance and upgrades. This was achieved by the introduction of


a modular design, specifically engineered for maximum part interchangeability and supplied in a range of hydraulic sizes to cover a wide duty and application base using the minimum of pumps. By also allowing existing pumps to be upgraded when improving plants, the process is both faster and less costly. As part of the rationalisation of the


range, the development process entailed a review of what options would be needed. Areas that have been addressed include


/ PROCESS&CONTROL


As part of a strategic plant asset management renewal and upgrade process, the standardisation and simplification of pumps, using the latest


innovations incorporated into the CSA and CSI, can help process operators ensure their systems are up to date and future-proofed


was to provide the flexibility for local Channel Partners to configure the pumps to meet end-user operational needs and allow shorter lead times to be offered. The latest pumps offer a ‘kit-style’ approach, whereby stock components can be combined to ensure a matched solution can be provided in as little as a week. The design of the new style pumps


allows for easy on-site replacement of components and servicing without hot- working, minimising production downtime and disruption. The ease of interchangeability designed into the pumps helps improve uptime and results in much more efficient management of the spare parts inventory, resulting in ongoing cost savings and increased plant profitability. Although simplifying systems design has


David Clark is senior engineering manager at HMD Kontro


been paramount, this has not overshadowed the original purpose of responding to changing user needs and imperatives. Among the more than forty improvements represented in the latest modular CSA/CSI pumps are new external modular bearing assemblies and the ability to easily incorporate either secondary containment or control options on both long mounted or close coupled build configurations to further comply with the highest standards on emissions and leakage control. The new range fully conforms to the latest IECEx standard and assures compliance with ASME B73.3 and ISO2858/15783 for the CSA and CSI respectively.


HMD Kontro Sealless Pumps hmdkontro.com


PROCESS & CONTROL | OCTOBER 2020 25


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