Safe and Efficient Low-Pressure Tanker Discharge for Environmentally Friendly Bitumen Emulsion Handling
Key points
Enhanced Safety and Efficiency in Bitumen, Oil, and Chemical Transport Traditionally, road tankers that carry viscous materials like bitumen, oils, and chemicals have relied on compressed air to speed up discharge flow rates. However, this approach carries significant safety risks and environmental concerns. Recent technological advancements and changing regulatory standards now highlight the need for safer, more controlled pumped discharge processes.
The Decline of Compressed Air Discharge North Ridge Pumps has recently provided several bitumen emulsion offloading pumps to various clients. These tanker offloading pumps are essential for the efficient and safe unloading of fluids in industries such as agriculture, chemicals, food processing, fuel distribution, and more.
With a diverse range of fluids—from non-hazardous inert liquids to highly toxic chemicals—choosing the right pump is crucial. Important factors like fluid temperature, viscosity, and toxicity must be taken into account to ensure safe handling.
Risks Associated with Compressed Air Discharge
While the use of pressurized air or gas is common in industrial settings, it often leads to an underappreciation of the associated risks. Improper management of compressed air during tanker discharge can have serious consequences, including
- Over-pressurization of containers, which can lead to explosions.
- Discharge of hot liquids, creating hazards for both operators and the environment.
- These dangers underscore the need for alternative, safer methods of fluid offloading.
Advantages of Dedicated Tanker Offloading Pumps
Specialized tanker offloading pumps are engineered to handle low-pressure discharge processes with greater precision and safety. These pumps reduce many of the risks linked to compressed air discharge and provide several advantages:
- Complete extraction of container contents.
- Efficient management of fluids with low vapor pressure.
- Safe unloading of flammable or toxic liquids, even when concentrations are uncertain.
- Effective discharge of thick or rapidly solidifying liquids.
- Reduction of dry running risks, especially towards the end of the discharge process.
Solutions When Power is Unavailable:
In situations where three-phase or single-phase power is not available, engine-driven vane pumps offer a dependable alternative for loading or offloading bitumen and emulsions. These reversible pumps support both tank filling and unloading tasks and can be fitted with various sealing options, such as single mechanical seals, double mechanical seals with barrier fluid, or gland packing.
Vane pumps are adaptable, capable of managing a wide range of viscous fluids like oils, diesel, petroleum, fuel oil, and animal oils/blood. They can also effectively pump non-lubricating fluids like solvents, as there is no metal-to-metal contact within the unit.
Tailored Pump Solutions from North Ridge Pumps:
Collaborating with a trusted pump manufacturer like North Ridge Pumps ensures that your low-pressure tanker offloading pump is customized to address specific operational challenges. With over 25 years of experience, North Ridge Pumps stands as the UK’s leading pump supplier, providing tailored solutions across various applications.
Our expertise enables us to identify the most suitable pump for each client’s distinct needs, delivering cost-effective, efficient, and safe solutions rather than generic off-the-shelf products.
Case Study:
Custom Solution for Bitumen Emulsion Transfer: For one of our clients, we specified the NRBAL3C three-inch horizontal long-coupled vane pump. This pump features the option to install heat trace probes to lower the viscosity of the pumped liquid and prevent bitumen from solidifying within the pump head.
Key features of this low-pressure offloading pump include:
- Delivery capacity of up to 30 m³/h at three bar.
- Integrated bypass valve to prevent over-pressurization of tanks or containers—this is a crucial safety feature.
- Low shear force fluid movement, perfect for delicate bitumen emulsions.
Reach out to North Ridge Pumps for Expert Guidance. If your operations include the quick loading or unloading of tankers and you need professional advice on choosing the right pump, get in touch with North Ridge Pumps. Our team is committed to delivering solutions that improve safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability in all fluid handling applications.
North Ridge Pumps
- 01773302660
- sales@northridgepumps.com
- http://www.northridgepumps.com
- North Ridge House 3 Chrysalis Way Eastwood Nottinghamshire NG16 3RY GB
About us
North Ridge Pumps are an independent manufacturer and distributor of pumps. Having been established since 1998, we have a vast array of experience having become accustomed to supplying pumps for most processes.
We work within a range of industries both UK and Internationally, specifying pumps for a wide variety of applications from the transfer of corrosive and aggressive chemicals, to dewatered sludge, viscous grease, resin, glues, food and Seawater.
Our pumps range from standard centrifugal and multistage pumps, to immersed and process overhung solid handling pumps. We also supply a wide range of positive displacement pumps including Vane, Piston, Progressing Cavity and Peristaltic enabling us to specify more than one solution for your application, but also ensuring the majority of applications remain within our reach.
We offer the following services:
Technical support – We know at times pump selection is difficult. Pump selections are made with confidence by technical sales engineers who understand your process, ensuring equipment is engineered beyond your needs.
To select the correct technical solution for your requirement, longevity of design is prioritised. If there are existing issues you need assistance with, we work with you to solve these which could be high maintenance costs, frequent service periods, repeated equipment breakdown leading to lost revenue, inconsistent flow rates, clogging or where pumped product is inconsistent.
Application experience – Due to our 20 years of application experience we work with you to ensure our pumps operate according to your desired application. Our experience means we have most likely provided a solution for a similar process previously. With proven results, we know how to achieve your outcome sooner.
As our pumps are completely configurable, we design pumps with materials according to your requirement, and to your required duty point. Pumps are engineered specifically for your process whether they be baseplate mounted, within a mobile frame or in kit form with couplings, hoses, and dispensing nozzle.
Industry knowledge – We have a thorough understanding of a range of industries through experience from supplying the offshore oil and gas market, to paper mills, chemical plants and food manufacturers to name a few.
We not only understand the importance of downtime but also what each process requires and how small design improvements specific to the nature of your industry and application can reduce downtime, facilitate maintenance and improve longevity.
If you have a process or application you require a pump for, or a process which requires improving, get in touch to see how we can help.
What we do in a nutshell
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