Replacement Buffer Tank Pumps Increase Efficiency At Organic Waste Recycling Plant
Fluids Handling

Replacement Buffer Tank Pumps Increase Efficiency At Organic Waste Recycling Plant

Photo of Watson Marlow Watson Marlow Send an email 24/01/2018
259 2 minutes read
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Bredel pumps deliver 25% improvement to process uptime and contribute to reduced CO2 emissions at Italian organic waste recycling plant

A total of seven Bredel 80 hose pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) have replaced competitor models on buffer tanks feeding the digester at a major Italian recycling plant.

The previous pumps were undersized when running at high speeds and subsequently demonstrated gearbox wear and hose life issues. However, these problems have been completely eliminated with the introduction of Bredel pumps. In fact, such has been their success that Bredel 65 pumps are now being considered for a further application.

Montello SpA is a market leader in sorting, recovery and recycling of post-consumer plastic packaging, as well as treatment, recovery and recycling of organic waste. At the company’s 350,000m2 plant near Bergamo, waste is used to produce biogas from an anaerobic digestion process that in turn generates electric and thermal energy, as well as high-quality organic fertiliser.

Heavy-duty application

The company uses pumps to feed the digester from buffer tanks. This is a high temperature and high flow (21m3/hr), 24/7 application. The sludge is viscous with high dry solids content (up to 60-70%), which can include sand – a highly abrasive constituent.

Pressure is a further issue: for safety reasons involving the production of gas, the digesters are located far from the plant, so the discharges are up to 100 metres distant.

As a result of these challenges, Montello’s existing pumps and hoses were falling short of expectations in terms of process uptime and operational costs, particularly when running at elevated speeds.

In search of a solution, the company turned to WMFTG, requesting a trial of two Bredel 80 pumps. The closed loop, speed controlled pump, running against a discharge pressure of 5.5 bar delivered an impressive process uptime by 25% using an NR (natural rubber) hoses.

With the new pumps and hoses in place, the customer now achieves a reliable process that offers predictable gas generation and known maintenance costs. Today, seven Bredel 80 hose pumps are installed.

“This is a perfect example of the growing demand for pumps in waste recycling applications,” says Pietro Spagnolo, Sales Engineer at WMFTG. “Fermenting biowaste is the current focus of many recycling companies and energy producers in Europe, as the process provides significant reductions in CO2 emissions. The Montello plant alone achieves annual CO2 savings of around 90,000 tonnes. This is why the installed capacities in biogas plants fermenting municipal and industrial bio-waste will increase from 900 MW in 2014, to around 1,750 MW in 2023. We expect the number of plants in Europe to grow from 800 to over 1,450 in this time, representing significant opportunities for Bredel hose pump technology.”

More potential

Montello is already looking at Bredel 65 pumps for further applications, this time on the pre-treatment prior to the buffer tanks. Here, flow is 10m3/hr, and once again abrasion is proving a concern.

The customer has spoken with experts at WMFTG, discussing the principal technology differences of Bredel pumps, namely the use of direct-coupled technology versus the close-coupled technology of the incumbent pumps.

The next stage will be the acquisition of a single Bredel 65 pump for use in a long-term trial against existing pumps.

www.wmftg.com

Watson Marlow
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Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions

About us

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) peristaltic tube and hose pumps meet requirements including: value for money; low cost of ownership; reliability and ease of maintenance to the food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining and many other industries.

We demonstrate how pumps deliver significant process efficiencies over the lifetime of the equipment. Whether performing flavouring addition in food processing, chemical metering in water treatment or mineral recovery, we have a solution which can cut pump downtime and reduce costs through higher accuracy metering and transfer. WMFTG has dedicated application engineers available to help customers make the right pump and tubing choice from a range providing microlitres per minute to 80 cubic metres per hour flow rates.

The only part of the pump to come into contact with the product is the tube or hose. This means there are no seals or valves that can wear or fail. Replacing the tube or hose can be performed quickly and safely. Peristaltic pump benefits include:

Total fluid containment with no seals No ancillaries Handle viscous and abrasive slurries and sludge Self-priming capability Dry running without damage to the pump In addition to their range of positive displacement pumps, Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group has added PTFE-lined chemical and industrial hoses to their range. Aflex hoses are reinforced to withstand the most severe conditions and use.

Where we supply to

Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America

Industries we supply to

Automation, Chemicals, Consultants, Components Electronics, Energy and Power, Food and Beverage, Glass Ceramics Cement, Metals and Minerals, OEM, Paper and Pulp, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Plastics and Rubber, Recycling, Textiles, Tobacco, Water and Wastewater

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Photo of Watson Marlow Watson Marlow Send an email 24/01/2018
259 2 minutes read
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