Pumps are absolutely central to minerals processing, transporting the process liquid through the entire wet cycle. Therefore, choosing the right pump for the job is essential to avoid unnecessary and costly interruptions to the process.
Harvinder Bhabra, Pumps Senior Product Manager at Weir Minerals Europe, discusses how the latest generation of pumps is achieving a longer lifespan alongside ease of maintenance and enhanced efficiency.
Whatever the application for your pump may be – whether it is mining or quarrying – reliability, ease of maintenance and efficiency are all essential.
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In general, the process of mining is delving deeper, which necessitates more powerful pumps. The type of pumps used may change from single-stage centrifugal models to configurations of up to six or seven pumps in order to move liquid across greater distances and increasingly higher heads.
Another factor to consider is the strict regulation surrounding various processes. In the minerals processing industry, for example, the drive to recycle water and reduce waste has introduced additional stages into the process, to ensure maximum water conservation. Such regulations have intensified the focus on keeping the process and all equipment functioning correctly and efficiently.
Weir Minerals has responded by developing pumps that are more efficient, easier to service and operate longer between repairs. Employing the latest computer-aided design and simulation techniques and advanced engineering methods, Weir Minerals is rising to the challenge of fulfilling these requirements.
Reinventing the wheel
It is necessary for manufacturers to examine their existing designs and update their most widely used models. Using state-of-the-art techniques, Weir Minerals research and development teams are committed to designing new pumps that will out-perform their predecessors in terms of wear lifespan, safety, ease of maintenance and efficiency.
Weir Minerals used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software to create 3D performance analysis models that helped refine the impeller and volute design of the Warman® AHTM pump. This technology identified areas that would normally experience excessive wear and enabled the team to design features to combat this issue and improve performance as a whole.
The engineers who designed the pump took into account the full range of slurry mixtures the new pump would be expected to handle, while also analysing its energy consumption data.
In trials, performance of the new product – the Warman® WBH® pump – was found to be vastly superior to the previous design, the Warman® AH™ pump. Wear life, ease of maintenance and energy consumption were studied in a variety of applications, with the new model exceeding every expectation.
One field trial was conducted on an aggressive china clay application in the UK. On average, the existing Warman® AH™ pump lasted around 2,200 hours before requiring a complete overhaul of the wet end – not an unreasonable figure for this type of application.
However, the Warman® WBH® pump achieved 6,700 hours before worn parts required replacement, more than three times the duration, with no noticeable loss of efficiency and minimal ongoing maintenance.
Another field test saw the Warman® WBH® pump used on a cyclone feed application in the sand and aggregates sector. Again, it outlasted the existing pump by a compelling margin whilst consuming approximately 15 percent less energy.
New and improved
Weir Minerals’ latest generation of pumps boasts a number of unique features that offer improved performance, including an adjustable throatbush, which addresses one of the most common wear areas within slurry pumps.
Adjustment of the gap between the throatbush and impeller is one of the most regular maintenance operations, to reduce slurry recirculation which accelerates component wear. The development of a single point adjustment feature that is quick and easy to use without disruption to pump operation is a significant asset.
Other improvements include a four-vane impeller that offers superior slurry guidance and a smoother flow through the pump, which in turn leads to improved wear life and better efficiency.
Evolving existing pump designs and materials looks set to continue, alongside an emphasis on regular condition monitoring, to ensure equipment is able to deal with increasingly rigorous demands without costly stoppages or consuming too much energy.
The case for an upgrade
Weir Minerals’ latest generation of pumps has been created in response to a need for operators to get the very best performance out of their pumps. In the mining industry in particular, where the reliability and stability of the process is central to delivering the profit margin, operators need to think carefully whether to upgrade to the latest process equipment.
The case to upgrade is a compelling one when a more reliable, modern pump might allow them to run their process harder and longer, more efficiently and, as a result, more profitably.
For product enquiries, please contact Harvinder Bhabra, Pumps Senior Product Manager for Weir Minerals Europe, on +44 1706 814251
