Reducing costs at an Australian Paper Mill
A leading Australian Paper Mill found themselves slaving over a series of positive displacement pumps for a polymer dosing application. Although the pumps were good performers, they required constant repair, and were costing the Mill hundreds in maintenance time and money. The Mill was in need of a new alternative, one that would outperform their current set-up and withstand the test of time.
The Problem
The customer’s pumping system incorporated a progressive cavity type of positive displacement pump - one that is notorious for being dry-run sensitive, says Mr Grzegorz Tonowicz, Industrial Sales Engineer at Kelair Pumps Australia.
“Without sufficient lubrication, parts of these pumps deteriorate rapidly and need replacement. This could mean replacement of the pump's stator or rotor which is time consuming and can be relatively expensive,” says Mr Tonowicz.
The Solution
To solve this problem, Kelair recommended a dosing peristaltic pump from the Albin Pump range.
“These pumps are characteristically easy to operate and simply constructed with no shaft seals, valves, lobes, immersed rotors or vanes. This minimises product loss, blockages and part replacement.
“There are also no mechanical parts in the pumped product stream which limits any chemical compatibility concerns to the hose. This is a low-cost, low-maintenance, and easily serviceable component,” says Mr Tonowicz.
Further benefits of the Albin peristaltic pump
The peristaltic pump can be fitted with hoses to suit a wide hydraulic coverage. Hoses are also available in a range of materials with braided nylon reinforcement or chemically resistant tube lining to support broad chemical coverage from abrasive to viscous fluids.
Peristaltic hose pumps have a self-priming capability, and can be operated from dry-run without damage to the casings or the pump.
“This provides a continuous service with limited interruption for operational maintenance and hose replacement,” says Mr Tonowicz.
“The Albin peristaltic pumps have exceptionally low shear. The gentle, low pulsation pump action is ideal for shear sensitive products, such as polymers, to safeguard product quality and consistency.
“Peristaltic pumps also have no backflow or slip, creating a consistent flow directly proportional to the rotation speed with dosing accuracies of ±1%.
“Some hose types may create a noticeable pulsation in the system which will be simply eliminated by a pulsation dampener. “I strongly recommend the Albin Peristaltic Pumps for consistency, reliability, low maintenance and reduced down-time,” says Mr Tonowicz.
Key features to bring confidence to any pumping process are:
- Durability, low maintenance and simple pump construction
- Accuracy and repeatable dosing and metering
- Self-priming, reversible operation and continuous dry-run capability
- Low-cost and easily serviceable hose parts
- Hose compatibility to chemicals, flow rates, viscosity and texture of fluids
The Result
According to Mr Tonowicz, the Paper Mill was thrilled with the new installation of the Albin Peristaltic Pump.
“The team at the Paper Mill were really satisfied with the pumps' performance and have the intention to order more units. They say that this will guarantee the highest quality and operational safety in the polymer dosing process.”
For more information on the extensive range of pumps available from Kelair contact 1300 789 466.