Mining is doubtless one of the world’s oldest industries, tracing its roots back to these prehistoric days when somebody grabbed a digging instrument and started burrowing into the bottom. In the various millennia since, mining has grown into one of many world’s most essential and widespread business enterprises, with operations spread across the globe whereas tasked with recovering an almost inexhaustible record of valuable commodities.
In fact, according to the World Mining Congress’s World Mining Data 2020 report, 17.7 billion metric tons of mined products were recovered in 2018, up from eleven.three billion metric tons in 2000 and almost double the 9.6 billion metric tons in 1985. Asian international locations accounted for fifty eight percent of the 2018 production, with North America second at 15.1 p.c, followed by Europe (8 percent), Oceania (6.8 percent), Latin America (6.3 percent), and Africa (5.three percent). Individually, China (23 percent), the United States (12.1 percent), Russia (9.2 percent), and Australia (7.2 percent) had been essentially the most prolific producers, with their complete 51.1 p.c of manufacturing greater than the relaxation of the world combined.
This signifies that the mining trade is a powerful one, with stable progress expected to continue within the coming years in plenty of areas of the world. It additionally means that mining operations will proceed to depend on pumping applied sciences that offer sturdy, dependable, and secure service in a variety of crucial liquid-handling operations. This white paper will illustrate why constructive displacement air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pumps can be the solely option for many of these purposes.
THE CHALLENGE
While mining would possibly seem like nothing greater than a rough-and-tumble operation—holes are dug by heavy equipment or with explosives, opening the hidden ode to entry from above—there are, actually, many advanced and sometimes delicate operations that should be performed properly if the mining operation is to carry out at its highest stage of efficiency.
From a macro standpoint, this requires a pumping expertise that can function reliably in harsh and remote areas, even when submerged, or when tasked with dealing with particulate-laden liquids or toxic/corrosive products, and in addition one that is prepared to be maintained and repaired just so downtime is lessened. The pumps should even be light enough to be manually moved from location to location throughout the mine itself.
For many years, a preferred selection to be used in these situations was centrifugal pumps. While centrifugal pumps are able to create the excessive move charges which would possibly be required, they have a selection of operational “pain points” that hamper their use in mining applications: an lack of ability to self-prime or run dry; special seals needed to forestall leaks; particular linings needed to handle solids; high motor speeds of up to 1,800 rpm; and relatively excessive upkeep requirements and prices, especially when charged with transferring solid-heavy liquids.
Another well-liked selection has been the progressive cavity pump, however, like centrifugal pumps, they have a quantity of operational shortcomings. These include an inability to persistently handle liquids with high levels of abrasives, which leads to increased upkeep costs, put on on expensive stators and rotors that may ultimately must be changed, and general larger purchase, working, and repair/replacement costs.
Here are a few of the specific liquid-transfer operations that take place in a mine and the ways in which some pump technologies can fall quick in satisfying them:
Mine dewatering: Removing extra produced water from the mine is a critical 24/7/365 operation and the water that is recovered is often filled with particulates that may be as massive as 0.12 to zero.sixteen inches in dimension. If used on this utility, centrifugal pumps require special supplies of development, which can be value prohibitive, to protect against impeller wear attributable to the abrasive particles. Centrifugal pumps are also not dry-run capable, which adversely impacts their degree of performance on this utility.
General service: For widespread liquid-handling purposes, you want an easy-to-operate pump that reliably can run dry, strip lines, function at low speeds while nonetheless delivering high circulate charges, and be simple to keep up and restore. Centrifugal pumps merely don’t possess these capabilities.
Corrosive liquids: Much like solid-laden liquids, corrosive ones can wreak havoc on the wetted components of centrifugal and progressive cavity pumps. This typically calls for a necessity to use special mechanical seals, which can result in exorbitant upkeep, restore, and replacement prices.
Press filter: Press filters are used to clean the liquids which would possibly be produced in the mines and, once more, centrifugal pumps can fall short on this application because the solid-laden liquid can injury the pump’s internals until special, costlier supplies of development or linings are used. Also, the character of press-filter operation creates a powerful discharge-pressure variation that may force the centrifugal pump to function away from its greatest efficiency level (BEP), resulting in high vibration and radial hundreds that may lead to shortened service life. A answer to that is the incorporation of variable frequency drives (VFDs) and controllers, but these are costly and might negatively affect the cost-effectiveness of the operation.
Product transfer: This is available in all varieties in a mining operation, from loading and unloading from transport vans with new and used oil for the heavy machinery, fresh and fouled water, and any chemical substances that are required. In each instance, there is the chance that the pump will be compelled to run dry because the truck or storage vessel is emptied, while discharge-pressure variation also can generate high vibration and radial loads. As previously illustrated, centrifugal pumps can not run dry, in order that they need safety from this condition or the addition of special seals. However, all of those upgrades still can not totally protect towards a catastrophic failure.
THE SOLUTION
While centrifugal pumps—despite their popularity—have proven to not be the most effective answer in many liquid-handling purposes in mining, one pump expertise that has proven to be an optimum choice is AODD—in terms of maximizing reliability, cost-effectiveness, ease of operation and upkeep, and safety for mining personnel and the environment.
AODD pumps are in a place to carry out effectively in mining purposes because their method of operation permits them to easily handle variable circulate charges and pressures, while being dry-run and line-stripping succesful, and nimble enough to switch liquids which are shear-sensitive or high-viscosity, in addition to slurries laden with rocks, pebbles, and different particulates.
The easy design of the AODD pump options few moving components and comparably lower speeds than other pump applied sciences, which improves reliability and simplifies maintenance, whereas the pump’s seal-less construction results in fewer leaks, which is a important consideration when handling the various hard-to-seal, corrosive, or hazardous liquids which are prevalent in a mining operation. AODD pumps can be found in each steel (most commonly aluminum, ductile iron and forged iron) and plastic (polypropylene and PVDF) housing constructions, while a wide selection of elastomers can be utilized within the diaphragms, which eliminates many chemical-compatibility issues.
A wide variety of AODD pump configurations provide operational flexibility that may additionally lead to optimized efficiency at many ranges. The capability to characteristic AODD pumps in a variety of functions, from primary common use to delicate chemical-handling processes, permits operators to more cost-effectively outfit their mines. เครื่องมือวัดpressure can additionally be less expensive to operate, particularly these fashions which are outfitted with a next-generation mechanically actuated air distribution system (ADS). At their most basic, AODD pumps excel in the typical rugged and harsh operating conditions found within the world’s mines, which reduces breakdown incidents together with corresponding downtime and repair prices.
Specifically, Wilden, whose founder, Jim Wilden, conceived the AODD pumping principle sixty-five years in the past, has been dedicated to developing technologies that meet the needs of mining operations. Today, Wilden provides three AODD pump models which are constructed to excel in mining functions, obtainable in ductile iron, cast iron, aluminum, polypropylene and Kynar materials of construction:
Brahma® Series: The Brahma pumps, which feature a bolted configuration, have been constructed to be used in applications that require the dealing with of liquids featuring giant solids. The Brahma pumps have a novel top-inlet/bottom-discharge move orientation and flap valves that enable the passage of enormous solids with no danger that damage will happen because of product entrapment or the settling of solids inside the pump’s inner flow paths. Brahma pumps can be found in two models—PS810 (2-inch) and PS1510 (3-inch)—that are outfitted with the revolutionary Pro-Flo® SHIFT ADS, which has been designed to scale back air consumption by as much as 60 %. The T810 and T1510 fashions are powered by the Turbo-Flo™ ADS, the industry’s first air motor for AODD pumps. The flow-rate vary for the 4 Brahma pumps is 166 to 258 gallons per minute at pressures up to 125 psi with solids-handling capability starting from 2 to 3 inches.
Stallion® Series: The Stallion pumps feature a clamped design with carrying handles for lightweight portability. Their design options large inner clearances and flow-through paths for straightforward passage of large solids with no chance for clogging. An altered ball/seat check-valve assembly further permits solids passage, while a polyurethane screen base on the inlet will increase the pump’s sturdiness. The PS4, PS8, and PS15 (1.5-, 2-, and 3-inch) fashions are powered by a Pro-Flo SHIFT ADS, with the T4, T8, and T15 (1.5-, 2-, and 3-inch) pumps that includes the Turbo-Flo ADS, Wilden’s most robust ADS design for the toughest environments. Flow rates amongst the six fashions range from fifty seven gallons per minute to 232 gallons per minute at working pressures as a lot as a hundred twenty five psi. Solids sizes that could be handled vary from half to 1 inch.
Pro-Flo SHIFT Series: Pro-Flo SHIFT pumps feature clamped or bolted configuration. Their design features completely different chamber supplies, including metal and plastics, even Kynar, which is capable of handling excessive levels of abrasive materials. The Pro-Flo SHIFT can also be probably the most environment friendly AODD pump in the market, capable of lowering up to 60 % air consumption. This makes it the best option for handling corrosive and abrasive products in mining processes. The pumps have a product vary that goes from 1.5 to 3 inches and flows from 2 to 271 gallons per minute.
All of the Brahma, Stallion, and Pro-Flo SHIFT pumps are in a position to be outfitted with a extensive selection of diaphragm styles—including the newer Chem-Fuse, EZ-Install, and Reduced-Stroke models—in a varying array of materials, corresponding to Wil-Flex™ (Santoprene®), Geolast®, Polyurethane, Buna-N®, EPDM, Neoprene, FKM, and PTFE. This diaphragm range offers users the widest choice of diaphragms on the market, all of that are able to offering extended mean time between failure (MTBF) for optimized uptime with decreased upkeep, repair, and replacement prices.
All of those capabilities make AODD pumps the ideal selection for the aforementioned widespread liquid-handling functions in mining: dewatering, general service, corrosive-handling, filter press, and daily product switch.
CONCLUSION
In summary, Wilden AODD pumps are the greatest option for mining purposes as a end result of they provide considerable operational advantages, like comparable low-speed operation, dry-run, line-stripping, self-priming, and deadhead capability, along with elevated operational security and a discount in maintenance/repair costs that can be incurred by pumps that aren’t designed to handle abrasive/corrosive or solid-laden liquids.
Wilden AODD pumps also outperform different AODD technologies in different vital ways: simple design with the bottom number of parts for quicker, simpler, and safer repairs and the bottom variety of spare parts to inventory; current improvements in materials of construction that enhance the pump’s MTBF; and improved efficiency via using the Pro-Flo SHIFT ADS, which in the end ends in sooner product switch with decrease air consumption. Wilden additionally continues to innovate by way of the development of the next-generation Chem-Fuse and EZ-Install diaphragms, both of which increase service life and security whereas not compromising the dealing with of challenging liquids.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Fernando Meneses is the regional supervisor North Latin America for Wilden, a leading manufacturer of air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pumps. He could be reached at fernando.meneses@psgdover.com. Wilden is a product brand of PSG®, a Dover company. PSG is comprised of a number of leading pump firms, including Abaque®, All-Flo™, Almatec®, Blackmer®, Ebsray, em-tec®, Griswold®, Hydro™, Mouvex®, Neptune®, Quantex™, Quattroflow®, RedScrew™, and Wilden®. For extra information, visit www.wildenpump.com or www.psgdover.com.
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