A Pump System for the Future

Boskalis Nederland is a part of Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. Boskalis was established in 1910 and has expanded from a local dredging contractor to a leading global maritime services company with over 11.000 employees. Originally, dredging and earth moving were the core activities of the company. They are now additionally active in the dredging and inland infra, and offshore energy sectors.
THE CHALLENGE
Boskalis Technical Service Nederland in Capelle aan den IJssel manages several mobile pump units with high and ultra high flows and clearly prefers environmentally friendly equipment and has very specific requirements from their pumps which include

• The pump must have a minimum capacity of over 20,000 gallons (75,708 liters) per minute and a pressure in excess of 3 bar;
• Competitive excellent suction capacity capabilities (NPSHr) and suitable for use as a dewatering pump;
• High fuel efficiency combined with the lowest exhaust emissions;
• The pump unit should fit into a 20 foot (6.1 meter) container for easy transport;
• The maximum weight should be no more than 26455 pounds (12,000 kilograms).

Boskalis has a number of widely divergent projects around the globe. This makes multi-functionality and ease of logistic handling important factors in the purchase of new equipment. In addition, durability and corporate social responsibility are central to the company’s values.
As an example Bas van den Brand, a technical inspector with Boskalis Nederland, mentions the topic of weight: “For a pump system of this size, 26,000 pounds (11,793.4 kilograms) is usually the maximum permissible due to limitations in handling on site. Also, the soil layers can be substantially compacted and cannot always carry the weight.”

THE SOLUTION
Early in October 2014, Boskalis Nederland officially commissioned the delivery of a BBA high flow pump unit of the type BA-C500S11 D711 with a very attractive efficiency of 86 percent. The auto prime pump provides a capacity of over 24,200 gallons (91,607 liters) per minute (max. head 122 feet (37.19 meters)) and is driven by a modern Stage IV Volvo Penta diesel engine; the TAD1374VE.This provides a power of 510 horsepower and delivers the lowest specific fuel consumption in its class. Exhaust gas is treated using AdBlue®.
It is fully equipped with the newly developed, extremely silent and light weight canopy and its dimensions ensure that it fits into a 20 foot (6.1 meter) container without any problems. The total weight of the pump unit is just 23,800 pounds (10,795.5 kilograms)!
THE RESULT
The new BA-C500S11 has now been deployed in a first project in Muiden. The A1  highway is being widened and partially rerouted. The Boskalis Nederland employees on location are very impressed with the pumping performance, especially with regards to the low noise emissions.
Upon commissioning positive feedback abounded:

“This pump unit only has to work half throttle to do the job—at 1250 revolutions per minute it provides as much capacity as the old one at 2000 revolutions per minute.”

“Incredible, there’s not even any smoke from the exhaust at start-up.”
“It’s amazingly quiet.”

“The former pump unit regularly clogged up due to solid materials as a result of the vertical drainage hose we use here—fortunately the BA-C500S11 can just pump it.”

BBA Pumps has decided to include this pump unit in its standard product range. This technology can’t be ignored any longer. ■

About The Author
Henno Schothorst is product manager at BBA Pumps and can be reached at hschothorst@bbapumps.com. For more information, visit www.bbapumps.us.