Finding the right pump for a specific application can mean the difference between operating efficiently and spending thousands of dollars in maintenance. Though determining the ideal industrial pump requires the evaluation of critical characteristics, such as desired head, flow rate, suction, fluid attributes, etc., it is equally important to work with a trusted and reputable pump distributor that has in-depth knowledge of the many pumps on the market which are specially designed to offer specific benefits for certain applications.
AN AUTO PARTS SUPPLIER’S DEWATERING APPLICATION
In January 2014, Premier Pump Co., a national distributor and service provider of industrial pumps and equipment, was contacted by an auto parts supplier to address a persistent pump problem. The automotive manufacturer required a solution that would enable them to stop spending thousands of dollars every month on repair and replacement sump pumps.
The automotive supplier manufactures die cast parts which are used in an automated assembly line to construct power steering units. The power steering units manufactured by this automotive supplier are distributed to several major car manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad. Premier Pump Co. was contacted by the automotive manufacturer in an effort to find the right submersible pump for their dewatering application.
DAMAGE FROM ABRASIVE SLURRY
The dewatering pumps, which run in series within a duplex system, pump coolant water after the machining process. The coolant water being pumped contains metal fines, or shavings, that completely saturate the water. Even though the metal fines are small in nature, the high ratio of fines to water creates an abrasive slurry. The abrasive slurry had been causing extensive damage to the sump pumps’ mechanical seals, which resulted in pump failure. When the primary pump had failed, the system had been switching operation over to the secondary back-up pump. Unfortunately, by the time a new primary pump had been installed, the secondary pump had failed. This problem continued for several months, and the constant turnover of pumps became quite costly to the manufacturer.
The auto parts manufacturer contacted Premier Pump Co. to determine if there was a heavy duty submersible pump on the market that could operate more reliably for their specific application. “This automotive manufacturer needed a durable dewatering sump pump that could process an abrasive slurry, and they needed it fast,” explains George T. Bennett, president of Premier Pump Co.
Premier Pump Co. was asked to source heavy duty submersible pumps that would meet the following requirements:
Abrasive Resistant—The new pumps had to be able to process water that was heavily saturated with metal fines. The new pumps’ internal components would need to withstand the abrasive slurry to reduce the possibility of pump failure and costly downtime.
Proper Fit—The new pumps had to be the right size to fit in the sump in addition to being easily installed and removed for maintenance. To avoid delays and increased maintenance expenses, the new pumps would need to feature a design that would allow them to be installed and removed quickly.
Durability and Reliability—The new pumps would have to be durable and operate reliably, greatly reducing the amount of time and cost the auto manufacturer had been spending to pull the old pumps for inspection, maintenance, and replacement.
KB75H SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS SELECTED
Premier Pump Co. recommended that two BJM Model KB75H submersible pumps be installed in the sump system because they are designed for heavy duty dewatering applications and proven to pump fluids containing light slurry. “After calculating the flow and head required,” explains Bennett, “the BJM pumps were selected because we knew they would work great in the application.”
The BJM Model KB75H submersible pumps were chosen because of these key features:
Abrasive Resistant Chrome Iron Components for Durability
The KB75H utilizes a high-chrome agitator to keep solids suspended in liquid and help prevent the pump from clogging. A wear plate on the suction side acts as a replaceable hardened surface to counter the effects of erosion. A semi-open impeller effectively handles solids for optimal pump performance.
Top Discharge Connection Designed for Efficiency
The KB75H is a “utility” pump designed with a top discharge connection. For sump applications, the top discharge connection is ideal because a side discharge connection can break off or be damaged as it is pulled and pushed into place.
Top discharge pumps are cooled by the pumped liquid. The KB75H pumps can pump a sump or pit down to within “inches” of the bottom. A side discharge pump without a cooling jacket must stay submerged to avoid overheating, leaving as much as 3 feet of un-pumped slurry.
Top discharge means “SLIM”; even the largest model with a 13.5 inch “waistline” will fit down a manhole with a hose attached.
Protection Engineered for Maximum Reliability
Every KB75H submersible pump model is protected by:
- Class H motor insulation, built in amperage (FLA), and temperature overload protection.
- Double mechanical seals; of which the lower seal is made of silicon carbide/silicon carbide, and the upper seal, made of carbon/ceramic, is in a separate oil-filled seal chamber.
- A heavy duty lip seal which provides additional protection for the mechanical seals, helping to prevent abrasives from entering the seal chamber.
- A stainless steel shaft and shaft sleeve which minimizes shaft wear due to abrasives and corrosion.
QUICK INSTALL TIMES
Once the automotive manufacturer approved the recommendation to use the BJM submersible pumps, Premier Pump Co. acted quickly to get a new sump pump installed at their facility. “We ordered the KB75H submersible pump on a Friday, arranged a courier to deliver the pump on Saturday morning, and had it installed and running Saturday afternoon,” Bennett reports. “The automotive manufacturer installed a second KB75H in the duplex system and has a back-up pump on the shelf; though they don’t expect to use it since the first pump has been running great for about ten months now and has not been pulled once.”
The key to solving this pump problem was essentially a challenge that every pump user faces—finding the right pump for the application. Premier Pump Co. has helped the automotive manufacturer increase the efficiency of their operation and save thousands of dollars in their maintenance budget by installing durable BJM Pumps. ◆
Mike Bjorkman is vice president and director of marketing for BJM Corp. BJM Pumps®, headquartered in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, has been providing fluid handling solutions for industrial and municipal services since 1983. Over its thirty year history, BJM Pumps has grown quickly by supplying world class pumps and accessories, priced competitively, through its global network of stocking distributors.
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MODERN PUMPING TODAY, September 2015
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