Process engineers often find themselves facing a dilemma: To achieve the necessary reliability and safety for their applications they frequently sacrifice performance, having to settle for lower than optimal flow rates that increase costs as well as wear and tear on the system. However, a solution my be found in the newest metering pump from Watson-Marlow. This latest addition to the product range builds upon the core foundations of the widely deployed Qdos suite of high-accuracy chemical metering technology. Qdos 120 not only offers double the flow of other models (in comparison with Qdos 60), it delivers a step-change in performance and usability compared to conventional solenoid or stepper-driven diaphragm metering pumps. All models in the Qdos family are designed to eliminate the need for ancillaries, boost productivity, and cut chemical wastage due to its highly accurate, linear and repeatable metering.
POWERFUL COMBINATION OF FEATURES
This powerful combination of core features offers significant benefits to process engineers in the water/wastewater, industrial, and agri-chemical sectors. It is easy for customers to upscale to the higher flow rate of the Qdos 120 as it maintains the same common interface, connectivity and functionality of the existing Qdos models.
Driven by market demand for pumps that offer low total cost of ownership (TCO) without compromise to performance or process quality, the Qdos 120 allows engineers, as well as skid manufacturers and packaged-plant designers, to overcome a host of issues associated with diaphragm pump technology, such as poor suction lift and the downtime resulting from blocked valves and gas-locking.
The peristaltic operating principal of the Qdos 120 has been designed to deliver continuous, smooth flow for optimal fluid mixing, while high accuracy provides chemical savings and increased process quality.
SAFE, ONE-MINUTE MAINTENANCE
The combination of high reliability and low maintenance ensures minimal operational expenses. There are no valves or seals to clog, leak, gas-lock or corrode. Moreover, process uptime is maximized with no-tools maintenance and quick and easy pumphead replacement. In fact, there is only one consumable part on Qdos 120 pumps, the ReNu pumphead, which can be replaced in 60 seconds to return the pump to its as-new state. What’s more, the fully contained pumphead ensures no spillage or exposure to chemicals.
INCREASED FLOW CAPABILITY AT DEVELOPMENT PARTNER SITES
Among the many success stories emerging from customers involved in the validation of Qdos 120s product development, is a seed treatment company, which since adopting the Qdos 120 has enjoyed improved flow capability and accuracy at a higher viscosity. Previously, the company was limited to the chemical types it could run on its existing Qdos 60.
In contrast, the 120 allows a single pump to cover all flow ranges, providing users greater flexibility with a single spare part inventory.
Additional benefits include the need to stock only one pump and a single component spares inventory. Furthermore, the company’s customers are now afforded more flexibility to apply material at higher-than-design rates if needed, while another positive comment made by the user alluded to fluid recovery on the Qdos 120, which was said to be simpler than on competing peristaltic pump models.
The application at the seed treatment plant involved pumping viscous and shear-sensitive polymer chemicals from 2.9 gallon packaged containers to a 317 gallon tote (via a 9.8 foot pipe run) ready for seed coating. Here, any pulsation would affect consistency because the pump is feeding an air-powered atomizer. The flow range of the Qdos 120 is ideal for this application because different seed is treated with different levels of chemical, on demand. The company does not want to make up large batches of treatment which would then go to waste. Here the self-priming and dry running capabilities of the Qdos pump play a vital role in facilitating this requirement.
HIGH ACCURACY METERING
At another customer site—an electroplating business—the use of a Qdos 120 pump proved highly successful when metering various chemicals that included sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 50 percent and calcium fluoride. Features of the pump praised by the company included high accuracy along with low pulsation and reduced maintenance requirements. The facility targets a “set and forget” approach to its plant requirements, which is fulfilled with a pump such as the Qdos 120.
Further benefits available to all users of Qdos pumps include reduced installation costs as there is no need for the pulsation dampener, strainers, de-gassing, back pressure or foot valves required with diaphragm metering pumps. In addition, system design can be simplified thanks to high suction lift and viscous handling, eliminating the need for flooded suction, day tanks and specialist piping schemes. Logistics costs are also minimized due to the inherent accuracy of Qdos pumps, which enable higher concentrations to be used.
CONTROL OPTIONS
The Qdos 120 range includes a number of models offering different control functionality depending on customer requirements, extending from manual speed control models, through universal+ (manual, 4-20mA input/output, pulse), to remote and Profibus control options.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joanne Lucas is the group marketing PR coordinator for Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group and can be reached at joanne.lucas@wmftg.com. Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) is the world leader in niche peristaltic and sinusoidal pumps and associated fluid path technologies. Founded on nearly sixty years of supplying engineering and process expertise and with over one million pumps installed worldwide, our pumps are tried, tested and proven to deliver. For more information, visit www.wmftg.com.
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MODERN PUMPING TODAY, June 2016
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