Mining is one of the world’s oldest industries, tracing its roots again to those prehistoric days when somebody grabbed a digging instrument and commenced burrowing into the ground. In the many millennia since, mining has grown into one of the world’s most essential and widespread commercial enterprises, with operations unfold throughout the globe whereas tasked with recovering an nearly inexhaustible list of valuable commodities.
In fact, in accordance with the World Mining Congress’s World Mining Data 2020 report, 17.7 billion metric tons of mined merchandise had been recovered in 2018, up from eleven.3 billion metric tons in 2000 and almost double the 9.6 billion metric tons in 1985. Asian nations accounted for 58 % of the 2018 production, with North America second at 15.1 %, adopted by Europe (8 percent), Oceania (6.eight 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) have been essentially the most prolific producers, with their whole fifty one.1 p.c of manufacturing greater than the rest of the world mixed.
This implies that the mining business is a powerful one, with solid progress expected to continue in the coming years in many regions of the world. It additionally signifies that mining operations will proceed to rely on pumping technologies that supply sturdy, reliable, and protected service in numerous important liquid-handling operations. This white paper will illustrate why positive displacement air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pumps can be the greatest choice for a lot of of these functions.
THE CHALLENGE
While mining would possibly look like nothing greater than a rough-and-tumble operation—holes are dug by heavy machinery or with explosives, opening the hidden ode to entry from above—there are, actually, many complex and sometimes delicate operations that should be performed properly if the mining operation is to perform 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 merchandise, and in addition one that is able to be maintained and repaired in order that downtime is lessened. The pumps must even be gentle enough to be manually moved from location to location inside the mine itself.
For many years, a popular selection for use in these situations was centrifugal pumps. While centrifugal pumps are capable of create the high flow rates that are required, they’ve numerous operational “pain points” that hamper their use in mining purposes: an lack of ability to self-prime or run dry; particular seals needed to prevent leaks; particular linings wanted to handle solids; high motor speeds of as a lot as 1,800 rpm; and relatively excessive upkeep requirements and costs, especially when charged with transferring solid-heavy liquids.
Another well-liked alternative has been the progressive cavity pump, however, like centrifugal pumps, they have numerous operational shortcomings. These embody an incapability to persistently deal with liquids with excessive ranges of abrasives, which leads to increased maintenance costs, wear on expensive stators and rotors that may eventually have to be replaced, and overall larger purchase, operating, and repair/replacement costs.
Here are a few of the particular liquid-transfer operations that take place in a mine and the ways in which some pump technologies can fall short in satisfying them:
Mine dewatering: Removing extra produced water from the mine is a crucial 24/7/365 operation and the water that is recovered is usually full of particulates that may be as giant as zero.12 to 0.16 inches in measurement. If used in this software, centrifugal pumps require special supplies of construction, which could be cost prohibitive, to protect towards impeller put on caused by the abrasive particles. Centrifugal pumps are additionally not dry-run capable, which adversely affects their level of efficiency in this utility.
General service: For common liquid-handling applications, you need an easy-to-operate pump that reliably can run dry, strip strains, function at low speeds whereas still delivering excessive flow charges, and be easy to take care of 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 parts of centrifugal and progressive cavity pumps. This sometimes calls for a need to use particular mechanical seals, which may lead to exorbitant upkeep, restore, and substitute costs.
Press filter: Press filters are used to wash the liquids that are produced within the mines and, again, centrifugal pumps can fall quick in this software as a end result of the solid-laden liquid can damage the pump’s internals except special, more expensive materials of construction or linings are used. Also, the nature of press-filter operation creates a robust discharge-pressure variation that may pressure the centrifugal pump to function away from its finest effectivity point (BEP), resulting in high vibration and radial loads that can lead to shortened service life. A solution to that is the incorporation of variable frequency drives (VFDs) and controllers, however these are costly and can negatively have an result on the cost-effectiveness of the operation.
Product switch: This comes in all types in a mining operation, from loading and unloading from transport trucks with new and used oil for the heavy machinery, recent and fouled water, and any chemicals which may be required. In each occasion, there’s the risk that the pump will be forced to run dry because the truck or storage vessel is emptied, whereas discharge-pressure variation also can generate high vibration and radial hundreds. As previously illustrated, centrifugal pumps can not run dry, so that they want protection from this condition or the addition of special seals. However, all of those upgrades still can’t totally defend against a catastrophic failure.
THE SOLUTION
While centrifugal pumps—despite their popularity—have proven to not be the most effective solution in lots of liquid-handling purposes in mining, one pump expertise that has proven to be an optimum selection is AODD—in terms of maximizing reliability, cost-effectiveness, ease of operation and maintenance, and safety for mining personnel and the setting.
AODD pumps are able to perform effectively in mining functions as a end result of their methodology of operation permits them to simply handle variable flow charges and pressures, whereas being dry-run and line-stripping capable, and nimble enough to transfer liquids which would possibly be shear-sensitive or high-viscosity, as well as slurries laden with rocks, pebbles, and different particulates.
The simple design of the AODD pump features few transferring parts and comparably lower speeds than other pump technologies, which improves reliability and simplifies upkeep, while the pump’s seal-less construction ends in fewer leaks, which is a crucial consideration when dealing with the numerous hard-to-seal, corrosive, or hazardous liquids which are prevalent in a mining operation. pressure gauge หน้าปัด 4 นิ้ว are available in both metal (most commonly aluminum, ductile iron and cast iron) and plastic (polypropylene and PVDF) housing constructions, while a broad selection of elastomers can be utilized in the diaphragms, which eliminates many chemical-compatibility considerations.
A extensive number of AODD pump configurations provide operational flexibility that may additionally result in optimized performance at many levels. The ability to characteristic AODD pumps in a broad range of functions, from primary general use to delicate chemical-handling processes, permits operators to extra cost-effectively outfit their mines. AODD pumps can be more price effective to operate, especially those fashions that are outfitted with a next-generation mechanically actuated air distribution system (ADS). At their most basic, AODD pumps excel within the typical rugged and harsh operating circumstances discovered in the world’s mines, which reduces breakdown incidents along with corresponding downtime and repair costs.
Specifically, Wilden, whose founder, Jim Wilden, conceived the AODD pumping precept sixty-five years in the past, has been dedicated to developing technologies that meet the wants of mining operations. Today, Wilden presents three AODD pump fashions which might be constructed to excel in mining purposes, available in ductile iron, cast iron, aluminum, polypropylene and Kynar materials of construction:
Brahma® Series: The Brahma pumps, which characteristic a bolted configuration, have been constructed to be used in applications that require the dealing with of liquids that includes giant solids. The Brahma pumps have a singular top-inlet/bottom-discharge flow orientation and flap valves that allow the passage of huge solids with no risk that injury will occur because of product entrapment or the settling of solids throughout the pump’s inner move 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 percent. The T810 and T1510 models are powered by the Turbo-Flo™ ADS, the industry’s first air motor for AODD pumps. The flow-rate range for the 4 Brahma pumps is 166 to 258 gallons per minute at pressures up to one hundred twenty five psi with solids-handling capability ranging from 2 to three inches.
Stallion® Series: The Stallion pumps function a clamped design with carrying handles for lightweight portability. Their design options large inside clearances and flow-through paths for simple passage of enormous solids with no probability for clogging. An altered ball/seat check-valve meeting further allows solids passage, while a polyurethane screen base on the inlet increases the pump’s durability. The PS4, PS8, and PS15 (1.5-, 2-, and 3-inch) models are powered by a Pro-Flo SHIFT ADS, with the T4, T8, and T15 (1.5-, 2-, and 3-inch) pumps featuring the Turbo-Flo ADS, Wilden’s most sturdy ADS design for the toughest environments. Flow charges amongst the six fashions vary from 57 gallons per minute to 232 gallons per minute at working pressures as a lot as a hundred twenty five psi. Solids sizes that can be dealt with range from half of to 1 inch.
Pro-Flo SHIFT Series: Pro-Flo SHIFT pumps feature clamped or bolted configuration. Their design features different chamber materials, together with steel and plastics, even Kynar, which is able to dealing with high ranges of abrasive materials. The Pro-Flo SHIFT can additionally be the most efficient AODD pump in the market, capable of reducing up to 60 percent air consumption. This makes it the finest option for handling corrosive and abrasive products in mining processes. The pumps have a product vary that goes from 1.5 to three inches and flows from 2 to 271 gallons per minute.
All of the Brahma, Stallion, and Pro-Flo SHIFT pumps are capable of be outfitted with a extensive array of diaphragm styles—including the newer Chem-Fuse, EZ-Install, and Reduced-Stroke models—in a varying array of supplies, similar to Wil-Flex™ (Santoprene®), Geolast®, Polyurethane, Buna-N®, EPDM, Neoprene, FKM, and PTFE. This diaphragm vary provides customers the widest number of diaphragms available on the market, all of that are able to providing prolonged imply time between failure (MTBF) for optimized uptime with reduced upkeep, restore, and alternative prices.
All of those capabilities make AODD pumps the perfect alternative for the aforementioned frequent liquid-handling functions in mining: dewatering, basic service, corrosive-handling, filter press, and daily product transfer.
CONCLUSION
In summary, Wilden AODD pumps are the best choice for mining applications as a result of they offer considerable operational benefits, like comparable low-speed operation, dry-run, line-stripping, self-priming, and deadhead capability, together with increased operational security and a reduction in maintenance/repair costs that might be incurred by pumps that aren’t designed to deal with abrasive/corrosive or solid-laden liquids.
Wilden AODD pumps additionally outperform other AODD technologies in different significant methods: easy design with the lowest number of parts for faster, easier, and safer repairs and the lowest number of spare components to inventory; latest enhancements in materials of building that increase the pump’s MTBF; and improved efficiency through the use of the Pro-Flo SHIFT ADS, which in the end ends in quicker product transfer with lower air consumption. Wilden also continues to innovate by way of the development of the next-generation Chem-Fuse and EZ-Install diaphragms, each of which improve service life and safety while not compromising the dealing with of challenging liquids.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Fernando Meneses is the regional manager North Latin America for Wilden, a number one manufacturer of air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pumps. He can be reached at fernando.meneses@psgdover.com. Wilden is a product model of PSG®, a Dover firm. PSG is comprised of a quantity of main 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.
Share