Diversity of pumps is a measure of the variety of applications

A pump has, on the face of it, a straight forward job to do, but its applications are many and varied, and that leads to the need for the wide variety of sizes and styles that are available.

The basic requirements for a pump are to do the job efficiently, reliably and probably with the least amount of effort on the part of the user.

Some elements are shared with all equipment used on a construction site. As Per Ohstrom, vice president of marketing and business development at Godwin Pumps pointed out, emissions and fuel efficiency are going to be an issue, while improvements are being made all the time to products - for example when it comes to silent running.

And the operator needs to be looked after too. Mr Ohstrom said, "We offer the pumps for rent, we offer turnkey solutions - we'll even run the pumps for them."

Peter Schmid, vice president and director for ITT's dewatering business, said that the construction and mining industries' need for onsite dewatering management was increasing.

He said, "Our business is becoming more focused on providing dewatering services - in other words, evolving from a product-oriented company to a service-oriented one.

"Historically, dewatering customers used to buy equipment, then they began renting the pumps, and today they expect us to provide complete and reliable service and solutions."

Last year's acquisition of Godwin Pumps has filled the gaps in ITT's dewatering assortment.

Mr Schmid said, "With the addition of Godwin, we can now offer our customers a complete dewatering product portfolio with expanded service and engineering capabilities."

Impeller designs and remote pump monitoring systems from ITT are to be integrated into Godwin's dri-prime pumps - the first technical synergies between the companies since the acquisition.

Mr Ohstrom said that impeller designs used on some of the larger ITT submersible pumps will be adapted for use in Godwin pumps, particularly in applications where the pumps have to deal with solids.

"ITT has invested a lot of time on impeller designs, particularly for solid handling in markets like mining," said Mr Ohstrom. He said the use of the ITT impellers in Godwin's pumps will be well suited to applications such as mining and municipality work such as pipe bypassing jobs.

Likewise, ITT's expertise in using electronics to monitor its submersible pumps remotely could be adapted for use in Godwin's pumps, in particular in mining and bypass operations where pipe runs can be extremely long.

Investment in Godwin pumps is also underway by ITT's pump rental operations worldwide. "The Godwin people are helping them build their rental fleets", said Mr Ohstrom.

Godwin's newest addition to its HL (high lift) series is the HL260M Dri-Prime Pump. Capable of flow rates to 1810 m³/h and heads to 150 m, the 250 mm x 200 mm HL260M is a single-stage, automatic self-priming centrifugal pump with solids handling capability to 50 mm in diameter.

Chief engineer Mike Ramos said, "The industry is trending towards larger pumps, and our engineering team is dedicated to developing the most reliable range of high lift pumps on the market."

Built with a cast iron pump volute, cast chromium steel impeller and nickel chrome cast iron wearplates, the HL260M is said to be engineered for success in a variety of municipal pumping applications, including temporary municipal lift station bypass pumping on high head force mains and high pressure potable water boosting. Other applications include tunnel shaft dewatering, hydro testing, pipeline pigging and temporary fire systems.

The Dri-Prime venturi priming system on the HL260M provides suction lift capability to 8,5 m and continuous uninterrupted operation. In addition, its dry running, double high-pressure oil bath mechanical seal with abrasion-resistant solid silicon carbide faces is said to enable the pump to run indefinitely without the risk of overheating or failure.

The HL260M is offered with several engine options, including the standard 600 hp Caterpillar C-18 Tier 3 diesel engine. Mounted on a skid, the HL260M is built with an integrated fuel tank to provide hours of continuous operation.

Its CD series of Dri-Prime portable pumps are described as particularly suitable for dewatering in construction. They offer automatic self-priming to 8,5 m, using the Dri-Prime system with no moving parts and simple maintenance. Godwin said that the cast chromium steel impeller meant a longer life, while the pumps are available with a variety of diesel or gaseous engines or electric motors.

They are available with trailer or skid mount, and both incorporate integral overnight running fuel tanks.

The Godwin Heidra hydraulic submersible pumps also have rugged cast chromium steel impellers for general pumping of slurry, clay or mud.

The two newest additions to its Heidra line are the HS80HH and the HS150HH.

The HS80HH is a compact, self-contained pumping unit featuring a 75 mm submersible hydraulic top-discharging pump and a diesel-driven power pack. It claims to offer improved performance and operating efficiencies that cannot be matched by standard electric submersible models.

With variable speed diesel engine power, the Heidra HS80HH can meet a variety of flow and head requirements up to 102 m³/h and 99 m of total dynamic head with a simple throttle adjustment.

The HS150HH Heidra is a compact self-contained pumping unit featuring a 150 mm hydraulic pumpend and diesel-driven power pack. With variable speed diesel engine power, the HS150HH can meet a variety of flow and head requirements up to 285 m³/h and total dynamic head requirements up to 141 m.

Harsh conditions

Also a part of ITT, Flygt's three new sludge pumps, additions to the company's flagship 2600 dewatering line, claim to have cutting-edge features that tackle harsh conditions on a construction site with reliable, cost-effective performance.

Sludge pumps can find themselves in some pretty tough situations. They might need to move sediment-filled water from a construction site or pump light slurry in an aggregate washing process. At a tunnelling site they have to remove water and drilling mud mixtures from the face of the tunnel boring machine.

Peter Hansen, product manager for Flygt drainage pumps at ITT Water & Wastewater in Sundbyberg, Sweden, said, "You never know what a pump will encounter. With these new sludge models, our customers get highly versatile dewatering pumps that handle larger solids and higher densities with ease."

The sludge pumps - models 2620.281, 2630.280, and 2640.280 - have a range of 1,5 to 5,6 kW. They're built with the same drive units as the existing 2600-series models, but they have vortex hydraulics that allow the pumps pass solids up to 80 mm. An existing 2600 drainage pump can be converted into a sludge pump simply by replacing the hydraulics with a sludge version.

The three new models also incorporate the latest enhancement in Flygt pumps - the terminal board. By sealing off the junction box from the motor, the terminal board prevents any water from passing between compartments.

"In the event of unwanted water entry," Mr Hansen said, "the terminal board limits damage and therefore reduces repair costs. Plus the spring-loaded screw-less design assures reliable connections and simplified wiring."

Hansen expects that the pumps will mainly be used for temporary jobs. With ITT expanding its pump rental business, he said, "I believe our construction customers will include these models in their fleets. They're multi-purpose."

Subaru semi-trash pumps, described as suitable for handling water with small solids and light debris, offer a heavy-duty overhead cam gasoline engine and a large volute discharge opening.

Subaru's line of semi-trash pumps consists of two models - the PKX201ST and the PKX301ST.

The 50 mm PKX201ST is powered by the Subaru EX13, a 3,3 kW engine, and provides a delivery volume of 580 l/m. The 76 mm PKX301ST offers a delivery volume of 931 l/m and is driven by the EX17, a 4,4 kW engine. The pump and engine built as an integrated unit claims to provide maximum performance and dependability.

The semi-trash pumps are constructed with heavy-duty materials to offer durability for the most demanding job sites. A hardened cast-iron volute withstands suspended particles and small solids sucked through the strainer, while an abrasion-resistant, cast-iron three-blade impeller and a replaceable wear plate ensure long life and low maintenance.

After adding water to the pump casing, the semi-trash pumps are self-priming, and the advanced volute design drives water straight into the cavity for fast priming. The silicon-carbide seal increases the durability of the self-lubricating mechanical seal and is said to provide many hours of trouble-free service.

A rugged, long-lasting strainer is standard and protects pump components from large solids, while the hole diameter helps prevent large debris from entering the suction hose. For durability and protection, a heavy-duty steel roll cage wraps around the entire pump.

'Reliable and robust'

Japanese manufacturer Tsurumi is meeting what it said was the increased demand for powerful, reliable and robust pumping solutions in Europe with the introduction of four of its largest and most powerful contractor pumps.

At almost 2 m tall, the pumps are designed for high-head, high capacity and high pressure work in rugged conditions. They feature capacities of up to 12500 l/min and heads of up to 150 m.

Tsurumi is aiming to be a one-stop-shop for all pumping solutions and has over 250 models in its range, plus a pan-European network of distributors. The company adapts its product offering to changing market needs, which is why it has launched four of its largest submersible contractor pumps onto the European market.

Takanori Yoshida, assistant marketing manager at Tsurumi Europe, said, "Bringing these four new power pumps to Europe increases our ability to meet even the most demanding of pump requirements.

"As projects get bigger, applications become more demanding. These new pumps have all the reliability and performance benefits that Tsurumi customers expect, but they offer even larger scale use."

The new pumps are three new LH series models and the GSZ pump.

Tsurumi's LH series are high-head, three-phase dewatering pumps capable of withstanding deep water pressure levels. The company is introducing the LH890 and LH690, which have a 90 kW motor, and the LH8110, which has a 110 kW motor, to the European market.

The LH8110 is capable of transporting up to 6500 l/min and up to a head of 107m, the LH690 can deliver up to 2500 l/min with a maximum head of 150 m, and the LH890 can pump up to 90m with a maximum capacity of 6000 l/min.

These three new pumps are almost 1,8 m tall and each weighs over 1 tonne, but their slim design, at just 0,6 m wide, gives customers narrow installation possibilities without compromising on power.

The pumps feature an impeller made of high chromium iron casting and a cylindrical drive channel whose flow-through design maintains motor cooling.

High capacity

Following a two-year market trial, Tsurumi is also launching the GSZ pump across Europe.

The GSZ is designed for high-head, high capacity work in rugged conditions. It is a three-phase submersible contractor pump that stands almost 1,8 m tall, measures over 1 m wide and weighs approximately 1,2 tonnes.

The cast iron pump is capable of transporting up to 12500 l/min with a maximum head of 52 m.

The pump features a special steel impeller and suction plate with what is claimed to be industry-leading strength and resilience to maximise its working life. An internal spiral structure is said to ensure the smooth passage of sand, soil, sludge or slime without clogging, while the 4-pole motor increases durability.

The GSZ's two-year market trial took place in Belgium. Tsurumi's Belgian distributor, Marine Motors & Pumps, purchased it to meet demand for large contractor pumps and one of its first jobs was at Umicore Precious Metals Refining. The facility in Hoboken, northern Belgium, is one of the largest precious metal recycling facilities in the world.

It has a water treatment plant and an enormous water tower where water used for refining is cooled and stored. Previously it relied on two cantilever pumps to service the site's water transport needs, with a third on stand-by. When one of the pumps failed, Tsurumi's GSZ was called in as a temporary replacement.

Its performance was said to have exceeded expectation and Unicore decided to use it as a permanent replacement for the multi-pump solution.

The GSZ was installed with a frequency converter, which enabled it to run on full power at around 1550 rpm with a flow of approximately 400 m³/hr at a total head of around 4 bar.

Tsurumi has also added a new pump to its range of over 1,800 models. The new pump is able to cut up waste material while still transporting liquid.

Its new CR series features submersible, high head cutter pumps. A feature of the pump is that unlike the existing C series, which uses a 4-pole motor, the CR series runs on a 2-pole motor, which it said increased high head performance by up to 70%.

The CR series' cutter mechanism is made of sintered tungsten carbide alloy edges integrated with an impeller and suction cover with a saw-tooth suction port. The impeller is equipped with two edges that act as a rotating cutter to provide improved cutting efficiency.

The impeller and suction cover are made of high-chromium cast iron to increase durability and allow the pump to run continually for extended periods of time.

Tsurumi has also introduced its strongest-ever pump cable as an option in Europe. The durable rubber cable is designed to meet the increased need for robust pumping equipment in the construction and mining sector.

The NSSHÖU cable is designed for a long life in extreme conditions. It is suitable for very high mechanical stress and has a tensile strength of 15 N/mm². It is well insulated and can withstand extreme heat and cold.

The cable is Ozone resistant, which stops the formation of cracks, and is bright yellow to improve visibility. It is available for both three-phase and single-phase pumps.