Quarter 2 2019
Pump industry insight from
FOCUS ON: Building services
The secret pump killer
Improve your pump efficiency
Pump Industry News
Innovations
Applications
Expert Opinion
THE HEART OF YOUR BUILDING NOW HAS A BRAIN Mechanical equipment, cloud-based analytics and digital controls perfectly integrated for reliability and efficiency that no other company can match.
environmental contribution of the year
energy efficient innovation
armstrongfluidtechnology.com
CONTENTS 3 Editor Chris Callander chris@flowmag.co.uk 01732 671123 Contributing Editor Suzanne Gill suzanne@flowmag.co.uk Publisher Andrew Castle andrew@flowmag.co.uk 07785 290034 Accounts Touchwave Media Ltd accounts@flowmag.co.uk Production G and C Media Ltd production@flowmag.co.uk
For over three-quarters of a century the British Pump Manufacturers’ Association (BPMA) has been serving the interests of UK and Irish suppliers of liquid pumps and pumping equipment.
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e have been blown away by the reaction to the first issue of flow. Many thanks to those of you who got in touch to say how much you liked what we have created. Of course, that means this issue is not unlike that ‘difficult second album’. But I think we might just have pulled it off. Our theme for this issue is building services, and we have two key features in the section. The first looks at the role variable speed drives can play in the energy efficiency and reliability of pump systems. The second feature looks at fire-safety and in particular, the role of pumps in sprinkler systems where compliance is the ultimate priority. This issue also includes an interesting piece that explores an alternative approach to machining impellers to reach a required rate of constant flow when designing a system with centrifugal pumps. In a follow-up to our item in the last issue of flow, around CE Marking pump sets, we hear how the BPMA’s Gary Wilde gave advice to member Flowtech Water Solutions to support its compliance. In this issue, Gary focusses on the silent pump killer – wet wipes. On top of that we have brought you plenty of news – from both the pump industry and the BPMA – new products, updates on the skills agenda and more. I hope you enjoy the issue, and if you want to make sure you don’t miss future issues, find out how you can request a regular, free, copy on page 21. Richard Harden, President, BPMA
PUMP INDUSTRY NEWS 4 5
Cheers to the champions
MArket Trends 16 GDP to rise in 2020
Grundfos takes centre stage
BPMA NEWS BPMA National Metalforming Centre 47 Birmingham Road West Bromwich B70 6PY www.bpma.org.uk
Twitter @bpmapumps
6
Celebrations all round
awards update 8
Excellence rewarded at Pump Industry Awards
flow is a controlled circulation journal published quarterly on behalf of the BPMA by Touchwave Media Ltd and G and C Media Ltd. For a copy of the magazine’s terms of control and to request a copy please email circulation@flowmag.co.uk The content of flow magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, publishers or the BPMA. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication and do not endorse any products or processes mentioned within it. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the publisher’s written consent. © BPMA. All rights reserved.
www.bpma.org.uk
PRODUCTS
FEATURE 18 Choosing a centrifugal pump
Focus on building services 22 Improve your pump efficiency 22 Keeping up the pressure 24 Building services updates
8 New products for the pump industry
compliance 12 Leading the march for correct CE Marking
SKILLS 14 Starting engineers young
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OPINION 26 The silent pump killer Quarter 2 2019
4 INDUSTRY NEWS
CHEERS TO THE CHAMPIONS To celebrate Manchester City’s Premier League title win, Xylem teamed up with the club and Heineken to produce a limited edition beer made with purified rainwater collected from the rooftop of City’s Stadium.
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rewed for the Premier League’s reigning champions, the beer, named ‘Raining Champions’, will be used to toast Manchester City as part of the end of season celebrations, with a chance for some lucky fans to taste the brew over the coming months. The brewing venture is the latest in a campaign by Xylem and Manchester City to show football fans globally how every country on earth faces serious and escalating water challenges, such as lack of access to clean water and flooding. Joseph Vesey, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Xylem, explained: “With Manchester averaging about 150 rainy days per year, challenges like water scarcity may seem a world away, but the reality is that these issues are closer than we think. A staggering 3.6 billion people – almost half the global population – currently live in areas that are water-scarce at least one month per year and, by 2050,
projections estimate that more than 5 billion people could suffer water shortages. “What better way is there to educate football fans about these urgent challenges and celebrate a phenomenal season for Manchester City than by toasting the club with a rainwater brew. Through this initiative, and our wider ‘Closer Than You Think’ campaign, we aim to inspire the next generation of fans to think differently about water challenges and solutions – like using recycled water to help tackle water shortages – and encourage people of all ages to help create a more water-secure world.” Recycled water is one long-term, sustainable solution to water scarcity. The ‘Raining Champions’ beer was brewed using rainwater from the Etihad purified with advanced, proven treatment technologies from Xylem that produce safe, clean drinking water to the highest standards.
NEW WEBSITE AIMS TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
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ump, valve and pumping station supplier, T-T Pumps, has launched a brandnew website at www.ttpumps.com, with a focus on improving customer experience through its design and use of innovative features. Enhanced search functionality enables quick and easy access to products, services and technical information across the site. With further benefits offered by the inclusion of how-to videos, technical articles, frequently asked questions and continual professional development (CPD) information. To provide sales support and help the site’s users with product selection, a live chat feature has also been added.
Quarter 2 2019
RISING STAR NAMED ‘APPRENTICE YOUNG ENGINEER’ DAN RUTTER, A TALENTED apprentice at Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG), has won the Apprentice Young Engineer category in the Pump Centre’s Young Engineer Awards 2019. The award is aimed at young engineers working anywhere in the supply chain – from end users, consultants, contractors, manufacturers and component and service suppliers. It aims to celebrate and recognise those who have made a significant contribution to their company in the area of pumps, systems and associated equipment.
Dan’s win was in the Apprentice category. In this area, entrants are expected to have proven experience in engineering projects which is appropriate to their field of work and primarily be working in the workshop on hands-on based tasks. This is not Dan’s first taste of high-profile awards success; he has already won Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year. Commenting on his successes to date, Dan said: “I am really pleased to have my work recognised by the Pump Centre’s Award judges – and I hope that my own journey inspires plenty of other young people. “Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group is a great place to work for apprentice engineers. The company is supportive of young people, and my colleagues have helped me to see how rewarding a career in technology and engineering can be. I look forward to continuing to build my skills; my plan is to work towards a Manufacturing Management role within the company.” www.bpma.org.uk
INDUSTRY NEWS 5
GRUNDFOS TAKES CENTRE STAGE
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rundfos has advised the organisers of the Glastonbury festival on optimising their systems, to ensure the availability and accessibility of sufficient clean water for the event’s 200,000 visitors. The overall control and efficiency of the site’s booster units were a key area of focus, not least because of the emphasis the event places on energy use and sustainability. Coming up with a bespoke solution to this unique requirement, Grundfos put
forward a coordinated approach that included upgrading the pump motors to more energy efficient versions, the incorporation of a new precision dosing system and a remote monitoring system that would deliver a significant improvement in data exchange. The inclusion of Grundfos’ new remote monitoring system means that all aspects of the network can be accessed and interrogated 24/7, with an instant inbuilt alarm to advise of any issues.
AWARD FOR TRAINING COURSE PORTFOLIO
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BB won the ‘Contribution to Skills and Training’ award at the annual Motion Control Industry (MCI) awards, held in Birmingham in May. The prize recognises ABB’s commitment to helping industries tackle their biggest challenges – from cutting energy consumption and CO2 emissions to reducing the millions of litres of clean drinking water lost through leakage. ABB offers more than 30 courses, several of which are CPD (continuous professional development) accredited. Targeting end users, contractors, consultants, machine builders and OEMs, the courses aim to improve engineering expertise, tackle technical challenges and improve operational knowledge of applying variable speed drives and motors. The company’s courses have upskilled thousands of engineers, managers and apprentices who can choose between eLearning or classroom based options.
6 BPMA News
CELEBRATIONS ALL ROUND Awards have featured heavily in the last few weeks, for both the BPMA and its membership. But plenty more work has been going on at the Association.
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ne of the biggest nights of the year for the BPMA took place shortly after the last issue of flow was published – the Pump Industry Awards. It was a fantastic opportunity for the industry to come together and recognise the amazing work being carried out in the pump sector, and a detailed roundup of the night and the very worthy winners can be found on page seven of this issue. There were yet more awards for members of the association when Grundfos Pumps was given the accolade ‘Company of the Year’, in the global water and wastewater pump market sector, at management consultants Frost & Sullivan’s recent global awards ceremony. Then the tables turned for the BPMA in May, when the organisation found itself a finalist in the Contribution to Skills & Training category at The 2019 Motion
Control Industry Awards. The welldeserved nomination was in respect of the Association’s e-learning based pump courses. The annual BPMA Golf Day, held amid glorious weather in May, saw yet more awards – for longest drive, nearest the hole and for overall winners, AESSEAL. The event saw a rise in participants over last year with support from sponsors who included ABB, WEG, Flowserve and Wilo. Elsewhere, the BPMA has been busy sharing details of its work and supporting its members. The organisation’s Technical Services Officer, Gary Wilde, addressed the audience at CHEMUK EXPO, explaining the role of the Certified Pump System Auditor Scheme (CPSA) and how it can benefit companies working within the sector. The organisation has also been updating members on significant
changes taking place within the ATEX standards. And representatives attended the Europump annual meeting, where pump manufacturer associations from 17 nations gathered for a three-day conference. Membership of the BPMA has grown yet again. Residential and commercial specialist, London Basement Pumps; seal manufacturer and supplier, Vulcan Seals; fluid-filled pump and motor producer Hayward Tyler; and Sulzer Pump Solutions Ireland have all benefitted from joining the BPMA. This continued growth in membership can be, in part, attributed to the value organisations gain from their investment in the Association. This year, the BPMA has revealed that, for the second year running, all members will receive a complimentary copy of Oxford Economics’ World Pump Report – something that has been chargeable in recent years. The Association has also gone one step further than last year – when it reduced membership rate increases to less than the rate of inflation – by announcing that in 2019 membership fees for both new and continued memberships will be frozen at 2018 rates.
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Drywet System New high efficiency Motors Innovative plug in System Double shielded cables Conductivity probe Separated mechanical seal Precision casting stainless steel handle Flange rubber gasket
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AWARDS UPDATE 7
EXCELLENCE REWARDED AT PUMP INDUSTRY AWARDS Founded by the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) in 2000, the Pump Industry Awards celebrate the achievements of pump companies and individuals who strive to go the extra mile.
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eld at the Heythrop Park Resort in Oxfordshire on Thursday 21st March, the 2019 awards evening was attended by some 200 pump industry professionals who, in addition to enjoying the awards presentations, raised over £4,000 for WaterAid. The evening encouraged a great deal of networking in a competitive but friendly atmosphere, during which the winners were revealed by celebrity compère, television and radio presenter, Penny Smith. Speaking after the awards, Steve Schofield, Director and CEO at the BPMA commented, “We are delighted that the Pump Industry Awards are valued so highly by our industry and that each year we can recognise and reward the excellent work that it undertakes on behalf of pump users across the world. Our sincere congratulations go to all the winners, whose credentials were tested against the industry’s best.” This sentiment was echoed by Wayne Rose, who accepted the ‘Environmental Contribution of the Year’ Award on behalf of Armstrong Fluid Technology. He said, “These awards are particularly important to our industry because focusing entirely on pump technology, they celebrate the achievements of the world’s very best fluid technology design engineers.” Reuben D’Orton-Gibson of SPP Pumps commented: “I was delighted to be awarded ‘Engineer of the Year’ and proud that SPP Pumps was a finalist in the ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ category.” Jason Howlett, Managing Director at Xylem Water Solutions UK, added: “We were proud to support the 2019 event and delighted to take away the ‘Product of the Year’ award for our innovative Flygt Concertor.”
John Crane’s UK OEM Manager, Bryan Hawkes, said: “This was a special year for our team, as we had the added honour of being named Supplier of the Year. This award further underscores our continuous efforts to meet our customers’ needs. Sharon George of Stuart Turner Ltd, concluded: “The Pump Industry Awards provide a great platform to celebrate innovation and excellence across the industry, and we were delighted to be recognised as finalists.” THE 2019 CATEGORY WINNERS The 2019 awards categories focused on key areas of manufacture and supply, including innovation and achievement, energy saving, engineering excellence, customer care and employee motivation. On the night, seven companies and two individuals were awarded. Product of the Year, sponsored by Process Engineering magazine, went to Xylem Water Solutions for its Flygt Concertor XPC. The Project of the Year award, sponsored by Wilo, was presented to Campion Pumps and Irish Water for the
Inniscarra Dam Project. The Environmental Contribution of the Year award, sponsored by SPP Pumps, was won by Armstrong Fluid Technology for the Armstrong Tango Parallel Pumping Solution. Wilo UK was recognised as Manufacturer of the Year, by the award’s sponsor Siemens. The Distributor of the Year award, a category sponsored by WEG, was won by Tomlinson Hall & Co. The Supplier of the Year, awarded by sponsor Xylem Water Solutions, was John Crane UK. The Engineer of the Year award, which was sponsored by World Pumps magazine, went to Reuben D’OrtonGibson from SPP Pumps. The Judges Special Award, which reflected a depth and quality across all entries the company made and was sponsored by Tomlinson Hall & Co, and was presented to Siemens. Tony Keville, Managing Director of Tomlinson Hall & Co, had his significant contribution to the pump industry recognised by the presentation of the BPMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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8 PRODUCT NEWS NEW DOMESTIC CIRCULATORS AND CONDENSATE PUMPS ARMSTRONG FLUID TECHNOLOGY has introduced a new range of products for domestic and light commercial applications. The range includes high-efficiency circulators for heating systems and drinking water, as well as specialist circulators for solar installations, and a broad range of condensate pumps for gas and oil-fired condensing boilers. Included in the portfolio are Optimo high-efficiency, electronically-controlled pumps for heating systems, which are available with optional LED displays. Armstrong has also released the Optimo (N) circulator range – suitable for domestic drinking water systems thanks to its stainless-steel housing – and the Optimo L Geo model, designed for use in higher temperature installations involving solar heat generation. The company’s Lift range of condensate pumps complements the
WIRELESS CONDITION MONITORING SENSOR
ATLAS COPCO POWER AND FLOW HAS EXPANDED ITS PORTFOLIO OF WEDA electric submersible dewatering pumps. The range now comprises three families; the expanded WEDA D for dewatering; WEDA S – also expanded – for sludge; and a new family of pumps for slurry applications, WEDA L. The WEDA D family expansion is marked by the D80, which can handle either clean or dirty water, even with small solids. The S30 and S60 are new models in the WEDA S family. These pumps can handle thick, soft, wet mud or other similarly viscous mixtures of liquids and solids, especially the product of an industrial or refining process. The new WEDA L family handles semiliquid slurry mixtures, typically of fine particles of manure, cement or coal, and water. Focus has also been put on making the pumps lighter, enhancing their electrical safety and improving the seal design and ease of installation.
AVT RELIABILITY HAS ADDED TO its suite of intelligent condition-based monitoring and maintenance products with the wireless Machine Sentry MSF-1 tri-axial vibration and temperature sensor. Suitable for a wide range of applications, including the monitoring of pumps and their related systems, the sensor incorporates full tri-axial vibration measurement and automatic fault diagnosis assistance to identify potential problems and enable pre-emptive action. It offers continuous monitoring, which reduces the chance of fault conditions being missed. The MSF-1 can be paired to any Android tablet or smartphone and connected to the company’s Machine Sentry software using standard Bluetooth communications. Data can be collected from up to 50m away, allowing the safe and efficient monitoring of assets which would be difficult to monitor using a traditional wired accelerometer, such as collection points behind guards and large or rotating assets. The time waveform produced by the sensor is stored in a high-definition raw format, giving maximum flexibility for post-processing.
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www.avtreliability.com
current product offerings, with a range of models to suit gas condensing boilers up to 400kW, in addition to the Lift NT25 model for oil condensing boilers with neutralisation tanks. www.armstrongfluidtechnology.com
DEWATERING RANGE EXPANDS
FASTER BARREL UNLOADING FLOTRONIC HAS INTRODUCED A new barrel and drum unloading system combining the company’s ONE NUT pump with its barrel unloading skid. The new system enables users to pump highly viscous materials out of barrels at significantly increased flow rates. This system is built around the company’s sanitary style pump, which is based on its 3A and EHEDG design. This style of pump was chosen for its suitability to environments or processes where Quarter 2 2019
avoidance of product contamination is paramount. The system can be cleaned in place (CIP) using the pump itself or an external CIP rig or, because of the pump’s design, it can be easily stripped down. Using an inflatable seal, the system ensures minimal pumped product wastage with the minimum amount of product remaining in the barrel. This approach also means there is less hold-up compared to other systems, which allows viscous fluids to be emptied from full-size drums in a matter of minutes. www.flotronicpumps.co.uk www.bpma.org.uk
NOW. PUMP TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE. WILO-STRATOS MAXO: THE WORLD’S FIRST INTUITIVE SMART-PUMP*.
NEW
Your new partner is the most flexible pump: the Wilo-Stratos MAXO is the perfect fit for any application and ensures optimal system efficiency thanks to its intelligent control mode. Furthermore, the pump can be integrated into all relevant systems due to diverse interfaces. And with optimised and innovative energy-saving features the Wilo-Stratos MAXO meets the changing requirements superbly. No other pump on the market offers you more efficiency, connectivity and convenience. This is how already today we are making your life easier with the innovations of tomorrow.
WILO BRINGS THE FUTURE. Discover the future of pump technology:www.wilo.co.uk/future
*We understand a smart-pump as a new category of pumps, which goes far beyond our high-efficiency pumps or pumps with pump intelligence. Only the combination of the latest sensor technology and innovative control functions (e.g. Dynamic Adapt plus and Multi-Flow Adaptation), bidirectional connectivity (e.g. Bluetooth, integrated analogue inputs, binary inputs and outputs, Wilo Net interface), software updates and excellent usability (e.g. thanks to the Setup Guide, the preview principle for predictive navigation and the tried and tested Green Button Technology) make this pump a smart-pump.
10 PRODUCT NEWS
SINGLE-USE SEAL REDUCES COSTS NEW FROM JOHN CRANE, THE T4111 Single-use Elastomer Bellows Cartridge Seal is designed to seal centrifugal and rotary pumps, and similar rotary shaft equipment. The seal is presented as a lowcost, general-purpose sealing solution designed for low-duty applications. It boasts a simplified cartridge seal design; faster, easier and contamination-free installation; a cost-effective-sealing solution; and it complies with ANSI and DIN pump standards. The T4111 seal was found to reduce installation times during testing by at least 50% when compared to elastomer bellows component seals or traditional packing options. In addition, the cartridge design and material selections reduce installation costs, lower maintenance requirements
and optimise equipment performance. This new seal is suitable for aqueous solutions such as water/wastewater treatments and applications within the food and beverage, and mining and metals processing markets. It provides an easy upgrade from the use of traditional packing and component seals. www.johncrane.com
ALFA LAVAL’S NEW TWIN SCREW Pump has been designed to handle fluids which are sensitive, abrasive, and either high or low viscosity. According to the company, this makes it is ideal for use in hygienic applications in the dairy, food and beverage, and personal care industries.
to less than 12 mm in two directions, which has increased the maximum capacity of the farm group’s processing equipment to 1.2 tons per hour. The unit’s design, particularly the low friction in the universal pin-joint, has made the Chopper Hopper far more resilient to the labourious operation, while its construction has enabled simpler disassembly for reduced maintenance downtime.
In addition, its makers say the pump is quiet and virtually pulse-free, as well as being smooth and gentle during operation; characteristics which make the pump an excellent choice for handling sensitive products. Two-in-one operation provides easy handling of process media of varying viscosities as well as CIP fluids. This approach simplifies piping and pump control, cutting costs and minimising contamination risks. Superior suction performance with excellent lift capability and low NPSHR also mean the pump offers installation flexibility and increased product recovery capabilities. The Twin Screw Pump features a clean, external stainless-steel finish with profiled elastomers and mechanical seals fully surrounded by the product. Designed for maximum cleanability using FDAconforming materials, the pump is both EHEDG- and 3-A certified with an ATEX version available for hazardous zones.
www.nov.com
www.alfalaval.com
COMBINED PUMPING AND GRINDING NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO (NOV) has introduced a novel new pump that combines grinding and pumping in a single, compact operation. This new unit, called the Chopper Hopper, unites three proven pieces of equipment – a prebreaker, an EZstrip progressing cavity pump, and an EZstrip TR muncher – in an individual package, which has been designed to improve performance in solids handling and bulk reduction. The unit was initially developed to provide a French farm group with an effective way of dealing with waste from canteens, bakeries and supermarkets. This meant that the Chopper Hopper’s ability to homogenise objects like whole fruits and vegetables into a pumpable purée or mash was a critical requirement. Using the Chopper Hopper has resulted in more than 95% of solids being reduced
NEW TWIN SCREW PUMP FOR HYGIENIC APPLICATIONS
FILTERS ARE THE BEE’S KNEES AXIUM PROCESS HAS SUPPLIED several 316L stainless steel Pure-Screen filters to award-winning honey producer, Hilltop Honey. The honey producer’s recent implementation of Axium’s wedge wire filters is to remove hive debris, which includes wort and fragments of wax, that occur naturally during the extraction process. The filters are well suited to viscous products and offer a large surface area that results in lower frequency cleaning. They are also adaptable allowing the Quarter 2 2019
use of interchangeable elements with different ratings from 5 to 8000 microns, making the filters a flexible solution. The use of Axium’s filters ensures that Hilltop Honey can effectively remove any debris while retaining the world-renowned properties that naturally occurs within its product. Axium’s filters can be customised to suit site-specific or process requirements, from pump and instrument protection to critical applications where filter failure or collapse is not an option. The range –
which includes standard, compact, 90° and in-line options – is available with interchangeable stainless-steel wedge wire, sintered mesh and perforated tube screens. axiumprocess.com www.bpma.org.uk
Motors | Automation | Energy | Transmission & Distribution | Coatings
EFFICIENCY in the WATER INDUSTRY
WG20 Geared motor range up to 18,000 Nm • • • • • • • •
3 types of gear units Energy efficient up to IE4 motors High efficiency gear design 2 stage Corrosion protection in unpainted condition Permanently lubricated Longer maintenance intervals Industry standard mounting dimension Robust, lightweight, efficient
WEG Variable Speed Drives 0.18 to 630 kW • • • • • • •
Software to prevent pump cavitation Broken pipe or leakage detection Pipe cleaning mode Dry pump protection Easy to use and set up Improve motor efficiency and life cycle Fault diagnosis
Turning energy into solutions
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12 Compliance
Leading the march for correct CE Marking
Across all industry sectors, it is important that suppliers of pump systems offer solutions that meet the necessary regulatory requirements – including CE Marking. flow found out how the BPMA is helping those suppliers assess their compliance.
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onscious that the British Pump Manufacturers’ Association (BPMA) is mandated to help ensure the correct standards and directives are adhered to across the pump manufacturing and supply arena, Flowtech Water Solutions was interested in the recent publicity surrounding CE Marking of pump sets, which was also reported in the last issue of flow. Existing in its present form since 1985, CE Marking indicates conformity with health & safety and good environmental protection standards for products sold in the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA). Gary Wilde, Technical Services Officer at the BPMA, has spoken at length about the fact that CE Marking is not solely incumbent upon the original pump manufacturer; it also relates to those who produce booster sets, pressurisation units, rainwater harvesting equipment, heating systems or any other bespoke pumping units. Because these complete units are deemed to be machines 'in their own right' they must, therefore, have a CE mark affixed and be supported by all the appropriate documentation, including a Declaration of Conformity (DoC). The BPMA has highlighted a lack of understanding about who is responsible for the compliance, pointing out that it is not just the manufacturer, but also assemblers, suppliers and installers of pumping equipment. "If assemblers market the products under their own brand names, they take over the manufacturers responsibilities, and they will be assuming the legal responsibility and CE Marking of the products they build," said Gary. A completed set should have its own identification label affixed with an appropriate CE mark and will need to comply with the correct legislation. The label needs to carry a minimum amount of information such as a serial number, product type, supply voltage and performance data along with contact details of the set builder and where the packaged set was manufactured. As a pump, pressurisation unit, booster set and general water services supplier specialising in the building services and HVAC sector, Flowtech provides a range of standard and bespoke water booster sets and pressurisation units for the domestic and commercial market. Valuing its
quality management arrangements, the company, therefore, solicited support and guidance from the BPMA to help ensure that all its manufactured products are CE marked correctly. Martin Donaldson, Sales Director at Flowtech Water Solutions, takes up the story: "As a BPMA Martin Donaldson – member we are keen Flowtech Water Solutions to take maximum advantage of all the services offered by our trade association, and this was especially so in this instance, given its direct relevance and importance to our business. We are proud to have compliance as an integral part of what we offer our customers." Commenting on the guidance given to Flowtech by the BPMA, Gary said: "It was a pleasure assisting the team at Flowtech with product CE Marking. This recognises the company's desire and commitment to achieving optimum levels of compliance." The support offered by the BPMA to its members can include a thorough review of the company's relevant documentation and paper-trails to ensure the requirements of CE Marking are being fully met. This also includes the 'set's' DoC, which must reference the appropriate legislation and EN standards where applicable. Not only has working with the BPMA to assess its conformity offered reassurance to Flowtech's management, but it also provides evidence of its compliance with conformity, health and safety and environmental protection standards. chevron-circle-right www.flowtech.org.uk
For details of the full range of training available from the BPMA download the FREE training guide at:
bit.ly/BPMAtraining
BPMA TR AINING
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E-LEARNING
Quarter 2 2019
LECTURE
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GUIDE INDEPEND
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ADDITIONAL
TRAINING
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14 SKILLS
To meet the engineering skills gap we need to start early We need more engineers! That’s a fact. Through her organisation, Primary Engineer, Dr Susan Scurlock MBE, is ensuring students are inspired by the prospects of a career in engineering from a very early age, as flow found out.
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ach year, the UK needs 124,000 engineers and technicians with core engineering skills and yet more personnel to satisfy the 79,000 new roles in engineering. That’s 203,000 people every year, with engineering skills to a minimum of level three, needed to meet the demand that is forecast to remain right through to 2024. But where will we get them from? We need to ensure there are up and coming engineers in the pipeline. Since 2005 Susan has been working with the team at Primary Engineer to engage children as young as three and help them identify their inner-engineer. She has also crafted teacher training programmes that help to identify and nurture latent engineering skills. Fifteen years on, she is now taking a more formal direction with the creation of two professional engineering institutions, similar in structure to the professional institutions we Dr. Susan Scurlock (back, left), with Professor John Perkins at the launch of the already know. But these institutions Institutions of Primary and Secondary Engineers. have one fundamental difference to those already in existence; they are for primary and secondary school Primary Engineer has big ambitions. It started 15 years ago, by taking engineering into primary school classrooms children. despite being told at the time that primary wasn’t important Susan explains: “In May 2019 we launched two institutions and that 14-19 was the age to focus on. Over the years – both with the specific objective of helping children and the organisation has observed many things, notably that young adults to develop skills, mindsets and competencies related to engineering and the wider world of work. These children like to be called an engineer and that they like to find problems of their own to solve. This has led to the institutions increase pupils’ employability and broaden their creation of the Leaders Award programme, which asks career aspirations through collaboration with industry, the STEM community, and parents”. pupils “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” In the past year alone 37,000 children and young adults Using an online portal, the institutions work with teachers to create, access and evaluate projects while keeping track have submitted inventions, with many being exhibited at events nationally. From the inventions submitted, 220 have of the skills that their school delivers. Software also provides received top awards, and six universities have actually the capability for teachers to manage pupils’ pathways to the institution’s certification processes, thereby showcasing turned some of the best and most inspiring ideas into reality. to industry and further education a pupil’s aptitude for So, when it comes to looking forward 20 years to when transferrable skills which, in turn, will increase their employability. the five-year-olds of today are ready to enter industry, it’s Primary Engineer isn’t alone in its quest to inspire the next teams like Primary Engineer and their industry partners generation and shore up the continued supply of engineers. It investing in today’s children, piquing their interest in STEM and maintaining it throughout school, that will help to keep has strong partnerships with companies like Weir Group and the great in Great British engineering. chevron-circle-right industry organisations like Scottish Engineering and Skills Development Scotland, who support Susan and her team on www.primaryengineer.com their programmes that stimulate interest in STEM.
Quarter 2 2019
www.bpma.org.uk
Solutions for systems of all types and sizes
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→ Learn more about our products: visit www.reflex.de/en or contact sales@reflexuk.co.uk 20180629_Anzeige_UK_123x86.indd 1
29.06.18 16:23
DO YOU MAKE, SELL, INSTALL, REPAIR OR ASSEMBLE PUMPS AND SYSTEMS? BPMA membership offers a wealth of information, advice and opportunities designed to help your business thrive. • • • • • • • • • •
Tender alerts Free commercial, health & Safety and legal advice Free and discounted technical and market insight guides Expert advice on standards, legislation and technical issues Discounted training Energy auditing Discounted insurance UK and EU representation at political and executive levels Exclusive promotional opportunities Valuable networking opportunities
Visit the BPMA website, call or email for more details
www.bpma.org.uk • +44(0)121 601 6692 • g.wilde@bpma.org.uk
16 MARKET UPDATE
2020 GDP growth expected to rise The global forecasting specialist, Oxford Economics, is predicting a modest acceleration in UK GDP growth f rom 1.5% this year to 1.7% in 2020.
Diary
JUNE 18-20
18-20
facilities show
ExCeL London www.facilitiesshow.com
Flood and Coast
Telford International Centre, UK www.floodandcoast.com
20
BPMA Technical Committee Meeting
26
Future of Utilities: Innovation in Networks
July
2019 BPMA Pump Buyers Guide & Directory publishED
London bit.ly/BPMATech
Raddison Blu, London bit.ly/FoEInnov
www.bpma.org.uk/publications
August
O
xford Economics believes that sustained growth in household spending power will help to underpin this growth. A simultaneous pick-up in wage growth and a cooling in inflationary pressures has seen household spending power strengthen over the past six months although momentum is likely to ebb in the near term. But the company sees prospects for 2020 looking better, with the welfare freeze coming to an end and inflation set to resume its descent. Consumer spending is expected to grow by 1.7% in 2019 and 1.6% in 2020, though quarterly growth rates will pick up steadily during next year as inflation slows. It is expected that fiscal policy will also be supportive as it will become less restrictive moving forwards, with the worst of the real terms cuts to government spending now behind us. Indeed, if an ‘orderly’ Brexit is achieved, it is possible that the Chancellor will use some of the headroom against his fiscal rules to loosen fiscal policy in the autumn Budget. The forecasting specialist also expects net exports to exert a drag on growth. It expects world growth to weaken again in 2019 as the impact of more protectionist trade policy is seen, with growth in world trade (weighted by UK export shares) slowing from 5.2% in 2018 to 1.4% in 2019. And though the protracted uncertainty associated with a delay to Brexit is likely to keep sterling weak in the short term, in the company’s view, an ‘orderly’ outcome should ensure that the pound recovers during 2020 given the extent to which it is currently undervalued. Oxford Economics also expects investment to dampen growth. Although firms are in solid financial shape, they have been reluctant to spend. Uncertainty around Brexit has been a key factor, and this is likely to persist until the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU becomes clearer. After falling 0.4% last year, the company predicts that business investment will decline by a further 0.6% in 2019 before recovering to grow by 1.3% in 2020. The company thinks that overall investment is set to be firmer, growing by 1.4% this year and then 1.7% in 2020. chevron-circle-right
Quarter 2 2019
september 3-6
5 5
11-12
30-1
SPE Offshore Europe
Aberdeen UK www.offshore-europe.co.uk
The National Food & Drink Business Conference and Exhibition Citywest Convention Dublin www.fooddrinkevent.com
The Future Food Factory Expo Citywest Convention Dublin www.futurefoodfactory.ie
the flood expo
NEC, Birmingham www.thefloodexpo.co.uk
THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT SUMMIT Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted
energymanagementsummit.co.uk
October 1-3
8-10
PPMA Total Show
NEC, Birmingham www.ppmatotalshow.co.uk
UK Construction Week
NEC, Birmingham www.ukconstructionweek.com www.bpma.org.uk
THE KEY TO GREATNESS? FLEXIBILITY.
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18 centrifugal pumps
choosing a centrifugal pump just got easier
Almost 70% of the standardised pumps in use today operate at a constant motor speed and are usually combined with IE3 asynchronous motors. Pump manufacturer KSB has developed an alternative approach – a smart drive solution which aims to reduce the complexity of variants, while also increasing planning reliability for the engineering contractor. flow found out more.
I
n applications which require fixed speed pump sets, the pump is usually adjusted to the design point by machining its impeller. “Our new MyFlow Technology marks a fundamental change to this concept,” explained Daniel Gontermann, Product Management Drives & Mechatronic Solutions at KSB SE & Co. KGaA. “With this new technology, the required head and flow rate can be adjusted via the motor by selecting an individual fixed speed, a capability which offers clear benefits to operators and OEMs.” This new approach makes it possible to optimise pumps to meet specific system conditions after the production process. This does away with the need to trim the impeller during production to match the calculated design point. To make this advance possible, KSB has combined a cost-effective, motor-mounted minimum frequency inverter with its IE5 SuPremE synchronous reluctance motor and the latest generation of its Etanorm pump range. Where the selection process traditionally involved using asynchronous motors alone, the exact adjustment to the required flow rate was achieved by first selecting a suitable pump and then fine-tuning it by reducing the impeller diameter. However, this required a wide range of pumps to choose from. For example, KSB’s Etanorm range alone is made up of 43 sizes, but now, with MyFlow Technology, only 18 sizes are needed to cover the same H-Q selection chart. In practice, fewer variants mean that pumps do not necessarily need to be produced on an order-specific basis, making inventory management much easier. The pumps can also be customised within a few minutes of receiving an order, or even once they are installed in a system. Through extensive characteristic curve analyses and calculations, KSB’s development engineers have been able to prove that this reduction in the number of sizes brings no disadvantages concerning hydraulic efficiency or the pumps’ suction characteristics. Speeds ranging from around 1000 to 4500rpm can be set. This generally means that the same pump power
Quarter 2 2019
output can be achieved with a smaller pump casing. Less material means lower costs for the pump’s hydraulic system and less space for storage. This also makes product data maintenance and inventory management easier for system operators. Another technical advantage of this concept is the working principle of the IE5 SuPremE motors. They feature around four per cent higher efficiencies at www.bpma.org.uk
centrifugal pumps 19
the rated load point and significantly higher partload efficiencies than asynchronous motors. “At first glance the frequency inverter makes the new drive appear a little more expensive,” commented Daniel. “However, if you compare the real investment costs for the systems – with all of the components which have to be installed when using an asynchronous motor – the total costs are very similar.” Contrary to asynchronous motors, which can only provide temperature-based information, the new drive used in the MyFlow system features a Modbus interface for communication with a higher-level control station. From a start/stop signal through to fault history, this interface offers complete transparency and remote access for Industry 4.0 concepts. This means that information such as the head, flow rate, electricity consumption, speed and much more can be viewed at all times. The idea of setting the flow rate once the pump set has been installed, instead of basing this on a calculated design point prior to installation, is undoubtedly very appealing. It is no secret that generous safety allowances are incorporated during
the planning and installation stage. All parties involved in the selection process of a pump allow an additional margin. During installation, it is often the case that the pipe diameter or the nominal diameters of the installed valves differ from the plan. This causes the pump’s calculated design point to deviate further and further from the real operating point. To accommodate this fluctuation safety margins of 10-15% are often used. As a result, in practice, many pumps do not offer energy-efficient operation. Furthermore, even with optimum conditioning of the fluid handled, solids buildup can occur in a system, increasing flow resistance and causing the pump’s operating point to shift towards the shut-off head. With the speed adjustment feature integrated into the new drive-based concept, adjustments can be made at any time. Using a mobile app provided by KSB, the speed can be easily changed by making virtual impeller trimming adjustments.
“With this new technology, the required head and flow rate can be adjusted via the motor.”
SUMMARY
Robust and attractively priced asynchronous motors have primarily been the automatic choice for pumps with constant flow rates for well over 100 years. However, most system operators are unaware of the disadvantages associated with these motors. In the age of networking, communication and localised intelligence, perhaps now is the time to start questioning this traditional approach. chevron-circle-right www.ksb.com www.bpma.org.uk
Quarter 2 2019
20 FOCUS ON building services
improve pump efficiency and reliability with a vsd It is 50 years since the first variable speed drive (VSD) was applied to electronically vary the speed of an electric motor. Since then the market has grown steadily. However, according to Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives UK Sales Manager at ABB, it is estimated that only 5% of the world’s installed motors are fitted with a VSD.
O
ne the biggest markets for VSDs are in buildings – for a multitude of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) applications. In particular, they benefit all types of pumps including circulating water in HVAC systems, booster pumps, dosing pumps, fountain pumps, utility pumps, boiler feedwater pumps, industrial process cooling pumps and chilled water pumps. Because pumps represent the largest single use of motive power across industry and commerce and because they are variable torque, the addition of speed control will provide energy saving benefits. The most commonly-used methods for controlling the flow of a pump that transfers a liquid from a location of lower pressure to one of higher pressure are throttling, bypassing, on/off control and VSD control. While throttling is the least efficient of these methods, it is the one that is most frequently used. Meanwhile, VSD control is a more efficient method but is used less frequently. The potential for improving energy efficiency will depend on the type of pumps used and specifically on the relationships between the pumps’ performance variables. These relationships, for pumps and other applications, are shown in Table 1. Applications with a cubic relation of power versus speed (i.e. centrifugal pumps, fans, blowers and compressors) offer the greatest scope for energy saving with variable speed control. When the process requires a lower rate of flow and the VSD reduces the speed of the application, this has a much greater impact on the amount of power consumed than in applications
Application
Flow-v-speed
where the relationship is linear. However, VSDs are not just about energy saving – they can also improve system reliability; simplify pipe systems by eliminating the need for control valves and by-pass lines; provide controlled start and stop, thereby reducing wear and tear on the motors and water hammer; and reduce leaks caused by pressure surges. All this leads to lower maintenance, lower lifecycle costs and increased plant availability. Office equipment manufacturer Ricoh, for instance, installed VSDs on its air handling units, water circulation pumps and compressors. While this resulted in a saving of over £100,000 per annum in energy costs, the VSDs also enabled the company to gain better control over several processes including a supervised relay output function, which allows the drive to control motors dependant on the status of connected equipment, and Modbus compatibility, which allows control and monitoring of applications over a PLC network. Meanwhile, Harbour Exchange Tower, a 46,500m2 office development near Canary Wharf in London, saved £15,000 on electricity costs in six months following the installation of 18 VSDs. Installation
“VSDs are not just about energy saving – they can also improve system reliability.”
Pressure or torque-v-speed
Power-v-speed
Positive displacement pumps*, positive displacement blowers, screw and piston compressors
Linear
Constant
Linear
Centrifugal pumps, fans, blowers and compressors
Linear
Quadratic
Cubic
*Including piston, screw, gear and progressive cavity types Table 1: Relationship between performance variables for different motor-driven applications Quarter 2 2019
www.bpma.org.uk
FOCUS ON building services 21 was spread over three applications – hot water pumps, chilled water pumps and toilet supply and extraction fans. The pumps and fans are controlled by a building management system (BMS), which switches them on and off according to pre-selected timings. The biggest savings came from the chilled water system. This has eight drives running eight pumps. Six of the drives are 30kW and two are 37kW. The drives reduce the speed of the pump motors by 20%. In the first six months of operation, this saved 55,000 kilowatt-hours and £8,000 in energy costs. The hotel sector is also now taking a closer look at how best to apply VSDs, as a typical HVAC system can account for between 60 to 80% of all the energy consumed by a single hotel. An ABB energy survey conducted for the InterContinental Madrid revealed that the hotel’s energy use was high, particularly in the eight pump groups that serve its HVAC systems and hot water supply for guest rooms, kitchens and other facilities. Based on these findings, the pumping systems were equipped with 13 ABB HVAC drives and 16 electric motors with IE3 energy efficiency classification and integrated into BMSs. This upgrade provides the overall system with greater stability and higher energy efficiency, as the motor speeds are now adjusted to match the precise demand at any given time. Over a year the energy saving totalled 445,000 kilowatt-hours, cutting the
VSDs and IE3 motors have cut energy use at the InterContinental Madrid hotel by 445,000 kWh per year. hotel’s annual energy bill by around £29,000 to deliver a projected return on investment of less than two years. If similar energy savings could be replicated at just one-in-four of the world’s estimated 187,000 hotels (according to STR Global), global CO2 emissions could be reduced by nearly 12 million tons a year – similar to shutting down three coal-fired power plants. chevron-circle-right new.abb.com
SEALING SIMPLIFIED NEW
T4111 Single-use Elastomer Bellows Cartridge Seal Reduces installation time by at least 50% on low-duty pumps compared to packing and component seals BENEFITS 20-30% savings on lifetime costs Water conservation compared to packing using a water quench Reduced maintenance Minimized downtime
INDUSTRIES Engineered for applications using aqueous solutions, the revolutionary new seal is ideal for Mining Food & Beverage Water/Wastewater Other Industrial applications
Visit us online to learn how this groundbreaking product will simplify the sealing process for your application.
singleuseseals.com
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22 FOCUS ON building services
FIRE SAFETY: KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE Fire safety in high-rise buildings has, rightly, been very much in focus since the devastating Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017. flow takes a closer look at the role pumps play in fire safety.
A
n important consideration in any highrise building is the use of a sprinkler system and pumps are a key element of these systems. The job of the pump in a sprinkler system is to boost the water pressure when it drops below a specified threshold so they are particularly relevant in applications where it is unlikely that the local water system would be able to provide enough pressure to meet the needs of the fire sprinkler system or in applications where the water supply is provided from a ground level storage tank. It is well known that pumps are one of the major users of energy in any system and one of the biggest challenges facing building services engineers today is to reduce energy consumption within their buildings. So, for most pump systems, energy efficiency is a key consideration. However, this is a secondary requirement in safety-related applications. “For fire systems, energy efficiency is not the most important driver. The building services engineer will be more interested in ensuring that the system complies with the necessary approval bodies,” said Bob Tichband, General Manager at SPP Pumps. “Keeping up to date with legislation is one of the biggest challenges facing pump manufacturers today. We have always found that the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) provides us with a great source of information on both compliance issues and European regulations and this is very helpful.” SPP Pumps has supplied pumps for sprinkler systems in some high profile buildings – including the Shard – which at just over 309m is currently the tallest building in Western Europe – and the 41-storey Gherkin which stands at 180m tall. A SPECIALISED SOLUTION Bob explains that high-rise buildings require the use of very specialised pumps that should be precisely customised for each application to ensure they offer the correct number of stages and the correct positioning of outlets. “Specifiers working in the building services sector will be looking for proof that the pump is able to meet the high pressure demands of the sprinkler system and that it will enable the system to supply water at different pressures depending on which level of the building it is needed,” continued Bob. “An important feature of the SPP Pumps offering is the number of stages and outlets that we can provide. This makes them more configurable and allows the pumps to offer a bespoke solution for an application. “We can also provide pumps in a vertical configuration which helps building service engineers save space in their often overcrowded pump rooms. Space is always a premium in a building – pump rooms are dead spaces so they need to be designed to take up as little room as possible. Vertical
Quarter 2 2019
configuration of the pump can reduce the footprint of the pump by around 60%.” Created specifically for use in fire system applications SPP Pump’s multi-stage, multi-outlet (MSMO) centrifugal pumps can help to reduce the quantity of pumps needed to efficiently operate a fire system. They can also help reduce pipework and valves and eliminate the need for water storage tanks on intermediate floors; and this can help reduce the loading on the building. “The cost and space saving implications of good pump design in sprinkler systems can be significant,” concludes Bob. “Power requirements will be lower, pump rooms can be smaller and, in line with EU legislation, pressure reducing valves shall not be used as a means to prevent over-pressurisation of sprinkler.” Driven by electric motors or diesel engines, these MSMO pumps are able to satisfy any specification set out by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) for automatic sprinkler protection in high rise and multiple storey buildings. chevron-circle-right
“The cost and space saving implications of good pump design in sprinkler systems can be significant.”
www.spppumps.com www.bpma.org.uk
ABB AbilityTM Smart Sensor for low voltage motors
Up to
Up to
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improved energy efficiency
70%
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— Your motors are talking to you Are you listening?
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Flow magazine_motor_sensor_ad_v3.indd 1
24/05/2019 16:24
Never miss a copy of flow REQUEST YOUR FREE COPY FOR THE LATEST:
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Quarter 2 2019
24 Building Services Update
PRE-FABRICATED SOLUTION TAKES THE PUMP HOUSE OUTSIDE THE RECENTLY COMPLETED £18.9 million Wallyford Primary School, in East Lothian, opened its doors to local children in February this year. The single unit building features 28 classrooms, four nursery playrooms and a library designed to meet the needs of the wider community. Safety was an important factor and was integrated into every aspect of the build project. Grundfos Pumps was responsible for the specification and supply of a pre-fabricated pump house which is housed externally from the main building. Such a pre-fabricated packaged pump house can work well in applications where the pumps need to be installed externally from the basement/plant room and they are often specified as an alternative to more traditional brick-built pump houses. The enclosures are independently fire-tested and approved to BS476 Part 6 and 7. They can be built to meet a wide variety of compliance standards, depending on the requirements of an application and can cater for virtually any quantity of pumps. They also have a 30-year guarantee against corrosion
and UV degradation in a normal outdoors environment. For Wallyford Primary School, Grundfos Pumps supplied the OH1-15 single electric packaged pump house which is designed to be fully compliant with all standards and technical bulletins. With a compact footprint of just 2m x 2.5m this engineered-to-order unit arrived on site pre constructed, pre-wired and tested to specific site requirements. www.grundfos.co.uk/fire
NEW CONTROLLER FOR MULTI-PUMP INSTALLATIONS ARMSTRONG FLUID TECHNOLOGY’S, new Integrated Pumping System (IPS 4000), is an automation solution for commercial HVAC pumping stations of up to 8 pumps and 16 zones. The new system automates and optimises multi-pump installations in a range of different plant configurations. Providing sequences for variable-primary, secondary or tertiary pumping system applications, it delivers significant energy savings, using Armstrong’s patented Parallel Sensorless Pump Control technology. The IPS 4000 is pre-configured to leverage the capabilities of Design Envelope (the technology embedded in Armstrong pumps) offering fast and simple setup for the most costeffective and efficient pump control results. Designed for control of multiple pumps in both heating and cooling HVAC applications, it is capable of maximising the performance profiles of up to 8 variable speed pumps and up to 12 zones, and is suitable for both new installations and retrofit. The system integrates with Building Quarter 2 2019
Management Systems (BMS) but can also provide highly-effective standalone pump control where a BMS is not deployed. As the IPS 4000 is a pre-engineered, catalogue-based solution, customers can avoid both the programming work and the related costs associated with bespoke control options. www.armstrongfluidtechnology.com
EFFICIENCY FOR HVAC AND DRINKING WATER APPLICATIONS
LAUNCHED IN APRIL THIS YEAR, the new Wilo-Stratos MAXO for HVAC and drinking water applications in large buildings employs several functions to ensure high levels of energy efficiency. A No-Flow Stop function does exactly that – stopping the motor when the pump recognises that the flow rate supplied is too low. In addition, MultiFlow Adaptation is a new energy-saving function which enables the feeder pump to adjust its output to the precise demand of the connected consumer circuit pumps. These functions contribute to an Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) of between ≤ 0.19 and ≤ 0.17 depending on the model. Designed for use in large residential light commercial projects, an intuitive user interface makes installation and operation easier than before, and connectivity has also been enhanced. Analogue and digital interfaces will now come as standard while the latest communication interfaces enable the device to be directly connected to mobile devices. Where the pump can be operated and configured via a custom-developed app that can read out the pump data and use it to optimise the system. The inclusion of ‘Wilo Net’, a new standard interface for connectivity among Wilo products, also enables the control of multiple pumps, and additional CIF modules, offering seamless integration into the world of bus systems. www.wilo.co.uk www.bpma.org.uk
Go With The Flow!
Flowtech Water Solutions supply a large range of standard and bespoke products for the Building Services and HVAC Market working nationally with Local Councils, Consultants, Design Engineers, Mechanical Contractors, Developers and End Users. Flowtech Water Solutions will handle projects from initial enquiry to tender to supply to commission.
Our product portfolio includes: O Flowboost Booster Sets O Flowpress Pressurisation Units O Flowstore Cold Water Storage Tanks O Flowpac CAT5 Packaged Booster Set & Tank O Flowpac Compact Packaged Booster Set & Tank Why not give us a call on 0333 200 1756 or email info@flowtech.org.uk to discuss your requirements. For any service or maintenance enquiries call 0333 200 1813 or email service@flowtech.org.uk ISO Certificate No: GB19565
www.flowtech.org.uk
BPMA Membership No: 700106
FOR WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS
FIRE PROTECTION SHARD, LONDON
FLOOD DEFENCE PRAGUE 30
27
SPP PUMPS LIMITED, 1420 LAKEVIEW, ARLINGTON BUSINESS PARK, THEALE, READING, RG7 4SA TEL: +44 (0) 1189 32 31 23 • EMAIL: ENQUIRIES@SPPPUMPS.COM
FEATURE 26 Opinion
The secret pump killer
Gary Wilde, BPMA Technical Services Officer, believes the responsibility for dealing with the issues caused by wet wipes is currently falling to the wrong organisations.
U
K reports suggest that sewer blockages caused by wet wipes being flushed down toilets are costing our water companies more than £100m every year. About 80% of all the material retrieved from sewer blockages are down to wipes. If these blockages were avoided, the water companies could reinvest this money in their infrastructure and service provision, or they could reduce their customers’ bills. Supermarket shelves are full of products that are branded as ‘flushable’, but flushable does not mean biodegradable. Invariably these wet wipes will end up joining a fatberg blockage in the pipework or clogging up a pump somewhere in the network. Manufacturers of these wipes know this is a problem and yet their marketing teams still promote these products under the misleading claim. Given that around 90% of wet wipes sold in the UK are not suitable for flushing, manufacturers and retailers should promote the instruction ‘do not flush’ instead of the current flushable expression. But there is currently no legislation in place to differentiate between which products should be labelled as flushable and which should be labelled as tissue. To date, the UK Government has shown little interest in asserting new regulations, preferring to encourage the wet wipe manufacturers and the water industry to develop a code of practice together. While ordinary toilet paper degrades in a matter of hours, wet wipes will take on average about two weeks to breakdown, if at all. So, for all those flushings that take place within a short distance of a sewage treatment plant, the travel could be anything from 2-48 hours, which is not nearly long enough time for the wipes to degrade. One way to deal with the issue is to fit cutter or grinder pumps at appropriate points throughout the network, but understandably these pump types usually incur high maintenance costs. Another drawback with this approach is that although the wet wipes are chopped up into smaller pieces – which helps to remove their clogging properties – it does nothing to remove the tiny plastic fibres they contain, which could even enter the human food chain further down the line. Many tonnes of wet wipes, either whole or in Quarter 2 2019
part, which haven’t been caught up in either fatbergs or pump blockages, find their way into the inlet filters at the water treatment works. These filters, which generally consist of 6mm screens fitted into the flow of incoming wastewater, are designed to catch and remove any solids before the main treatment process. The collected material, often referred to as ‘ragging’, then needs to be removed and either incinerated or taken to landfill sites. There are many sewage pumps available on the market, all with different attributes and features, and of course, technology is increasingly playing its part in helping to improve wastewater pumping. On top of this, the pump industry will continue to invest in R&D, producing new impeller designs, anti-clog systems and the likes. But this is placing the burden on the water companies and the pump industry when one could very well argue that the only real solution is to have the problem removed at source. This means better labelling on wet wipes packaging to prevent flushing or the removal of this type of product from supermarket shelves altogether. In short, more needs to be done by the wet wipe manufacturers, but in equal measure, by the supermarkets and the British Retail Consortium. The UK Government should also be doing far more to address the financial and environmental factors associated with this huge problem. Significantly better awareness amongst consumers would also help. chevron-circle-right
“Given that around 90% of wet wipes sold in the UK are not suitable for flushing, manufacturers and retailers should promote the instruction ‘do not flush’ instead of the current flushable expression.”
www.bpma.org.uk
Established in 2006 TEC Electric motors is now considered to be the largest independent electric motor supplier within the UK & Ireland. From humble beginnings 12 years ago, TEC has consistently grown at a rate of £1.5 million pounds per annum. Sales of £20 million GBP are expected in 2019. TEC's policy of re-investment in the business has resulted in a move to a new modern 90,000 square foot facility on Europe's largest industrial estate. The stock holding of £12 million GBP and approximately 150,000 units is the largest in the UK. All Backed by 24/7 365 day call out; "Exceptional customer service" is at the core of company beliefs. Facilities to modify motors to customer requirements on short lead-times; in particular to"WIMES" specifications and non-standard paint finishes (ISO12944/C5M) makes TEC the preferred supplier of choice to many industries in particular the pump sector. TEC continues its pursuit of continuous improvement with a recently re designed website which allows customers to access electrical data sheets and drawings in 2D & 3D formats instantly. However TEC is not just a local supplier, forming part of a global organisation with TECHTOP's partners in America, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Greece, Holland and Italy to name but a few. This allows access to an additional stock holding of over £50 million offering global support to your business. If you are looking for an electric motor supplier with a dedicated team, integrity and reliability, we are sure you will not be disappointed.
otal ngineering ommitment
.tecmotors.co.uk
Year formed: 2006 Number of staff: 47 HQ location: Worcestershire Turnover: £19 million Markets: HVAC, Conveyor, Pump, Hydraulic, Offshore, Distribution. Website: www.tecmotors.co.uk
• 0.09kW-8MW • 2/4/6/8/10/12 Pole • 56-630 frame • Multi mount 56-200 Aluminium • Multi mount 80-280 Cast Iron • Fixed feet 315-630 Cast Iron • High Voltage: 3.3, 6, 6.6, 10, 13.8kV • TEFC, CACA/CACW • IE1, IE2, IE3, IE4 Efficiency motors • IE3 motors ECA approved • Increased output IE1, IE2, IE3 • 1ph motors 56-112 frame 1ph motors 230v/110v • 60hz 1ph motors also available • ATEX Exde Zone 1 71-355 frame • ATEX Zone 2/22 56-355 frame • ATEX Zone 21 & ATEX 1ph • Brake motors, retro brake fitting • Special voltage, special shaft • Vector encoder motors • Forced ventilated motors • In-line gearboxes • Right angle worm boxes • • • • •
Mechanical speed variators TECDrive Inverters - IP66 and IP20 Double reduction units Helical in-lines Slipring Motors on request
Ensuring waste is never wasted The Chopper Hopper™ combines solids reduction and transfer pumping into one unit, saving energy and minimizing your carbon footprint. With the ability to handle various input sizes, the pre-cutters in the hopper breaks up solids, which our Muncher technology breaks into finer pieces. The EZstrip™ progressing cavity pump moves the homogenous slurry to the downstream process, creating an efficient transfer of biowaste with low power consumption and operating costs. To learn more, visit nov.com/industrial Š 2018 National Oilwell Varco | All Rights Reserved
