Quarter 1 2020
Pump industry insight from
FOCUS ON: Pharmaceutical and chemical processing
Hydraulic retrofit meets increased demand
Pre-empting pump failures Pump Industry News
Innovations
Applications
Expert Opinion
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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.
I
n this issue, we focus on the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors, two areas where pumping technology plays a significant role. In two complementary features, we look at mechanical seals and magnetic drive pumps. The first explores the issues present if mechanical seals manufactured from non-safe materials are used. The second looks at magnetic drive pumps, which can offer an alternative to using seals in some applications. Then, with Ex rated equipment widely specified across our focus sectors, we also carry a piece which outlines some of the things end-users need to be aware of when they have Ex rated equipment repaired. Elsewhere in this issue Steve Schofield, BPMA CEO, shares his views on what our post-Brexit regulatory landscape may look like. We also hear about the extended product approach, which has been designed to support the aims of the Eco-Design Directive while another feature in this issue looks at a predictive maintenance solution which is saving endusers both time and money. Plus, we have our regular events diary, our new compliance calendar, news from the BPMA and the wider industry, plus the latest products and opinion. Finally, many of you will be reading this in the days running up towards the Pump Industry Awards, a key event in the industry’s calendar. In its 20th anniversary year, it looks set to be another fantastic event, and I look forward to seeing many of you there. Richard Harden, President, BPMA
PUMP INDUSTRY NEWS
BPMA National Metalforming Centre 47 Birmingham Road West Bromwich B70 6PY www.bpma.org.uk
Twitter @bpmapumps
4 5
The world’s most powerful boiler feed pump
BPMA NEWS 7
BPMA signs membership swap with HHIC
awards update
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.
Record boiler sales show how decarbonisation could work
8 Pump Industry Awards finalists announced
PRODUCT NEWS
SKILLS 16 Making a contribution
features 18 Pre-empting pump failures 20 Hydraulic retrofit meets increased demand
Focus on Pharmaceutical and chemical processing 22 Check your labels to ensure compliance 24 When you absolutely cannot risk a leak
10 Decentralised low-power variable speed drives
26 Ex equipment repair: what are the user’s responsibilities?
11
28 Pharmaceutical and chemical processing news
New product for teaching fluid mechanics
Compliance
OPINION
© BPMA. All rights reserved.
14 Eco-Design Directive www.bpma.org.uk
30 Brexit: What next? Quarter 1 2020
4 INDUSTRY NEWS
RECORD BOILER SALES SHOW HOW DECARBONISATION COULD WORK
M
ike Foster, Chief Executive of the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), believes that decarbonising home heating should be done using gas central heating. While reporting a record year for annual gas boiler sales, Mike added that: “The UK saw a record number of gas boilers being sold in 2019; 1.67 million, an increase of 1.8% on 2018 figures.” The number of homes with central heating is also increasing; today, around 22 million households in the UK have gas central heating, compared to 20 years ago when it was about 17 million homes. “The sheer scale demands that we use these systems to decarbonise, not plan to scrap them,” continued Mike. The EUA believes that clean gases, such as biomethane and hydrogen, offer the solution to decarbonisation of UK heat demand. The industry has developed hydrogen-ready appliances, which can still be used with natural gas, ready for the Government to give the go-ahead. Hydrogen gas can use the existing underground gas pipes already installed in the UK, offering minimum disruption and
expense compared to other low carbon alternatives. In addition, homeowners won’t be required to buy new appliances, merely convert those they already own, similar to the switch from town gas in the 1960s. This means heat can be decarbonised relatively simply.
STUART TURNER ON THE ACQUISITION TRAIL STUART TURNER HAS ANNOUNCED ITS ACQUISITION OF Fluid Water Solutions (FWS). The Yorkshire based manufacturer produces a wide range of water boosting products which will both complement and support Stuart Turner’s existing Aquaboost range. FWS also has extensive experience supplying products to the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors which will help Stuart Turner to deliver growth in these markets.
BIM4WATER ADDS TO STEERING GROUP
B
IM4Water, the organisation looking to lead the digital transformation of the water sector, has announced that Karen Alford, Flood and Coastal Risk Manager at The Environment Agency, has agreed to join the BIM4Water Steering Group as a “Nominated Member”. This honorary position is in recognition of Karen’s continuing work in the adoption of digital delivery in the UK Water Industry. BIM4Water Chair, Jamie Mills of Xylem Water Solutions UK, said of the announcement: “I’m delighted that Karen is joining the steering group as our Nominated Member. Her experience and guidance will be invaluable to the water industry, especially now, as we move into AMP 7 and make significant strides in our digital transformation journey”. Karen will join the Steering Group with immediate effect. She said: “I am honoured to be joining the BIM4 Water steering group. Seven years of practical experience implementing BIM across the whole asset life has given me insight into the challenges and opportunities it can bring to the water sector”. Quarter 1 2020
Commenting on the acquisition, Richard Harden, CEO of Stuart Turner, said: “FWS has a great name in the industry for being able to supply water boosting solutions, particularly when a bespoke build is required. We have been working hard to continue the success of our buy and build strategy, and with the acquisition of FWS it continues to strengthen our position, helping to boost our growth and presenting us as a serious player in the residential and commercial boosting market.”
NEW MD AT GRUNDFOS
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rundfos Pumps Ltd has announced the appointment of Glynn Williams as its new Managing Director. He takes over this position from Peter Reynolds who, after nearly 30 years with Grundfos, recently announced his plans to retire. Glynn whose most recent role was as Sales Director for Commercial Building Services, has worked for Grundfos for over 20 years. When asked for comment, Glynn said: “I am very much looking forward to the new challenges that this role will present both for me and to the business as a whole. We are at the start of a decade that will offer many opportunities for agile businesses with the right product portfolio and great colleagues, and I am very excited to be part of our future vision.” www.bpma.org.uk
INDUSTRY NEWS 5
ARMSTRONG NAMES TODD RIEF CEO
S
. A. Armstrong Ltd has announced that Todd Rief has joined the organisation as Chief Executive Officer. Todd has over 25 years experience in both small and large organisations. In his most recent role, he worked with Honeywell International Inc., where he served as Chief Commercial Officer for the Homes and Buildings Technologies division. In 12 years with Honeywell, he served in a variety of positions including President and General Manager of the Environmental and Energy Solutions
Group and President and General Manager of the Life Safety and Security group. In the role of CEO, Todd will report directly to Charles Armstrong, the Executive Chairman of S. A. Armstrong Ltd. “Todd’s knowledge and passion for technology, his superior strategic capabilities and his proven track record in business organisational performance improvement will be instrumental in the continuing execution of Armstrong’s growth in existing and new markets,” said Charles.
THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL BOILER FEED PUMP A BOILER FEED PUMP WITH THE largest drive rating worldwide was dispatched by the KSB Group in December last year. It will be used in the coal-fired power plant, Pingshan II, that is currently being built in Huaibei, China. The supercritical power station employs a new technology that is said to reach an efficiency of almost 50% at a unit output of 1350mW. The developers designed the CHTD 11 boiler feed pump especially for a maximum inlet
temperature of 270°C and a maximum pressure of 520bar. Two steam turbines drive the pump set. When the pump takes up operation, it will reach an efficiency above 88%, which is a significant increase compared with previous models. Two booster pumps of the type YNK supply the boiler feed pump with the required inlet pressure. At the KSB site in Shanghai, baseplates, couplings and gear units will be fitted to complete the pump sets.
DIGITAL TOOL HELPS UTILITIES OVERCOME SLUDGE PUMPING CHALLENGES
S
oftware developed by BHR Group is helping water utilities analyse their sludge pumping systems and reduce costs. Legislative changes and restrictions around sludge disposal to land has changed the nature of the sludge being processed by waste water treatment plants – with sludges becoming ever thicker and the volumes growing at most sites. Novel sludge types are also emerging from new processes, such as thermal hydrolysis, and their rheological profile cannot be predicted using existing data. To meet these multiple challenges, SLOT 2.0 – short for System LOsses Tool – has been developed to help utilities know their sludge better. Users can predict sludge rheology based on
www.bpma.org.uk
type, temperature and the proportion of dry solids. The software, which is underpinned by BHR’s sludge rheology database, can calculate sludge flow properties and behaviours, frictional pipe pressure losses and system curves. The software can also identify the most effective pumps to use on a given system – selecting the optimal size, type, quantity and configuration, right down to the manufacturer. Users can quickly compare results for different rheological properties and possible combinations of pipework, pumps and components; plotting system curves against pump curves to determine optimum pump-operating points. SLOT 2.0 can be used to make calculations for newly designed
systems and for existing systems that require upgrading. Investment decisions can be made based on analysis of whole-life costs and combined capital and operational expenditure, including carbon impact measurement. Mick Dawson, Consultancy Director at BHR Group, said: “Water companies are being challenged to optimise their existing facilities in the next asset management period, AMP7, which starts on 1 April 2020. Whether users are moving sludge within a treatment facility or between sites, SLOT 2.0 can help calculate how much energy is required, which pipes and pumps offer the greatest efficiency and whether a system has the capacity and resilience to manage changing sludge properties.” Quarter 1 2020
6 INDUSTRY News
NEW CHINA COMPULSORY CERTIFICATION (CCC) FOR EX PRODUCTS SINCE 1ST OCTOBER 2019, NEW CCC CERTIFICATION rules have applied to Ex products being sold and distributed in China, replacing the previous National Production License System (NPLS). So, with a 12-month transition period in place from that date, the new regulations for Ex product certification and marking will formally come into effect on 1st October this year. The basic principles of the new certification rules are contained in the regulation CNCA-C23-01:2019 - Mandatory certification rules - Explosion-proof electrical equipment (also called CCC Ex). This regulation requires that all Ex products listed in the product catalogue must undergo the following three-step CCC certification process, regardless of the manufacturing location: 1. Type testing (Ex product evaluation, testing and certification). 2. Initial inspection at the production site. 3. Monitoring and re-certification audit at the manufacturing site.
DIARY
march 19
20-24
21-23
13-14
Quarter 1 2020
MACH 2020
NEC, Birmingham www.machexhibition.com
drives & Controls 2020 NEC, Birmingham www.drives-expo.com
may
13-14
PRODUCT MARKING All products that have received a CCC-Ex certificate must carry the CCC mark in a clearly visible position. If the nature of the product makes it impossible to affix the CCC mark, it must be affixed to the smallest packaging unit and in the documentation. Additionally, some elements of the type plate must be translated into Chinese (e.g. warning notices), but exactly which elements, can be clarified with the testing agency.
Kenilworth www.pumpindustryawards.com
APril
6
This new regulation applies to all products listed in the existing NPLS catalogue, although some products, such as Exlights, are not included in this catalogue and are therefore (for the time being at least) excluded from this new regulation. Full details on all the products that fall within scope of the regulations, as well as the ex-classification under the new Factory Definition Codes (FDC’s), can be found via several resources including info@cnex-ccc.com, an authorised independent CCC Ex-product certification body and test laboratory.
pump industry awards
19-20
21
National Construction Expo
Arena MK, Milton Keynes www.nationalconstructionexpo. co.uk
CHEMUK
Event City, Manchester www.chemicalukexpo.com
All-Energy Conference & Exhibition SEC, Glasgow www.all-energy.co.uk
Utility Week Live
NEC, Birmingham www.utilityweeklive.co.uk
BPMA Golf Day
Belton Woods, Lincs bit.ly/bpmagolf
june 23-25
Hillhead
Hillhead Quarry, Buxton www.hillhead.com
www.bpma.org.uk
BPMA NEWS 7
ENDORSEMENT FOR BPMA TRAINING
BPMA SIGNS MEMBERSHIP SWAP WITH HHIC
THREE NEW COMPANIES HAVE JOINED THE BRITISH Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) since the last issue of flow. Most recent is Essex-based Pump & Motors UK, a service and maintenance provider to the building services industry. Pressboost Ltd, a specialist pressurisation and boosted water services company, has also recognised the benefits available to BPMA members. While the third organisation to engage with the BPMA is the Heating & Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC), which has agreed a reciprocal membership agreement. February saw the BPMA team attend Floodex and they had a busy couple of days talking to visitors and exhibitors at this popular exhibition. Meanwhile, the Association’s training offer has been expanded for 2020 with the addition of a series of management training workshops. Stand-alone courses covering communication skills, finance for non-financial managers and management essentials, aimed at those individuals within the pump sector who have been newly promoted or are completely new to a management role, are being held from April this year with details available at www.bpma.org.uk/lectures. And, to reinforce the value in the BPMA’s training, the Association is delighted to have had its Introduction to Pumping Technology and Essentials of Pumping Technology e-learning training courses endorsed by the Joint Industry Board for Plumbing Mechanical Engineering Services in England and Wales.
THE BRITISH PUMP Manufacturer’s Association (BPMA) has agreed a reciprocal membership agreement with the Heating & Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC). The HHIC is the industry voice for the UK domestic heating and hot water industry. It operates 16 working groups which collectively cover the full spectrum of technical and commercial influences affecting this important aspect of the energy industry. HHIC is a key part of the Energy & Utilities Alliance (EUA) – a not-for-profit trade association that provides a leading industry voice to help shape the future policy direction within the energy sector. Stewart Clements, Director at the HHIC said of the arrangement: “Although we each have our quite specific roles to play and memberships to serve, it is clear that in certain areas there are commonalities of interest, and so I very much welcome this agreement, and look forward to developing some shared initiatives.”
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8 awards update
PUMP INDUSTRY AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED Following a comprehensive judging session, the finalists in the 2020 Pump Industry Awards have been announced.
F
rom all the entries and nominations received, the judges shortlisted 37 finalists across the eight award categories which then went through to the public vote. Those that were fortunate enough to be selected are: Product of the Year Sponsored by Process Engineering • John Crane - Diamond UNCD (Ultrananocrystalline) Seal Face Treatment • RuhrPumpen - Extreme Magnetic Drive Seal-Less Pump Possibilities (ISO 15783/2858 & API 685) • Salamander Pumps - Eve • Stuart Turner - Digital Pressurisation Unit Range • Sulzer - XJ900 Submersible Dewatering Pump • Wilo UK - Stratos-MAXO Pump Project of the Year Sponsored by Stuart Turner • Armstrong Fluid Technology - Upgrade for National Grid • Baker Hughes - N’Goma FPSO ShortCycle Project • Campion Pumps - Center Parcs Longford Forest Project • Flowrox Digital Services - Malibu IIoT Platform • Grundfos Pumps - Glastonbury Festival Environmental Contribution of the Year Sponsored by SPP Pumps • Baker Hughes - Energy Recovery Unit • Wilo UK - Environment Agency River Severn Water Management Scheme • Xylem Water Solutions - HydroInfinity
Manufacturer of the Year Sponsored by WEG UK • • • • • •
Apex Pumps Global Pump Ruhrpumpen Industrial Europa SPP Pumps Stuart Turner Tomlinson Hall & Co
Distributor of the Year Sponsored by EMIR Software • • • •
Campion Pumps Flowtech Water Solutions Seal and Pump Engineering UK Tomlinson Hall & Co
Supplier of the Year Sponsored by Wilo • • • • •
ABB EMiR Software John Crane UK Musk Process Services TEC Electric Motors
Contribution to Skills & Training Sponsored by Tomlinson Hall • • • •
ABB Motors and Drives Training Katie McCabe, Global Pump Grundfos Pumps Webinars SPP Pumps STEM Ambassadors in partnership with The Innovation Lab
Rising Star Award Sponsored by World Pumps • • • •
Luke Barnes, Tapflo UK Joe Cherluck, Global Pump David Cook, EMiR Software Thomas Parker, TEC Electric Motors
Details of all these finalists are now
available to view at www.pumpindustryawards.com/finalists. To help celebrate the 20th Anniversary of this key industry awards programme, the presentation ceremony will be hosted by Fiona Phillips, the well-known and much-loved broadcaster and television presenter. The evening’s entertainment, must remain a surprise for now – but we promise you are in for a treat! Places at this not to be missed event can be booked until March 17 at www.pumpindustryawards.com/booktickets. Whether it’s taking a table to host customers or booking a few seats for you, your team & partners, don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy a wonderful evening of great food, fine wine, fantastic entertainment and that all-important networking opportunity until the early hours, when our now infamous ‘survivors breakfast’ will be served. www.pumpindustryawards.com
WE DON’T JUST SELL PUMPS, WE ENGINEER SOLUTIONS.
Find yours at tri-ark.com Quarter 4 2019
01621 781144 www.bpma.org.uk
NOW. PUMP TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE. Wilo-Stratos GIGA Maximum performance at the highest levels of energy efficiency. The Wilo-Stratos GIGA is the ideal high-efficiency pump for use in heating, air conditioning and cooling applications in buildings where large volumes of water have to be pumped to great delivery heights.
Find out more and discover the future of pump technology at: www.wilo.co.uk
10 PRODUCT NEWS
DECENTRALISED LOW-POWER VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES WEG HAS LAUNCHED A NEW addition to its MW500 series of variable speed drives (VSDs). Designed for decentralised installation, the MW500 VSDs are now available for operating induction motors with low power in the range of 370 to 550W. The MW500 supports both voltage vector control (VVW) and V/f characteristic curve control and offers a robust and durable solution. The VSD can handle an overload of 150% for 60 seconds every ten minutes and can be deployed at ambient temperatures — up to 40°C wall mounting or 50°C for motor mounting. A sturdy housing design with protection rating to IP66 or NEMA 4X allows the VSDs to be mounted directly
on the motor terminal box or the wall using an adapter plate. This eliminates the need for a motor feed cable and switch cabinet, allowing users to install the drive close to the controlled motor, increasing deployment flexibility. The standard version of the MW500 comes with a PID process controller and an integrated PLC with numerous programming functions. The device includes an EMC filter compliant with EN 61800-3. An analogue speed control potentiometer is also included in the drive to enable setting the speed of an induction motor without the need for a control panel if desired. To ensure maximum flexibility, digital I/O and communication protocols such
as CANopen, DeviceNet and Profibus DP are available as optional extension modules. The Windows-based SuperdriveG2 application software for programming, control and monitoring of the MW500 is available to customers on the WEG website as a free download. www.weg.net
INTERNET-BASED WASTE WATER SYSTEM MONITORING CAMPION PUMPS HAS INTRODUCED MyScadaCloud, an internet-based system for monitoring and managing water and wastewater systems. Capturing live data and delivering early warnings, MyScadaCloud gives users the ability to detect issues before they become system failures and to monitor trends in system outputs and data, without having to send an engineer to site. To enable the MyScadaCloud’s functionality, a water system is fitted with a wireless communication unit. An engineer will then install a smart data logger which gives the system a
pulse and opens communications to a cloud server. The cloud servers receive data from the water system wirelessly
which is then captured and analysed by MyScadaCloud as live data, every 15 minutes. Based on parameters set by the user, the application flags excessive or irregular behaviour in the water system – analysing the information it receives and issuing warnings of changes in normal patterns or functionality. Users then have full remote control over their water system. The system, which is not specific to any hardware or software platforms, offers real-time information, 24/7 visibility and the secure backup of all data. campion.ie
SUBMERSIBLE MOTOR PUMP TO SHOWCASE AT IFAT KSB GROUP WILL BE SHOWCASING its new Amarex submersible motor pump at the IFAT exhibition which takes place in Munich from May 4-8 this year. The pumps are designed for applications like waste water and sludge treatment as well as the transport of stormwater. They can handle waste water with long fibres and solid substances, fluids containing gas as well as sludges, service water and grey water and are equipped with either free-flow impellers (F-max) or open two-vane impellers (D-max). This means that customers can choose the right impeller type depending on their requirements – low waste water flow rates at high Quarter 1 2020
heads and high flow rates at lower heads. Pump variants featuring D-max impellers are also available with D-flector, which significantly increases resistance to clogging. A multitude of material and mechanical seal variants ensures that the user can transport a wide range of corrosive and abrasive fluids. The impellers’ nonclogging feature markedly reduces maintenance requirements compared
with conventional designs and the pumps’ high levels of hydraulic efficiency combined with highefficiency IE3 motors make for low energy consumption during operation. The series has a maximum head of 42m and a maximum flow rate of 320m3/hr. When designing Amarex, engineers attached great importance to the pumps achieving a long service life. This is ensured by a generously dimensioned motor, robust rolling element bearings and a corrosion-resistant stainlesssteel shaft. www.ksb.com/ksb-uk www.bpma.org.uk
PRODUCT NEWS 11
LEVER-ACTION PUMP EXCEEDS DEF TRANSFER SPECIFICATIONS SKF NOW OFFERS THE LINCOLN model 1392 lever-action transfer pump for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). This pump is designed to simplify the transfer of bulk fluids to smaller DEF containers or directly into vehicle reservoirs. “The model 1392 transfer pump was developed to help our customers meet strict diesel emission regulations,” said Keith Rohan, Product Portfolio Manager. “Its seals, hose and nozzle surpass DEF transfer requirements, providing user confidence.” The pump’s telescoping pickup tube
adjusts to fit a wide range of tank depths, increasing versatility. Also, the pump’s locking ring lets the user place the nozzle in the optimum position to reduce pump load. Its threaded 2-inch bung mounts securely to bulk DEF tanks, providing stable pumping action while also helping prevent contamination that
can damage the catalytic properties of DEF. A nozzle hanger keeps the hose within reach and off the floor. The pump package includes a premium non-kink, six-foot hose with ¾-inch outlet nozzle that fits all standard DEF reservoirs. It also has a 45-degree nozzle for dispensing fluid at the pump head. www.skf.com
NEW PRODUCT FOR TEACHING FLUID MECHANICS TECQUIPMENT, A PROVIDER OF educational equipment for engineering disciplines, has launched a new fluid mechanics teaching product, the Variable Speed Series and Parallel Pumps Bench-top Test Set (H53V). The set balances the need for a compact teaching product that delivers advanced-level teaching for investigating the operation and performance of a variable speed pump and fixed speed pump that can be used in both series and parallel. Paul Wilkinson, TecQuipment’s Technical
Director, explained: “This is the latest product in the pumps and turbines sub-
range, building on the technology of the series and parallel pumps bench-top test Set launched in 2019. Not only is one of the pumps variable in speed, but we have integrated a raft of instrumentation as well, for more advanced analysis of pump behaviour.” The variable speed pump, electronic instrumentation and integrated VDAS (VDAS Onboard) allows a greater variety of experimentation to be performed, including the demonstration of cavitation. www.tecquipment.com
SUBMERSIBLE PUMP FOR DOMESTIC USE AS WE SUFFER FROM WET, WINDIER and stormier weather conditions in the UK, is it time for householders in areas vulnerable to floods to consider investing in pumps for emergency use? Or perhaps communities should group together to invest in shared pumps that can be loaned to households susceptible to water ingress? So far this year, the aftermath of storm Ciara and storm Dennis has left thousands of householders assessing the damage. The new Sanipuddle from Saniflo is a submersible puddle pump for
rainwater that features a flat base which is able to suck away excess water to just 1mm. Pumping water away at up to 5.5m³/hf along the flat, the portable unit can pump up to 7m too if necessary. It can be placed straight into the water to keep levels low, which helps to reduce any damage caused by flood water. The Sanipuddle can be used to control seepage, rainfall, and rising groundwater without the need for a chamber or sump digging and can be deployed quickly in flood response situations. www.saniflo.co.uk Quarter 1 2020
12 Compliance calendar
O
ur compliance calendar outlines legislation that manufacturers and end users of pumps need to be aware of. Each piece of legislation includes far more detail than we are able to share here. If you would like further guidance on any of the information below, contact the author at s.schofield@bpma.org.uk.
August 2018
31 October 2019
1 July 2019
WEEE 2012/19/EU In the UK, since August 2018, pumps have been included in the scope of the WEEE regulations and companies that produce and sell pumps need to be registered with the Environment Agency and with a recognised collection scheme.
ATEX (EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERES) 2014/34/EU IEC standards 80079-36 & 37 were published in 2016 and include major changes to the marking and documentation of non-electrical goods such as pumps. Pump manufacturers should all be working to these two new standards which became a legal requirement on 31 October 2019.
ECO Design requirements for electric motors – repealing of Commission Regulation (EC) No 640/2009 Motors • IE2 level applies to three-phase induction motors rated at 0.12kW to 0.75kW with 2, 4, 6 or 8 poles (Exception Ex eb). • IE 3 level applies to three-phase induction motors rated at 0.75kW to 1,000kW with 2, 4, 6 or 8 poles, TEAO motors new in scope, (exception Ex eb and mining motors).
Variable speed drives (VSDs) • IE 2 level applies to variable speed drives rated for operating with motors with a rated output at or between 0.75kW to 1,000kW from. • The following drive technologies are excluded: • Regenerative drives (AFE, active front end). • Drives with sinusoidal input current (THD <10%).
1 July 2021
By 2023
1 July 2023
Quarter 1 2020
ECO Design requirements for electric motors – repealing of Commission Regulation (EC) No 640/2009 Motors • IE 2 level applies to the following products: • Three-phase induction motors rated at 0.12kW to 0.75kW • IE 3 level applies to the following products: • Three-phase induction motors rated at 0.75kW to 1,000kW with 8 poles • Three-phase induction motors rated at 375kW to 1,000kW with 2, 4 or 6 poles • ATEX (excl. Ex eb)/non-integrated brake motors rated at 0.75kW to 1,000kW
Revisions To Water Pumps regulation 547/2012 The following thresholds still require ratification and an impact assessment. This regulation is expected to be in force by 2023. • EEIv (variable) for single stage pumps up to 45kW pump input power and booster sets up to 150kW pump input power. • EEIv threshold value of EEIv <0.62 for single stage pumps. • EEIv threshold value of EEIv <0.50 for booster sets. • Two tier approach: 1st product information, 2nd threshold. • EEIc (constant) or MEI for all other pumps in scope. • EEIc threshold value EEIc <1.00. • MEI threshold value MEI <0.40.
ECO Design requirements for electric motors – repealing of Commission Regulation (EC) No 640/2009 Motors • IE 2 level applies to the following products: • Single-phase induction motors rated at 0.12kW • Increased safety motors (Ex-eb) rated at 0.12kW to 1,000kW
www.bpma.org.uk
WG20 Geared motor range available up to 18,000Nm with either IE3 or IE4 efficient motors Designed with standard mounting dimensions, the geared motor is easy to install and perfect for replacing existing units. WG20 is compact, efficient and robust. Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it time you considered changing gear?
Visit WEG at MACH 2020 Hall 7 Stand 727
FEATURE 14 Compliance
Eco-Design Directive: a pump is not a light bulb
Europump, the European Association of Pump Manufacturers which represents 17 National Associations with 450 member companies with a collective production value of more than €10 Billion, explains how its extended product approach can support the aims of the EU Eco-Design Directive.
T
he EU Eco-Design Directive aims to improve the environmental impact of energy-intensive products by optimising their design. Since pumps require a lot of energy, some inevitably fall within the scope of this directive. Better design could significantly reduce their energy consumption. However, considerably more can be achieved if the pump is not viewed in isolation, but as part of the overall system along with its electric motor and controller. On this basis, Europump, the European pump association – of which the BPMA is a member – developed the extended product approach (EPA), which it hopes will be considered during the forthcoming EU legislative procedure. After China and the USA, Europe has the third largest electricity consumption in the world – around 3,300 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year. More than 300TWh of this is accounted for by electric pumps. That is equal to the generated output of 30 large coal-fired power plants. No wonder the EU Commission, in its efforts to reduce consumption, also considered regulating pumps at an early stage in the process. The Commission selected those products and product groups that have the highest energy consumption and from which the greatest savings potential was available. Pumps clearly belonged to this group. In contrast to many industries that see themselves restricted by regulation, and try to defend themselves against it, the European pump industry has welcomed sensible regulation from the outset. After all, what they had begun in 2004 continued at the political level: the search for efficiency gains. Using water pumps as an example, Europump found that their annual electricity consumption of 137TWh could be reduced by 35TWh – the equivalent of shutting down four coal-fired power plants. This saving can be achieved by adjusting the pumping capacity precisely to the pumping requirement. This works with the help of a controller, for example a frequency converter or variable speed drive (VSD). This device makes it possible to reduce the speed of the motor driving the pump and as a result, the power of the pump. Normally, the motor of a pump always runs at a fixed speed; the pump always runs at full throttle even where the need for pumping power varies. In a hotel, for example, the water requirement in Quarter 1 2020
the rooms is particularly high in the morning because the guests want to take a shower, but at noon it is comparatively low because there are hardly any guests in the hotel. However, the pump’s motor will consume as much electricity all day as it needs in the morning. If less is needed, the motor will be throttled. The energy fizzles out. KEEPING AN EYE ON THE RIGHT COSTS “The savings come from the fact that we regulate instead of throttle. So, we achieve the 35TWh saving by reducing waste,” explained KSB’s Thomas Heng, who sits on various working groups at Europump. These large energy savings, therefore, result from the ideal interaction of motor, frequency converter and pump. Consequently, it cannot be achieved by looking at the pump or the motor alone. So why is this saving hardly used today? “Because consideration is often only given to the acquisition/installation costs and not the operating costs over the life span of the entire pump system. With the addition of a frequency converter, a pump’s costs are invariably lower than without one,” said Thomas. In most cases, a standalone pump would pay for itself after about two to four years. But in industry, this is regarded as being too long, since an investment needs to pay for itself after just two years or even faster. So far, pump users have largely refrained from designing their pump systems to run as efficiently as possible. This problem is compounded by the system planners’ desire to provide generous performance reserves and with it a tendency to over-specify. Pumps are specified for the highest possible operating point, even if this is never achieved in practice. But, if the pump is too big for an application and is driven at full throttle, the waste of energy can be huge. PRODUCT APPROACH FALLS SHORT Since pump manufacturers have determined to curb this waste, regulation is just what they want. However, there is a catch; the Commission is following a narrow product approach in the Eco-Design Directive adopted in 2009. This is because the directive initially focused on new consumer products such as refrigerators, televisions and light bulbs. A light bulb is turned on or off. If it is on, it consumes electricity; if it is off, it does www.bpma.org.uk
not. However, a light bulb is self-sufficient, a pump is not. Europump’s study found that if pumps were looked at in isolation to trim their electrical consumption, savings of just 5TWh instead of 35TWh would only be possible with extreme design and production effort. In principle, the EU Commission is prepared to consider the extended product approach as the basis for the efficiency analysis. But it cannot decide this on its own. “The problem is the member states. They say the extended product approach is too difficult for their market regulators to review,” said Sulzer’s Frank Ennenbach, Chairman of the Standards Commission at Europump. He added, “The critics’ argument is that if three different product types – pump, motor and VSD – are combined and treated as one product or system, no one can check whether it has been configured correctly and that the savings are being achieved.” The counter-argument is the simple heating pump. For this small pump, which is installed many hundreds of thousands of times, there is already regulation – even though it is an aggregate in which, strictly speaking, the extended product approach has been applied. In this small unit, the pump, frequency converter and motor are assembled in a minimal space. The Commission has therefore considered the device as a single product, even though it consists of three separate products. The first heating pumps were regulated under the Eco-Design Directive as early as 2013.
SECOND EPA TEST FOR WATER PUMPS Since 2012 there has also been basic regulation of water pumps, but only of the actual pump, that is the hydraulics, which transports a fluid from A to B. The water pumps are also regulated in principle. “We want to try and implement the extended product approach for water pumps in the upcoming revision,” said Wilo’s Markus Teepe, Chairman of the EcoDesign Working Group at Europump. So far, heating pumps have been subject to regulation as a unit and water pumps as a component. This is partly because there are more of them than any other pump type, and partly because large industrial pumps are often so special that they cannot readily be grouped into one category or classification. In the EU Commission, it is customary to review decisions every five years. The review of the water pump issue had been delayed but is now due for this year. The Commission usually has such technical issues reviewed by external consultants before reaching a decision. These experts meet with all parties involved. It is essential, therefore, that the pump manufacturers convince them of their arguments.
“A light bulb is selfsufficient, a pump is not.”
www.europump.net
At AESSEAL® we help companies be more sustainable with solutions that save water and energy
AESSEAL® develops, manufactures, and sells mechanical sealing and reliability focused engineering solutions, to major blue chip customers around the world. Since establishing in 1979, UK based AESSEAL® has quickly grown to be the fourth largest mechanical seal manufacturer in the world, employing over 1,900 employees, with operations in more than 100 countries.
www.aesseal.com
16 skills
MAKING A CONTRIBUTION Suzanne Gill finds out how BPMA members are contributing to training and upskilling customer workforces, and engaging the next generation of engineers.
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he UK has much to gain from the adoption of new technology. However, the speed that much of this technology is developing makes it necessary for engineering teams to adopt new skillsets and for the workforce to be continually upskilled. This year’s Pump Industry Awards (PIA) finalists provide a good example of British Pump Manufacturers’ Association (BPMA) members commitment to improving skills for pump system end-users. ABB, for example, offers over 30 free-to-attend training courses to help its customers improve the performance, reliability and productivity of their motordriven applications and maximise the benefits of ABB solutions. The training courses can be delivered to individuals or groups, either at the customer’s premises or at one of several ABB facilities in the UK, including a dedicated variable speed drive training school at its UK Engineering Centre in Coalville. Since 2014, ABB estimates that it has trained several thousand end users, contractors and consultants – both directly and in partnership with its Value Provider network. For example ABB Value Provider, APDS recently completed a ‘drives training marathon’ with Thames Water, training more than 80 of its engineers over the course of a few days. Sentridge Control, another ABB Value Provider, is undertaking a similar initiative with Severn Trent Water. A Sentridge Control spokesperson said: “Our training programme is focused on delivering product training on the ABB variable speed drive for water and wastewater applications. By the end of the year we will have upskilled 200 engineers, managers, apprentices, energy champions and maintainers.” WEBINARS Grundfos offers a variety of training options – from its on-line ‘Ecademy’ to a Pump School curriculum and also bespoke training. In addition, in 2011 the company identified an opportunity to educate larger audiences. Working in association with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) it created a CPD-pointed webinar series. The first webinar was broadcast in September 2012
on the subject of water boosting. The objective of these jointly-developed webinars are to present a comprehensive pump solutions topic of known interest to a wide audience in a consistent and cohesive way that will facilitate the audience to gain knowledge, expertise and, where applicable, CPD points. Grundfos now undertakes an average of two CPD-accredited webinars with CIBSE each year, as well as undertaking other webinars with IMechE. The presentation and speaker notes of these webinars are subsequently made available to delegates and the webinars are also available on catch-up, so they remain a useful learning aid after their initial transmission.
“It is clear that the UK needs to nurture and support skills development of both our future and current engineering workforces.”
ENGAGING YOUTHS Recognising that engineering is a core competency requirement in the pump industry, and taking into account the reported skills shortage in the coming years, SPP made a decision to put a focus on engaging local youths to encourage them to consider engineering as a potential future career through its Innovation Laboratory – which is manned by trained SPP STEM ambassadors – and with a series of specific pump-related workshops. SPP prides itself on supporting the concept of life long learning and has committed to run a minimum of one STEM workshop every month for primary school age children. It is clear that the UK needs to nurture and support skills development of both our future and current engineering workforces to ensure that we have the right people, with the right skillsets available. BPMA members and end-users all have an important role to play in helping UK industry navigate its way through an increasingly automated and digital world.
For details of the full range of training available from the BPMA download the FREE training guide at:
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18 predictive maintenance
pre-empting pump failures
Aaron White, Product Manager (Technology) at Packaged Pumps Systems (PPS), explains how the company has developed a predictive maintenance solution that enables it to save its customers both time and money.
T
raditionally pump failures have occurred with little or no warning and in some instances, can go unnoticed for some time. Once identified, the pump owner would call their service organisation who would despatch an engineer to locate and hopefully rectify the problem. This process often requires new parts to be ordered and so can take more than one visit to get a pump system up and running again. More recently, predictive maintenance technologies have been brought to market to help determine the condition of in-service equipment and to estimate the best time to perform maintenance to help reduce the instances of unexpected system downtimes. These predictive maintenance technologies also provide an opportunity for service organisations to work more closely with their customers. If the end-user is willing to share data with service providers, maintenance procedures can be made more efficient and streamlined. “We believe that predictive maintenance offers an exciting opportunity for service providers like ourselves,” said Aaron White, Product Manager (Technology) at Packaged Pumps Systems (PPS). “Before embarking on any predictive maintenance project, however, we first needed to understand how industry could apply the technology. We needed to answer questions about how the data would be transmitted from the pump to us? What would need to be measured, and how would large amounts of data be processed. The company set out to answer these questions. “From a physical ‘pump autopsy’ of 50+ failed pumps collected from various sites, we found 70% of failures could have been detected remotely and before they failed,” continued Aaron. The most significant cause of failure was found to be the deterioration of isolation between the windings and earth, which resulted in shorted and burnt windings. It is possible for this fault to be pre-detected by measuring the insulation resistance between the protective earth and the motor windings. PROVIDING A SERVICE Having done its research, PPS set about finding a solution which would allow it to collect and transmit data from customers’ pumps to provide a predictive maintenance service. “We established an Intelligent Service ecosystem (ISe), which consists of four main pillars,” explained Aaron. These are: 1. Internet of Things (IoT) compatible devices with automated insulation resistance testing every two days or on request. 2. Remote monitoring software that employs advanced algorithms to feed the data through a traffic light type threshold and trend system. 3. An Operations Centre for 24/7/365 monitoring that tracks both short- and long-term trends, while analysing events and actioning alerts. 4. A service engineer base to allow for onsite action.
Quarter 1 2020
The impact of this predictive maintenance service has been evaluated by analysing data collected over ten months. The number of breakdowns per 1,000 addresses on un-monitored sites equated to 211 per 1,000. With remote monitoring in place, this fell to 143 per 1,000. These figures demonstrate a decrease in breakdowns of 47% when using predictive maintenance. “From data collected over 12 months, and a monthon-month comparison of over 13,000 data samples we now have knowledge about pump health deterioration that hasn’t been available before,” continued Aaron. “The average drop in insulation resistance is 4 MΩ per month. Armed with this big data statistic, we can start to extrapolate accurate pump life expectancy. “McKinsey & Company recently published a study showing that the use of predictive maintenance will have a 50% reduction in downtime due to equipment failures and this figure is in line with our own findings.” In conclusion, Aaron said: “Based on two years’ experience with remote monitoring and predictive maintenance, we firmly believe that this is the way forward. The cost of sensors and processing/storing data is reducing, the algorithms we use are improving every day, our operational knowledge is increasing, and market acceptance is growing.” www.ppspumps.com
McKinsey & Company published a study showing that the use of predictive maintenance will have a 50% reduction in downtime due to equipment failures
www.bpma.org.uk
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20 Retrofit
Hydraulic retrofit meets increased demand Matt Kinney, Hydraulic Retrofit Specialist at Sulzer, explains how a retrofit project gave a Texas refinery improved performance from API barrel pump with a return on investment of just 35 days.
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roductivity targets are a key performance measure in any process industry and the refining business is no exception. Increasing output from a large refinery to meet market demand does present its challenges. However, dealing with the pumps does not need to be one of them. Sulzer has proved that a retrofit can provide the most cost-efficient solution, when carried out by a provider with the right design experience and manufacturing expertise. Due to changes in Government regulations over the past few years, the demand for ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) has increased significantly. As a result, refineries across the country have been forced to adapt and find innovative solutions to meet increasing capacity. A refinery located in Texas found itself in this situation and reached out to Sulzer’s Odessa Service Center to investigate possible solutions. In a focused effort to address this issue, the two pumps of interest are 6x8x10.5 BB5 10 stage units in diesel charge service. The American Petroleum Institute (API) BB5 is a barrel pump that encloses a multi-stage axial split inner bundle with an opposed impeller configuration (see figure 1). Being that the pressure boundary is radially split, these pumps are typically designed for high-temperature or high-pressure applications. With the capability of handling pressures and temperatures up to 6,250psi and 427°C respectively, the API BB5 is an excellent pump selection for applications such as water injection, oil export, boiler feed, and charge service. CHALLENGE The subject pumps were originally sold in 2006 at a rated point of 252m3/hr at 1,223m. However, with the change in ULSD demand the reliability engineers at the refinery were interested in a capacity increase to 370 m3/hr) at 1,052m (see figure 2). The goal for Sulzer was to find the most economical and timely solution to meet the customer’s needs. DESIGN REVIEW When in this situation, there are three possible options: Purchase a new pump designed to deliver the desired capacity. Hydraulically modify or re-rate the existing pumps or operate the two existing 100% pumps in parallel (depending on customer system curve). Each of these options have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, parallel operation would clearly be the least costly to achieve the increase in flow. However, the lack of system redundancy in the event of a failure is risky Quarter 1 2020
Figure 1
and can often be costly in terms of lost production. A new pump selection to fit the application could be advantageous with regards to efficiency but would have long lead times. The cost to reroute pipework, and baseplate/foundation modifications may make this option less attractive. There is really no downside to re-rating pumps other than the fact that the desired performance may not always be achievable in the given frame size, if feasible, rerating is often faster and more economical. Based on the criticality of this service for the overall success of the refinery, the possibility of re-rating was of great interest in this example. To support the customer, Sulzer engineers conducted a thorough feasibility study – both hydraulically and mechanically – to determine whether the goal was possible. A specific speed (Ns) based search through Sulzer’s vast hydraulic database revealed an existing proven design that would meet the client’s needs – provided the impellers were able to physically fit,
Figure 2
www.bpma.org.uk
retrofit 21 and the inner-case volute nozzle areas were able to be increased enough to allow the impeller to meet as-designed performance. A review of the volute development drawings provided confidence that both items could be fulfilled. The Sulzer approach was to keep it simple: Select an existing standard Sulzer impeller hydraulic design that is suitable for the desired performance and has been proven by at least two factory tests. Ensure that case modifications can be made to fit the new impeller. Confirm the nozzle area can be increased enough to mimic the reference pump performance. With an array of impeller hydraulic designs available, Sulzer engineers were able to select an existing design that would meet the new desired head and capacity of the application. A mechanical cutback was done (see figure 3) to achieve both an increase in nozzle area and lip diameter. Based on empirical data, the increase in nozzle area would allow the new impeller selection to runout to the new design point. The increase in volute lip diameter enabled the designers to achieve sufficient lip clearance. This, and the fact that the cutback was angled, helped with the reduction of vane pass pulsations and overall vibration amplitudes. The outlet vanes of the impeller were underfiled to increase the outlet area between vanes (OABV) and help flatten the performance curve. This also pushed the best efficiency point (BEP) to achieve higher flows. The design process highlighted the fact that the new performance level did not require all ten stages. One stage was removed so that the impeller trim could be near-full diameter. This benefitted both the efficiency and the BEP location for the pump. With the stage reduction, the effect on axial thrust direction and magnitude was analysed; the internal bushings were resized to ensure the axial load was acceptable for the thrust bearing. CHALLENGES AND DRAWBACKS With a major re-rate such as this, it can be difficult to fit a new, relatively large, high capacity impeller within the existing volute. This is because multistage pumps such as this are designed with the shortest possible stage spacing to limit overall pump length. Fortunately, the pumps in this example were originally equipped with a relatively low flow rotor compared to its frame size, which offered more room to work. In order to accommodate the increased impeller outlet width, the volute side walls required widening or ‘slabbing’ to ensure adequate side-room clearance, which is extremely important to centrifugal pumps. In addition, the inner-case line bore diameter was increased to accommodate the larger impeller eye diameter. The bore was increased to the maximum allowable value while maintaining enough wall thickness between it and the waterways and maintaining structural integrity of the inner bundle. The increased pump performance required more power than the original 932kW motor could deliver, so a new motor was required to meet this demand. However, no baseplate modifications were required as the frame size for the higher rated motor remained the same. www.bpma.org.uk
Figure 3
The net positive suction head required (NPSHr) had increased with the new selected suction impeller. However, this was not a problem as the net positive suction head available (NPSHa) was adequate. CUSTOMER ADVANTAGES The decision to re-rate the existing pumps, rather than buying new, was highly advantageous for the customer in this case. The re-rating project was more economical, especially since the outer barrel alone is a very high-priced component. The re-rate required no changes to the footprint of the existing pump, saving time in completing the project. If a new pump had been specified, baseplate modifications and the rerouting of suction and discharge pipework would have been required. The hydraulic modifications were all confined to the inner-bundle, allowing the outer-barrel to remain piped up in the refinery. This had a positive effect on the overall delivery time for the project and the much shorter completion date proved very attractive to the customer.
“The hydraulic modifications were all confined to the innerbundle, allowing the outer-barrel to remain piped up in the refinery.”
OUTCOME Once complete, the pump was reinstalled and slightly outperformed what was proposed, which was not an issue with the customer. Both the vibration levels and bearing temperatures were well within the acceptable limits. The final major benefit was that the payback period for the cost of this project was achieved in the very short time of just 35 days. www.sulzer.com Quarter 1 2020
22 mechanical seals
CHECK YOUR LABELS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE
John Smiddy, European Sales and Technical Support Director for AESSEAL, explains how mechanical seals can pose a serious contamination risk on pharmaceutical production lines – and how that risk can be avoided.
M
echanical seals play a crucial role in pharmaceutical production – preventing leakages from process pumps which could lead to costly downtime and
and do not require FDA compliance, and finally there are antimony carbons, which are used in the oil and gas industry. Put simply, these are poisonous and should never appear anywhere product loss. near pharmaceutical Yet, because they are component parts, seals are industry pumps. Despite often overlooked when it comes to compliance with this, we have seen this Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and type of carbon being used pharmaceutical Current Good Manufacturing Practice on pump systems within (CGMP). pharmaceutical sites. As a result, many manufacturers are unwittingly It is important to be aware that component specifying mechanical seals manufactured from seals being imported into non-safe materials and this creates a very real risk of Europe from Asia can have contamination. been through so many There is routine crossover between the chemical links in the supply chain, that when it reaches its final compounds and ingredients used in pharmaceutical, destination, any traceability may be lost. biopharmaceutical and the food & beverage sectors – Crucially, a seal made from unsafe materials will look the use of the dairy by-product β-lactose as an excipient identical to a seal which is 100% compliant. They can is one typical example. So, it does make sense that only be differentiated if their traceability is clearly stated both CGMP and the regulations governing food contact on their packaging. materials (FCMs) must apply with equal weight in both As a result, a pharmaceutical company which sectors. otherwise carries out stringent checks at every step of Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 on FCMs is unequivocal: production might be unaware that there are a number “A name, reference number and batch or delivery number should identify each raw material, so that it can of points of potential contamination risk – one for every pump fitted with non-compliant mechanical seals. be traced, if necessary. The traceability of raw materials There are genuine reasons why companies fail to is achieved throughout the production chain and intackle this and that is down to risk. A lack of awareness, house by the delivery and/or batch reference numbers.” as well as poor communication between those In other words, every component in contact with responsible for compliance with FDA and EU regulations an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) must be and operatives at the 100% traceable ‘repair and replace’ end and a statement of of production. compliancy must be But Regulation clearly marked on EC1935/2004 is its packaging. That clear – a mechanical includes mechanical seal is non-compliant seals. if traceability is not visibly evidenced on SOURCE the packaging and it MATERIALS should not be installed The main problem on a pharmaceutical lies in the complexity production line. of source materials The conclusion is and supply chains. surely that, to avoid There are, for both the risk of example, around 15 contamination and of grades of carbon falling foul of the law, commonly used in the always look at the label! manufacture of seal And, if a seal comes in faces, of which only a packaging that does handful are compliant not clearly state its with FDA standards. Every component in contact with an active pharmaceutical source, don’t use it. chevron-circle-right Of the remainder, ingredient must be 100% traceable and a statement of some are suited to compliancy must be clearly marked on its packaging. www.aesseal.com chemical applications
Quarter 1 2020
“Crucially, a seal made from unsafe materials will look identical to a seal which is 100% compliant.”
www.bpma.org.uk
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24 Magnetic drive pumps
When you absolutely cannot risk a leak flow reports on a leak-free pumping option for applications where a safe fluids handling solution is essential.
S
tandard centrifugal pumps are driven by a shaft from the motor, connected via a flexible coupling to the impeller through the pump housing. This design will require some form of seal to stop the pumped medium from leaking out around the pump shaft, especially if the pump is working at high pressure. By contrast, with a magnetic drive pump the drive shaft from the motor rotates an assembly of magnets on the outside of the housing. Opposing this, on the inside of the housing is a matching ring of magnets on a shaft attached to the impeller. As a result of these coupled magnets, torque is transferred through the housing so the impeller and the pumped fluid are contained within a hermetically-sealed housing. When the pump is primed the liquid is completely contained and so there is no need for any dynamic seals. As the electric motor rotates, the outer ring and the inner ring rotate at the same speed, thus rotating the impeller and causing liquid to be pumped. In applications where the complete containment of a process fluid is necessary, magnetic drive pumps are worth consideration. Due to the wide variety of volatile, toxic, valuable and hazardous fluids used within chemical processing operations, this industry sector in particular has a need for solutions which help ensure accurate and leak-free flows of pumped fluids. Since the development of the first sealless pump in 1947 – to handle a heat transfer fluid at 300°C for a British chemical company – magnetic drive pumps have been finding applications in chemical processes to handle fluids which are hazardous, corrosive or aggressive to handle. They also offer a solution which addresses health and safety concerns relating to the potentially harmful effects of fluid leakage on operators involved in the production process. More recent generations of sealless pump have addressed several weaknesses of the original magnetic drive design, including reducing power consumption and eliminating the risks associated with dry running, which has been a traditional drawback of magnetic drive technology, due to the fact that it is the pumped liquid itself that provides Quarter 1 2020
bearing lubrication. Some manufacturers have developed bearing materials and coatings that are able to run dry for a limited time. Stainless steel is the most widely used material in magnetic drive pumps due to its ability to withstand high temperatures and its good corrosion resistance which allows it to cope with hazardous fluids such as acids, corrosive solvents and brine water. It is important to understand that the term ‘magnetic drive’ applies to the coupling mechanism and the nature of construction, so magnetic drive options are not restricted to just centrifugal pumps. The technology has been welltested over the years and developments continue apace. So, if you are looking for a safe pumping solution for a hazardous fluid do take a closer look at what magnetic drive solutions now have to offer. chevron-circle-right
“It is important to understand that the term ‘magnetic drive’ applies to the coupling mechanism and the nature of construction, so magnetic drive options are not restricted to just centrifugal pumps.”
Magnetic drive pumps: pro’s and cons ADVANTAGES INCLUDE: • Very low risk of fluid emissions from the pump. • Low maintenance requirements due to a simple design, with no seals to be replaced. • No need for alignment of the pump or motor. DISADVANTAGES INCLUDE: • An inability to cope with fluids containing solids. • High initial cost – however this capital cost will be offset over the life of the pump by its reduced maintenance requirements. Magnetic drive pump requires higher power absorption than conventional pump. • Risks associated with dry running of the pump. www.bpma.org.uk
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26 EX Equipment repair
Ex equipment repair: what are the user’s responsibilities? When it comes to selecting pumps and their associated systems for use in hazardous areas, the requirements to make zoning assessments and, in turn, select the appropriate equipment are well understood. But, what about when it comes to repairing equipment in these environments? Karl Metcalfe, Technical Support Officer at the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT), takes us through some of the considerations which need to be made.
E
nd users maintaining their own Ex equipment or sending it away to a repairer should be aware of what the international standard BS EN IEC 60079-19:2019 states regarding their responsibilities. Here is an extract: 4.2 Instructions for the user 4.2.1 Ex Equipment Certificates and schedule drawings The equipment user should be aware of any relevant legislation with respect to periodic inspection and verification to ensure that electrical equipment installed in explosive atmospheres is fit for purpose. The user should consider whether sufficient facilities and competencies are available to undertake the repair or overhaul of such equipment by the user or whether it should be contracted to specialist repair and overhaul service providers. In addition, the user should be aware that sufficient information has to be provided to third-party service facilities and installers to meet occupational health and safety obligations. Not all items of Ex equipment have the same protection concepts, yet different concepts can be in the same Ex zoned area. Understanding these protection concepts will help site maintenance engineers maintain and inspect these motors without compromising the Ex protection. For example, if corrosion is identified during periodic maintenance checks which involve removing a terminal box lid from an Ex rated machine, it may require a check of flamepath gaps. This would require knowledge of identifying flamepath lengths and maybe even a calculation of volume to ascertain what those gaps are in relation to the Ex atmosphere in which the equipment is placed. If the Ex equipment is sent away to a repairer for overhaul service or repair, then, as stated in the standard extract above, it is the user that needs to consider whether the repairer has sufficient facilities and competencies to carry out the work required. A dossier for the piece of equipment should be kept by the end-user and given to the repairer when service repair or overhaul is required. This dossier would then be returned to the end-user with all work carried out, and information on the repair added to it. In addition, a repair label should be attached
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to the piece of equipment showing information including: • The relevant symbol, to denote the type of repair. • The standard/standards number to which it was repaired too. • The name of the repairer or his registered trademark and service facility third-party accreditation, if any. • The repairer’s reference number relating to the repair. • The date of the overhaul or repair. But how do you know that the service centre you use, and trust, is competent and has the systems in place to meet the requirements of the international repair standard? Not using an authorised Ex repairer potentially puts the safety of an end-user’s onsite employees at risk, but also risks serious financial repercussions. If a problem occurs, an insurance assessor would want to see the repair records of the Ex equipment, if none exist, why would they pay the claim? Creating a paper trail of services and work carried out, and evidencing the fact that the equipment installed was fit for purpose, meeting the required standard, would solve this problem. Throughout the repair industry, AEMT members have varying certification details of which are listed on our website. Members who have achieved IECEx certification use AEMT Ex courses to keep up their required refresher training every three years, these service centres are regularly independently audited by a notifying body and then certified as achieving this accreditation. The AEMT also has an Ex register. To be registered members need to have undergone, and kept up to date, the same Ex training courses, and they must have systems in place so they can work with the requirements of the international repair standard. chevron-circle-right www.bpma.org.uk
28 PHARMA & CHEMICAL NEWS
NEW PUMP SERIES CONSERVES SPACE MAKING THE MEDICINES OF WHILE DOSING ACCURATELY THE FUTURE ALLWEILER HAS LAUNCHED THE next-generation of its AEB-DE progressing cavity pump series with four pump sizes that share one installation footprint and are capable of bidirectional flow. Combining proven features from two dosing pump ranges with newly optimised rotor and stator geometries, the new range aims to deliver the utmost in accurate dosing of high viscosity and particulate-filled fluids. In addition to simplifying pump selection and the quote process, the space-saving modular setup of the dosing pump series makes standardising simple without regard for required flow rates or fluid characteristics. Skid builders will simply outfit the installation space for the specified pump according to the operating data provided. This flexibility facilitates future variations in needed
flow rates with simple changeouts of conveying elements. No cost-intensive refurbishments or adjustments to piping are necessary. The AEB-DE’s new suction casing has three additional closed drillings that can be used for various functions. Customers can fill the pump, to drain it or to install additional auxiliaries if needed. In addition, the new design of the casing ensures permanent flushing and cooling of the seal as it is located in the flow of liquid. This means the pump can also be installed vertically without any risk of seal failure. To further ensure safe plant operation and preventable breakdowns or damage to the pump, the AEB-DE series can be upgraded with smart dry running protection or a pressure sensor.
ELRO pumps Serie M: II 2G Ex h IIB T3 Gb Serie IP/ XP: II 2G Ex h IIC T4 Gb
WATSON-MARLOW FLUID Technology Group (WMFTG) has introduced the ReNu SU cartridge assemblies with a 10-6 SAL to help satisfy a growing demand for sterile single-use pumping technology which is essential for the commercialisation of potentially life-changing personalised medicines. The cartridge assemblies are for use with the company’s Quantum peristaltic pump and offer a closed system for making sterile connections in non-sterile environments. The ReNu SU Technology cartridge assemblies can be integrated directly into a customised fluid path, allowing for quick bioprocess integration while eliminating alignment errors. This reduces cost and lead time by simplifying the supply process. The closed system comprises an irradiated cartridge sealed at each end with a choice of three different types of aseptic connector, providing a simple, flexible assembly that can easily be installed into existing systems. With guaranteed sterility assurance, customers can use ReNu cartridges without needing to take further steps for any additional cleaning or validation. The ReNu SU Technology cartridges are said to be the heart of WMFTG’s Quantum pump, which offers high accuracy with flow linearity independent of back-pressure. This virtually pulse-free performance enables constant pressure, reducing possible damage to fragile media such as cells and allowing higher downstream process yields throughout the pressure range.
www.tomlinson-hall.co.uk
www.wmftg.com/gb-en
www.allweiler.de
DEPA AND ELRO PUMPS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN HAZARDOUS AREAS TOMLINSON HALL, THE SOLE UK partner and direct distributor of DEPA and ELRO pumps, has announced that both pump ranges are now fully certified in compliance with the terms of Directive 2014/34/EU for equipment authorised for use in potentially explosive environments. The DEPA air operated diaphragm pumps and ELRO static and mobile peristaltic pumps are suitable for various industries including chemical, oil and gas and mining. Depending on pump type, the following Quarter 1 2020
certifications are available: DEPA pumps II 1G Ex h IIB T6...T4 Ga II 2GD Ex h IIB T6...T4 GbDb II 2GD Ex h IIC T6...T4 GbDb I M2 Ex h IIB T6...T4 Mb
www.bpma.org.uk
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FEATURE 30 Opinion
Brexit: what next? Steve Schofield, BPMA Director and Chief Executive, shares his thoughts on what the time remaining in the UK’s transition period from the EU might mean for the future of our regulatory landscape and the trade of goods and services between the UK and the EU.
T
he UK finally left the EU with a deal on January 31, and under that deal we have now entered into a transition period that will last until December 31, 2020. During this period, EU law continues to apply in the UK. The end of year deadline will not be extended, and from January 1, 2021, the UK will regain regulatory control over those areas previously regulated by the EU. The Government’s Brexit deal still leaves a considerable number of unanswered questions on the detail of the UK’s preferred future relationship with the EU. While we know it will be based on a free trade agreement (FTA) approach, this could still mean many different things. There has been a lot of work done within various Government departments, but much of this was done under Theresa May’s Government and often without any central co-ordination or direction. This means much of it may not have much bearing on reality in the end, or may conflict with the work other parts of the Government have already done. So there urgently needs to be central political direction and decisions on the detail of the future relationship and the overarching strategy for the next phase – this should all then be turned into legal text as soon as possible. So far, the focus has been on the FTA itself, particularly from the media. But the future relationship goes far beyond that, including important issues such as internal and external security co-operation; data protection and sharing; aviation; road haulage; energy; science and innovation; and manufacturing. In recent weeks the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Boris Johnson, and the previous Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, both made statements on the news and in the press that regulatory alignment would be off the discussion table. SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN? In the context of Brexit, regulatory alignment refers to the degree to which future UK and EU rules governing the trade in goods and services will be the same or similar. But there is disagreement about precisely what the term means, as there are different degrees of alignment. Previously when a piece of law (directive/regulation) was passed in Brussels, it would subsequently need to be passed by the UK Government, and Statutory Quarter 1 2020
Instruments (SIs) created. SIs are a form of legislation which allow the provisions of an Act of Parliament to be subsequently brought into force or altered without Parliament having to pass a new Act. In layman’s terms, it is taking EU law and making it into UK law. During this process, the UK could strengthen the requirements of the law but not reduce them. Over the time that the UK has been a member of the EU, there have been thousands of pieces of legislation covering all topics, sectors and aspects of life, and living and working in Europe. For the UK Government to say they will not be aligned to any of these rules is a very bold statement. It is believed that the UK Government will initially pick and choose which are appropriate for now, before it begins the task of rewriting or amending any existing laws. Our current understanding is legislation such as the Machinery, ATEX and Low Voltage Directives will be maintained while existing energy and environmental legislation will be reviewed, and possibly revised, and future legislation will be assessed and possibly ignored. If the UK Government drops regulatory alignment, it could affect our relationship with CEN and CENELEC. To explain further CEN and CENELEC are used to write mechanical and electrical standards that can be aligned to legislation and offer conformity. Questions are now being asked within these organisations on the legality of BSI remaining a member, and it is believed that this will be reviewed at the end of 2021. So the jury is still out on many subjects with decisions relying on how the future relationship with the EU evolves, and I am sure there will be many further surprises in the coming months. chevron-circle-right
“Our current understanding is legislation such as the Machinery, ATEX and Low Voltage Directives will be maintained while existing energy and environmental legislation will be reviewed.”
www.bpma.org.uk
PUMP INDUSTRY AWARDS 2020
th 0 2 Anniversa r y Eve nt
Will you be joining us at the pump industry’s biggest celebration? It’s your chance to network and party with the industry’s best & brightest at this special 20th anniversary event. The PI Awards Gala Dinner is the highlight of the pump industry’s social calendar, celebrating the achievements of both companies and individuals, as finalists and winners are awarded in the charged atmosphere of the presentation ceremony. 2020 heralds the 20th anniversary and two decades of recognising and rewarding excellence throughout the pump sector. Whether it’s taking a table to host customers or booking a few seats for you, your team and partners, don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to enjoy a wonderful evening of great food, fantastic entertainment and networking until the early hours. Just visit the website www.pumpindustryawards.com and complete the simple online booking form to secure your places at this must-attend event, taking place on Thursday 19th March at the Chesford Grange Hotel, Warwickshire.
EVENT CALENDAR Voting Opens
FEBRUARY 19th 2020 Winners Announced
MARCH 19th 2020
THE TIMINGS 7.00pm - Drinks Reception
7.45pm - Pump Industry Awards Banquet
9.30pm - Pump Industry Awards Ceremony 10.15pm - Entertainment and Charity Raffle held on behalf of Wateraid 11.00pm - Fun Money Casino and Networking 12.30am - The Survivor’s Breakfast
2020 Award Programme Partners
www.pumpindustryawards.com
Organised by
on behalf of
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