All Pumps Supplies imports and distributes the global Verderflex pump range in Australia and New Zealand. One of the many applications for these peristaltic hose pumps is dosing and transfer duties in wastewater treatment plants.
The versatility of the Verderflex peristaltic pump has proved its worth at the Coddle Creek Water Treatment Plant in North Carolina, dosing Powder Activated Carbon (PAC) from a wet well. After more than three submersible pumps failing in just over a year, the maintenance and operations personnel sought a more reliable alternative.
The problem was the location of the pump: Positioned in a pump room 8 metres above the bottom of the well, the pump must be able to self prime and have the ability to draw the product up the big suction lift. It also has to resist the PAC’s abrasive nature. So the plant called on Verder GPM to help find a solution.
Lance LeBrun, Verder GPM’s Regional Sales Manager for the Carolinas region recognised that the best solution for this duty would be a Verderflex hose pump.
Peristaltic hose pumps completely contain the transferred product within a hose or tube. The hose is then compressed and the product pushed along by means of a rotating rotor. Upon restoration of the squeezed hose, a strong vacuum is created which draws more product in. This simple but highly effective process results in a pump with a very high dosing accuracy, a high suction lift and low cost of maintenance. Because the fluid is completely contained within the reinforced hose there is no possibility of fluid clogging anywhere and the only wearing part is the hose which is extremely long lasting. It’s also quick and easy to change the hose during periodic maintenance, so keeping downtime to a minimum.
Using a flow paced controller, the Verderflex hose pump can transfer and dose variable flows in accordance with the plant’s demand and by the nature of the peristaltic action, these pumps can very gently pump abrasive suspensions such as PAC and lime slurries without the need for any check valves.
Given the flow rate, suction and discharge pressures needed, Verder GPM chose the Verderflex VF15 model hose pump with its 15mm internal diameter, natural rubber hose. The VF15 is capable of short term flow rates up to 600 l/hr and continuous flows of 375 l/hr at pressures up to 12 Bar. Use of the high pressure rotor and Verderflex’s unique reinforced hose technology, creation of excellent suction lift is achieved which easily manages the 8 metre lift needed by Coddle Creek.
The Verderflex VF15 pump has been installed for over a year and the plant has now clocked up over 3,700 hours running time with no problems whatsoever. The pump is still operating with its original hose!
Verderflex manufacture a large range of peristaltic pumps for many process applications, from small custom tube pumps used in OEM equipment, SCADA controlled Smart tube pumps that accurately dose process chemicals, through to the VF125 which is the largest high pressure peristaltic hose pump in the world.
During difficult economic times, consumers are increasingly looking for reliable, low cost of ownership solutions which far outweigh cheaper alternatives that involve high maintenance costs and shortened life. Recent studies indicate that more customers will be using peristaltic technology in the future because of the flexibility and longevity associated with these unique pumps. Verderflex understand the benefits that peristaltic hose and tube pumps bring and offer the most advanced and extensive range of pump models to suit virtually any pumping application. |
