What are common issues that can occur with pumps and ancillary equipment during the rainy season?
During the rainy season, mines and other pump users often find that dewatering and pumping needs around their site will change dramatically. With increased runoff volumes at different locations, the pumping capacity in some places may prove to be insufficient. In response to this situation, pumps are frequently taken out of the applications for which they are designed.
This creates considerable risk for the operation, as some pumps will be forced to run off the curve – in other words, to operate in an unsustainable mode. This invariably causes high levels of wear which reduce pump reliability and undermine performance. Breakdowns then become more common, and can bring dewatering to a halt. For most continuous operations like mining, this has serious impacts on productivity, as flooding can cease operations and damage equipment – as well as compromising safety.
What recommended spare parts should be kept on hand during the rainy season?
A basic repair kit for a pump – comprising items including the mechanical seal and bearings – is good to have readily available on site for servicing. Other important items to have access to are the critical spares for the pump’s wet end, such as the volutes, impeller and suction covers.
For our Grindex submersible pumps, Integrated Pump Technology can provide the basic repair kit and these critical spares. These are available from our Gauteng head office, or from our distributors in the main mining areas around Africa. The quality of these pumps also gives us the confidence to offer customers a 30 month warranty.
What kind of technology helps to avoid catastrophic failure of pumps, which in the rainy season can lead to flooding and unplanned downtime?
Smart technology is today able to monitor and respond to certain key indicators of pump operation, preventing the pump from incurring damage. For example, on Grindex pumps of 18 kW capacity and smaller, smart units will pick up problems like overheating, phase rotation and phase loss. These are essentially protection measures that will cause the pump to shut down before catastrophic damage is caused.
The unit can detect that the pump is drawing a higher amperage than is specified, which alerts the operator to initiate the appropriate service intervention. Stopping the pump in time means that the necessary maintenance can be quickly carried out and the pump put back to work. Considerable capital savings are, of course, also made, avoiding possible replacement and extending the pump’s working life.
How does Integrated Pump Technology help its pump customers prepare for the rainy season?
Effective preparation comes down to understanding the customer’s application and operating conditions and, if possible, also being aware of what challenges have previously been experienced on a site. This is made easier by Integrated Pump Technology’s longstanding relationships with many customers.
Under normal conditions, one of our customers had been using two 37 kW Grindex submersible pumps – and this proved adequate for their dewatering needs.
When the rainy season began, however, we helped to assess the increased volumes and specified another four of these units. To maintain operational continuity and productivity, we helped them plan ahead and keep the right pumps and spares on site. We also finetune our stockholding based on the changing weather conditions, to ensure we have inventory as and when customers will need to bolster their pump fleets.
Why is it important to check pipeline systems before the rainy season?
Added volumes of rainwater or groundwater on site place added pressure not only on pumps themselves but also on ancillary equipment like pipelines. As pump capacity is increased to transfer more water out of mines or other sites, users need to be aware that they should check the volume capacity of their pipelines as well. This is where dewatering and pump experts like Integrated Pump Technologies can bring specialised expertise.
Pipeline diameter and length are among the key variables to align to the pump’s capacity. The age and condition of the pipe should be regularly checked to ensure it can still reliably manage the high pressures of water that can be generated. In addition, any valves and bends in the pipeline must also be considered, as these can affect the friction losses in the system.
Why is it so important to match a pump’s capacity to its application?
Up to 90% of pump failures occur because the incorrect or wrong pump is being used in the application. To ensure the right match, a number of influencing factors must be considered. These include the pump’s performance curves, the volumes to the pumped, vertical heads and pipeline distances. The percentage of solids in the water will also affect the choice of pump. In critical applications like dewatering, pump failure can be dangerous to both personnel and equipment – especially where water levels rise rapidly when pumping stops. The value of lost production due to flooding is significant, justifying the appropriate investment in pumping equipment.
Choosing the right pump means that the equipment will function more effectively and for longer, reducing the total cost of ownership. For dewatering functions, it is equally important that the pump operates reliably during its expected lifespan. This, in turn, requires monitoring, testing and regular maintenance, ensuring smooth and energy efficient operation. The collateral damage caused by pump breakdowns in dewatering applications therefore needs to be factored into the risk assessment.
How important is training and awareness for the maintenance staff in preparing the pumps and ancillary equipment for the rainy season?
At Integrated Pump Technology, we take a multi-pronged approach to serving our customers. Understanding the conditions and specifying the right pump is only the start of the process. Wherever possible, we engage directly with the foremen, operators and general workers who deal with our pumps – offering technical training on pump basics. This includes best practice on how to treat a pump for optimal result and lifespan, right through to stripping it down for maintenance purposes. Our message is clear: if personnel look after the pump, it will look after them – keeping them safe from flooding and streamlining their daily operations.
We also commit considerable time and energy keeping our distributors up to date with the latest technical aspects of the Grindex range, so they can, in turn, share this knowledge with the customers they see regularly.
What monitoring and documentation make it easier to enhance pump reliability and performance during the rainy season?
Before our Grindex pumps leave the Integrated Pump Technology facility, we conduct performance testing ensuring they are running according to OEM standards. Users can enhance the pump’s value to their operation by keeping track of its usage over time, allowing maintenance to be performed at the appropriate intervals. Regular testing can further help to maintain the pump’s reliability and performance as it ages, as these tests will act as valuable early warning signals.
Today’s technology can detect even small deviations from optimal operating parameters, alerting the user to a possible cause of imminent failure. By keeping good service records and planning for preventive maintenance, users can safeguard the continuity of operations and the safety of personnel. Having the right standby units available will allow pumps to be serviced timeously without raising the risk of flooding.