PuK - Process Technology & Components 2024

Pumps and Systems
Peristaltic pumps
as well as in the chemical industry
and other process industries. A large
selection of different pump models is
available depending on the requirements
profile: Different sizes are
available for different flow rates, with
maximum flow rates ranging from
333 ml/min to 600 l/h. Depending on
the model, they offer a wide range of
control options, from manual control,
4-20 mA to EtherNet/IP, PROFINET
and PROFIBUS. Depending on the application,
there are suitable pumphead
options for the pump. A Santoprene
tube is included as standard,
which is suitable for a wide range of
chemicals. Specially designed pumpheads,
for example with SEBS or PU
tubing materials, are also available
for metering sodium hypochlorite or
polymers.
Fig. 6: The dosing pumps convey the flocculant ferric chloride from the siphon vessels of the
storage tanks to the mixing and reaction basins.
Peristaltic metering pumps
impresses in trial
Fig. 7: The Qdos metering pump is available in different sizes with maximum flow rates
ranging from 333 ml/min to 600 l/h
During the six-month trial in the
drinking water treatment plant in
Luisenthal, the pump was already
able to fully convince. “The first thing
we noticed was the significantly reduced
noise level compared to the
diaphragm pumps,” reports the water
technician. “It is also much more
user-friendly and doses much more
evenly - i. e. with less pulsation - than
a diaphragm pump.”
However, the decisive criterion
was: “As we are part of the critical infrastructure,
reliability and low maintenance
requirements, as well as quick
and easy maintenance, if necessary,
are of course the be-all and end-all
for us,” says the engineer. “This is because
flocculation and filtration is perhaps
the most critical and important
treatment step in the entire process;
as soon as a pump breaks down, even
briefly, this results in an immediate
loss of our purification capacity.”
Offering the required operational
reliability
In terms of reliability, the peristaltic
metering pumps have impressed
in these respects since their installation:
a total of five pumps have now
been in use in the metering station
for more than one year and are running
smoothly. Four pumps dose the
flocculant into the four basins in continuous
operation, while one pump
is available as a reserve pump in the
event of a failure. The current level
of redundancy with one spare pump
and four pumps in constant use
would not have been practicable with
the previous diaphragm pumps.
The high level of operational safety
is made possible not only by enormous
reliability, but also by quick and
easy maintenance. So far, the pumps
are still working smoothly and reliably
with the first pump head, and
Thüringer Fernwasser is relaxed
about future maintenance work.
“Replacing the pump head is really
easy and takes a maximum of ten minutes,
including flushing and installing
the pipes,” says an enthusias tic water
technician, demonstrating the replacement
process on the metering system’s
reserve pump. No tools are re-
quired and the pump does not need to
be removed.
The engineer gives an insight into
the economic side of the application:
“Despite higher initial investments for
the Qdos peristaltic pumps, we are
already saving considerable money
in the second year due to lower costs
for spare parts and maintenance
compared to the diaphragm pumps.”
The metering pumps quickly dispelled
any initial scepticism regarding
cost efficiency. “We have not only
seen that peristaltic pumps are a reliable
and efficient solution for metering
applications in the drinking water
industry. But that they are also a very
economical solution here.”
Watson-Marlow GmbH
Rommerskirchen, Germany
www.wmfts.com/de-de/
36 PROCESS TECHNOLOGY & COMPONENTS 2024