A Peruvian mining company reuses process water as part of their iron ore processing. However, this was made difficult by the fact that the medium, which is collected in a tank on-site, has a very high solids content of 60 to 70 percent. After an attempt to drain the water and remove the sediment in the tank with shovels had failed after four days, the owner decided to purchase a submersible pump with an agitator. The experts at NETZSCH Pumpen und Systeme GmbH instead recommended a NETZSCH TORNADO® T1 rotary lobe pump for pumping the slurry from the tank. This self-priming pump uses the positive displacement principle: Two intermeshing rotors continuously transport the medium from the intake side to the delivery side. The strong suction capability allows the pump to work with a high flow rate and handle a high solids content, while a geared motor with low speed reduces the level of wear. A double mechanical seal and a rotary lobe made of Nitrile rubber minimize the risk of abrasion damage. The TORNADO® T1 in size XLB- 3/2 was installed on a mobile trolley and placed near the tank. The staff were able to move the hose freely inside the tank and the sediment could be removed without any issues.
Courtesy of NETZSCH.