PUMPS AND PIPELINES
corrosive, viscous, even crystallising media. And
it does not matter if the consistency of slurry
changes during operation of the pump, according
to the company.
Even though Flowrox LPP-T pumps can run
24/7, they are also prepared to stop at any time
without risking backflow thanks to a reverse-run
capability and design.
MAX pumping
The KREBS slurryMAX™ pump from FLSmidth
was developed following specific customer
requests for a split case pump that can be easily
and safely installed throughout plants in a wide
range of applications, yet increases the wear life
Closure activity
The term ‘closure’ often conveys the wrong
impression in the mining space, indicating
activity ceases as soon as the ore is exhausted
and the miners depart. For ANDRITZ, this part of
the mining lifecycle can be one of its most active,
with the pump supplier called in to carry out a
responsible water management program.
In one of Germany’s former-operating coal
mines, owner RAG has a closure plan that
involves letting the mine water rise to a point
where there is still a safety margin between it
HDM technology. Weighing 13,200 kg, the pumps
are placed freely in the shaft underneath the
shrouding tube. At a speed of 1,470 rpm, these
hydraulic machines achieve an efficiency of 81%
and convey 530 cu.m/h of water from the depths
of the former mine over a head of 830 m.
“In order to achieve the necessary capacity,
each of these submersible motor pumps is
equipped with a special water-filled, high-voltage
submersible motor. This motor provides
efficiencies of 91.5% and a rated capacity of
and the drinking and ground water, according to
ANDRITZ.
“To do this, RAG will have to pump around 110 1,750 kW,” the company said.
These are four-pole motors, which are much
more robust than two-pole designs. “As a result
of the longer lifecycle this provides and the lower
and efficiency over existing products, according
to the company. The unique advantage to the
design is that it solves both the grinding and the million cu.m of mine water,” the company said.
ANDRITZ explained: “In the course of the
historical shift of mining operations in Germany wear, these motors guarantee significantly higher
operating reliability – absolutely indispensable
for this particular application,” ANDRITZ said.
recirculation problems within the pump,
FLSmidth said.
The slurryMAX is based on the millMAX™
range, whose wear ring technology has created
an efficient and long-lasting slurry pump. The to the northern part of the country, a largely
continuous network of mine workings was
created. These connected mines made it possible
to combine the pump locations of disused mines
main difference between the two is that the
millMAX is an all-metal pump that does not have
an outer casing and inner wear liner (the casing
itself is made from the high chrome wear
material), while the slurryMAX is a split casing
design with replaceable inner liner. The
purpose of this design is to provide multiple
material liner options to fit in the same outer
casing. The slurryMAX features an improved,
more efficient impeller and an optional water
drain plug for easier maintenance, allowing
water that might have settled at the bottom of
the pump to be drained quickly, according to
FLSmidth.
Brad Moralee, Head of Product Unit Pumps,
Cyclones and Valves at FLSmidth, said: “The
slurryMAX is the most versatile, efficient and
longest-lasting slurry pump of its kind. The
slurryMAX pumps are suitable for applications
ranging from mill discharge, SAG mill discharge
recirculation, cyclone feed, general transfer of
to form so-called ‘water provinces’ after closure
of the last pits. Thus, the mine water can be
pumped centrally from a depth of around 600 m
at several combined water drainage locations.
“RAG is currently collecting the mine water
from the mines still operating at 13 water
drainage locations. When hard-coal mining
comes to an end, only six of these original mine
water drainage locations are to remain.”
RAG’s longer-term mine water concept,
however, is for not only a reduction in the
number of water drainage locations, but for all
these locations to be converted to drinking wells.
This will reduce the number of disposal points,
as well as eliminate the need for expensive
maintenance of infrastructure.
In order to achieve RAG’s long-term
dewatering goals, a pump design with a double-
suction submersible motor is required. Only this
type of pump can fully compensate for the up to
heavy duty abrasive slurries and tailings
pumping. The pumps are available in sizes from
75 mm to 500 mm and are used across all
commodities including copper, iron ore, gold, oil 30 t of axial thrust to be placed on it, according
to ANDRITZ.
ANDRITZ’s multi-stage, double-suction
submersible motor pumps can fully compensate
for the axial thrust and have 50% less flow
speed, according to the company. “The economic
sands, sand and gravel and for industrial
processing.”
The slurryMAX design incorporates a patented advantages are maximum operating reliability,
minimum wear and an extremely long lifetime of
more than 20 years,” ANDRITZ said. “Every pump
feature for an online adjustment of the critical
impeller to suction side clearance and counters
the primary leak path that occurs across the with heavy-duty mining (HDM) technology is
customised from standard modules for the
specific application in hand.”
Hundreds of these pumps – including the
suction face of the impeller on conventional
designs. The externally adjustable wear ring
enables adjustments while the pump is running,
according to FLSmidth. This reduces the suction
side recirculation and maintains the design flow
while maintaining large clearances near the
impeller shroud.
72 International Mining | JUNE 2019
largest submersible motor pump in the world at
over 22 m long – are operating successfully all
around the world, according to the company.
For this project, ANDRITZ will manufacture and
deliver a total of three double-suction
submersible motor pumps based on the patented
Copper competition
There would have been more than a few
companies bidding on the Quellaveco copper
project contract in the pumps market.
The asset is one of the few greenfield projects
advancing to construction and, with a plan to
produce at 127,500 t/d, its pumping footprint is
significant.
The lucky winner on the mill discharge side is
GIW Industries, which said in April that it was to
deliver four MDX 600 cyclone feed pumps to the
project.
GIW, a subsidiary of KSB, won the order based
on the reputation of its centrifugal slurry pumps
and the firm’s commitment to customer support,
it said. “Decades of experience in slurry
transport means GIW is in the perfect position to
partner with Quellaveco,” GIW said.
The Quellaveco project marks a significant
milestone for the company as it continues to
invest in South America. In 2018, it expanded its
service capabilities on the continent to meet the
needs of current and future customers.
Local GIW technicians will be on-site to assist
Quellaveco for the installation, commissioning,
and start-up of the four MDX 600 cyclone feed
pumps.
The MDX pump was selected for the
Quellaveco project because of its success in
copper and gold applications around the world,
according to the company. “The MDX product
line has undergone extensive development; in
fact, the latest technology features a remotely-
adjusted mechanical suction liner.”
The company said the pumps for Quellaveco
are specially designed to operate in the most
extreme duty conditions, with critical wear parts
made of GIW’s proprietary white-iron alloy,
Endurasite, to extend wear life and optimise
pump performance.
“These features, combined, have a direct
impact on Quellaveco’s total cost of ownership –