Pumps for the mining industry need to be especially rugged to deal with harsh abrasives and environmental conditions. Pumps from Cornell Pump Company last longer in mining applications compared to other pumps. Watch as two industry experts explain the advantages of using Cornell Pumps with Cycloseal® and Run-Dry™ in mining applications.
SP Slurry Pump Going Strong After Three Years in Service
An Australian sand quarry began using a Cornell 6SP rubber-lined slurry pump in May of 2012, and it has run without a seal leak since! The sand quarry extracts approximately 50 tons per hour of materials that is fed through the Cornell 6SP as a slurry, which is then spun in a cyclone separator to extract the usable sand. The detritus is separated from the sand and returned to the quarry area.
The sand is used in general construction projects throughout Australia, as fill and often as additive for concrete production.
The operation is active five days a week about nine hours each day, pumping a slurry of approximately 30% solids. The rubber liner and impeller help extend pump life. The 6SP has been subject to more than 1,600 start and stop instances since its installation. The pump has worked flawlessly. General wear parts such as impeller and liner have been replaced in the three years of operation, but the Cycloseal® sealing system has not had to be replaced once. No leaks in the sealing system have occurred, and the pump has been in operation close to 7,000 hours. The quarry manager is very impressed with the durability and reliability of the 6SP, and happy that he doesn’t have to contend with pump leaks common on competitors’ slurry pumps.
The 6SP is part of the SP series, with pumps from 2” to 12”, handling pH levels from 1 to 14 (varies depending on the lining and impeller material.) The SP series is available in rubber or metal liners and impellers, with heads up to 235’ feet at best efficiency and flows of up to 14,000 GPM, and ability to handle a 3.5” solid.
Download the Application Story from the Cornell Web Site.
Mining Application Is No Wooden Nickel In Colombia
Secret To The Success — Cycloseal® And Efficiency
Cornell has been active in the agricultural and municipal markets throughout Colombia, South America for a couple decades. Working to convince mining companies of the ultimate price savings of installing premium products with lower operational and maintenance costs has been challenging, however. In 2011, Cornell’s Colombian distributor was able to secure the bid for a dewatering application in the nickel mine located in the Northern Andean region of Colombia. Much work went into securing the contract, as the mine was generally closed to new products, there was an entrenched sales network, and there were concerns about the initial pricing of Cornell relative to lower cost/lower quality competitors.
Despite these challenges, the distributor secured a job for three Cornell 8NHTA-RP-EM18-3 units and provided the engine and pontoon locally to keep the packaged price to a minimum. Three years later, the pumps have been running flawlessly for over 4,500 hours. Not a single spare part has been required, which prevents any additional costs and more importantly, allows the mine to operate without any down time, avoiding any disruption of nickel production.
The dewatering application in the nickel mine is not unique. Cornell has had great success in mines throughout Australia and Indonesia for years. Currently, there are more than 600 units in the Pacific Rim region that are all working as well as in Columbia.
Much of the success is attributable to Cornell’s patented Cycloseal system design which generally reduced seal maintenance at least three fold. Cornell’s Australian distributor hails the Cycloseal design as a game changer for the mines. A typical dewatering application, using a Cornell product, experiences over 15,000 hours of operation before any seal maintenance is required. This is unprecedented with diesel driven applications in such severe environments like mines. More challenging applications, containing 3-5% silt suspended in the water, are still realizing over 5,000 hours before the seal needs replacement or repair.
At an average cost of $5,000 per seal replacement (including drive time, crane rental, labor and seal price), any additional operational time is a huge windfall for the mines. With the Cornell Cycloseal out-performing the competitors, the seal replacement costs become very significant and can justify any initial price difference that may be associated with a Cornell.
Cornell also generally offers industry-leading pump efficiencies. Not only will a customer get the most robust and maintenance-free pump available for the mining market with the purchase of a Cornell, but they will also experience a pump that has the lowest operating costs of any pump available.
Creek Water Re-Routed For Pollution Cleanup
EPA Project Uses Cornell Pumps To Re-Route Portage Creek During Soil Decontamination
The Problem: A community in Southwest Michigan had discovered severe PCB contamination in a creek flowing through the city. A nearby paper mill, long since closed down, was suspected as the source.
The Solution: The EPA Region 5 commissioned a project to by-pass segments of the creek, in order for the soil to be removed and re-mediated. In order to do so, the creek had to be dammed up, a section at a time, and the flow had to be by-passed, downstream, below the area where the soil removal was taking place. This was not an easy task, given the amount, and fluctuations, of flow that the creek experienced in any given weather condition.
The company contracted to the project stepped in and provided multiple Cornell pumps for the 2012 season, and for the unusually wet 2013 season.
A combination of three Cornell Model 16NHG22 pumps, one Model 12NNF, and numerous 4” & 6” Sound-Attenuated diesel driven units were used – enough to control the 9,000 GPM flow of the creek.
The creek was remediated in 7 segments, beginning in July, 2012 through October 2012, and again in March 2013 through October 2013.
While the project was sized for a flow of 9,000 GPM, the wet 2013 season required the pumps to attain 11,300 GPM.
It is estimated that a total of 5.94 billion gallons of water, enough to fill over 8,950 Olympic-sized swimming pools, were pumped during the process.
The Senior Branch Sales Representative for the contractor in charge of the project commented, “The durability, and reliability of the Cornell Pumps, met, or exceeded our expectations throughout the Project.”
Unique Rental Company Employs Cornell Pumps for Leasing Program
Helps increase sugar mill yields by 50 percent, while reducing fuel and maintenance costs.
More than 90 percent of sugar cane mills in Guatemala employ Cornell pumps in their irrigation systems. Since making inroads in the 1970’s, Cornell’s reputation as a premium quality product with high efficiencies and low cost of ownership has pushed adoption in more and more systems.
A Cornell distributor began a unique program in 2008 that has rapidly increased adoption though. Through an innovative program, Almacen de Maquinaria de Topke leases irrigation systems (including pumps) to sugar cane mills, and then charges the mills by millimeters of water applied to determine the lease rate. Seen as innovative, and a first of its kind program, the lease is similar to a rental house in an industrial market. Differentiating it from rental though, the lease program is long-term, and the sugar mills participating in the program find it an economical program to operate. There are no fixed costs to the mills, and operation, maintenance, and replacement parts are all the responsibility of the distributor. The only cost outside the lease is the fuel charge.
Topke’s lease equipment program has increased 10 fold since inception four years ago. They have also chosen to standardize on sizes to reduce inventory costs and have interchangeability in case of an unforeseen incident with the equipment. The benefit to the mills is clear; an irrigation program can increase yields by 50 percent. Having the lease program helps them manage their capital exposure and be able to respond to changes in acreage. Many of the sugar mills have operations elsewhere in Central and South America; the success in Guatamala has helped the lease program expand. The distributor has installations in four Central American countries, and three south American locations now. Because of Topke’s experience and technical expertise, they are qualified to work with the mills on irrigation scheduling, which assures the correct water application rates to optimize production in each region. The question was asked of the Topke’s owner why the program is flourishing now and why with Cornell? His response was: “Fifteen years ago, fuel and electrical costs were significant, however not nearly as significant as today (i.e. in 1998, diesel was $1.00 / US gallon. Current costs for diesel in Guatemala are about $4.00/ US gallon.) In addition, the world price for sugar cane has increased dramatically due to the demand for alternative fuels (ethanol in this case), so growers and the mills feel they can buy or lease a higher quality system since the return on investment will be much quicker than 15 years ago.”
And why Cornell: “It is simple, Cornell is the most reliable pump on the market here in Guatemala, so why would I choose anything else for a lease program when maintenance and downtime cost me money? Not to mention the fuel savings the mills and farmers will experience with Cornell horsepower requirements being the lowest in the industry.”
Cornell continues to supply the world with robust pumps that are highly efficient and have the lowest cost of ownership in the long run. As a distributor said, “It’s not so much the initial cost that should make one pause, it is the operating costs you need to pay attention to because they can kill you.”
Clogging Pump Station Needs Innovative Approach
Cornell and partners tested various Cornell cutter variations to help alleviate ragging; new hybrid cutter—auger worked best.
A Southwest Washington water district started a waste water management system to address the needs of 77,500 residents. The system has a pump station with 18.4 mgd capacity at 200’ TDH.
Shortly after being placed in service in December of 2008, the station experienced daily ragging that caused capacity to degrade from approximately 3,750 GPM to around 2,900 GPM. That flow decrease shaved more than 1.2 million gallons of operating capacity per day. The system was paying the same energy cost to pump less liquid though, effectively increasing costs. Material was also accumulating in the wet well.
The system operator tried fixes such as operating at different speeds and different operating levels. They changed the pump order, and institute a self-cleaning cycle. None of the fixes stopped the ragging, though. The station was taken offline in April 2009, and operated seasonally. In that capacity it had to be deragged twice a day, seven days a week; costing four hours of staff time per day.
Cornell won the 2012 Pumps & Systems Innovative Product of the Year for our cutter pump technology. The original design of the cutter was placed in the system in 2012. While the cutter reduced some of the issues and increased the flow rate, the eye of the impeller was still getting clogged more frequently than the system operator wanted.
Cornell got to work creating more than half a dozen prototypes designs for new cutters to deal with the plugging of the impeller eye; there was not enough vane geometry to guide the flow of solids into the impeller passageway. Ultimately, the solution was using the stationary cutter from the original cutter system, and adding a hybrid cutter—auger that extended impeller vanes all the way to the center, while using the auger as cutter of the ragging material.
The new cutter—auger design reduced capacity somewhat, but kept a consistent flow rate throughout the day. Ragging events were reduced more than ninety percent. The municipal water district is looking at retrofit other pump stations, in order to reduce ragging events.
Cornell’s Hydraulic Fracturing Water Transfer Pumps bring the Power
In Alberta Oil Shale, Cornell bests competitors’ pumps with the MX6822
An Alberta oil field service company providing water transfer services, mostly supplying frac water, had purchase some 6” pumps from a Cornell competitor. After the oil field company put them in service, they realized they did not produce the volume and pressure required to do the job.
The customer approached a Canadian Cornell distributor for a better option. Three MX 6822 engine mount pumps were sold and then mounted on diesel engines with trailers. The customer now is completely satisfied and cannot believe how much more volume and pressure he can get with the Cornell over the competitors pump. Operating conditions are 3000 GPM at 400’ TDH.
Cornell’s MX series, introduced in 2011, are high-head pumps, with three or four vane enclosed impeller designs. MX pumps handle up to 2” solids with excellent efficiencies; up to 75 percent. The MX series features high operating pressures, is useful for high flow requirements, and come with Cornell’s renowned dependable and high quality construction. Heads up to 800’, flows of 8,00 GPM, and operating pressures of 300 PSI are attainable with the Cornell MX series.
Peruvian Wastewater Treatment by Way of Montana
6NNT dredge pumps help remove sludge lagoon biosolids in Peru
For over 45 years a Cornell customer based in Montana has helped their customers meet their most difficult pump and dredging challenges. This Cornell customer manufactures unique, high quality floating dredges for industrial and municipal applications.
In 2011, they had a request from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Peru, for two dredges mounted with Cornell 6NNT-30HP-1800rpm submersible pumps to dredge biosolids and residuals from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The pumps operating conditions are 1500 GPM @ 50’ TDH each.
The company mounted Cornell 6NNT pumps on floating dredges. They attached cutterheads to help break up the sludge that has settled on the lagoon floor. The floating lagoon dredge pumps are portable, fully automated, unmanned remote controlled units.
The dredges help remove settled wastes and other by-products that no longer may be scattered over the countryside, but, instead, must be contained in settling ponds or lagoons, built to prevent wastes from leaching into the water-table.
These pumps have been in operation since 2012 with no issues.
Keeping Hawaii Beautiful and Economically Viable
Six Cornell 16NHG28 pumps help protect vital commercial and tourist bay from effluent
Mamala Bay, named after a legendary Hawaiian chieftess renowned for her surfing ability, straddles some of the most expensive and desirable real estate on the island of Oahu. It is also the only harbor in the United States that combines both commercial and tourist functions in one spot. Tens of millions of tons of cargo are off loaded yearly at the working port, the adjoining Aloha Tower Marketplace is a great tourist attraction, and the water from the shallows of Honolulu Harbor flow directly into the bay past coral reefs.
Mamala Bay had a problem with raw sewage spills. These discharges threaten to disrupt the commercial, tourist, and environmental activities of the bay. The losses could potentially reach hundreds of millions of dollars.
Cornell was called in to engineer a bypass system while the aging and overtaxed current sewage treatment system was upgraded to chemically enhanced primary treatment plants, with primary outfall discharges changed from chlorine to ultraviolet disinfection.
To handle all the sewage while the change was made, the sewer district operated six Cornell 16NHG28 pumps on trailers. The entirety of the effluent of an area with more than 1.5 million residents and tourists was passed through the six pumps flawlessly.
The 16NHG28’s pumps were located around the treatment facility and moved the wastewater into the old treatment plant for more than two years as the new plant was and piping was built.
UAE’s POSITIVE VIBRATIONS, THANKS TO CORNELL
Two Cornell 14NHG 28RPEMTB pumps help alleviate failure of previously installed pumps; working flawlessly since 2011.
A municipality in the United Arab Emirates had installed twin 700 HP submersible sewage pumping equipment in 2005. Repetitive failures of these pumps occurred due to system mismatches and severe vibrations. Lacking adequate backup and given the systems problems, the client with was concerned. Failures included seal leaks and on some occasions, sewage seeping into the motor windings and burning out the motor, with some shaft shearing as well.
Client’s expenses on emergency maintenance and repairs reached towards than 200 percent of their installation investment. Additionally, the pump station was located in densely populated area of the city, hence any shut down would be an awful situation
CENTEX FP LLC, Cornell’s distributor and technical supports office in Middle East & North Africa (MENA) worked with the municipality to find a solution that would allow them to use a Cornell pump as a complete back up, which would keep the system operational with minimal modifications in piping. Centex conducted a complete site study, including system resistance, average / peak flow situation, and piping design. After the thorough review, they were able to offer suitable pumps that would not only handle this station at peak load but also another master station which has similar issues.
Cornell’s Redi-prime system® was seen as real asset with ability to run dry and be able to lift the sewage from nearly 23 feet (seven meters) deep. In February of 2011, two Cornell 14NGH28 Redi-Prime® pumps were installed, and have been working well ever since. The pumps each operate on a 630 HP Cat engine, each with 9200 GPM (580lps) at 206 feet of head, for a total flow of 18,400 GPM (1160lps.) It just took two of Cornell’s 14” pump to accomplish that flow, while a competing system designed required 6 units of 10” pumps to match. Understandably, the Centex & Cornell team won the contract on merit, offering the best performance and system solution for the client.
In an appraisal letter the client described their experience as:
“We are extremely satisfied with these pumps completely designed, manufactured, tested and commissioned by Centex-Cornell. In fact, the pumps by far exceed our expectations, not only in terms of product quality, pumping capacity and performances, but also in terms of reliability, robustness, solids handling ability (the pumps never clog), suction lift ability (7.56 m), fuel consumption (very low) and maintenance requirements (just basic routine checks).
Furthermore, we are tremendously grateful to Centex-Cornell for the professional services they offered us well ahead of the decision to select their product.”