United Rentals, Inc. and BakerCorp International Holdings, Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which United Rentals will acquire BakerCorp for approximately $715 million in cash. The boards of directors of United Rentals and BakerCorp have unanimously approved the agreement. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018.

BakerCorp is a leading multinational provider of tank, pump, filtration and trench shoring rental solutions for a broad range of industrial and construction applications. The company has approximately 950 employees serving more than 4,800 customers in North America and Europe. BakerCorp’s operations are primarily concentrated in the United States and Canada, where it has 46 locations, with another 11 locations in France, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. For the trailing 12 months ended May 31, 2018, BakerCorp generated $79 million of adjusted EBITDA at a 26.9 percent margin on $295 million of total revenue. The company plans to update its 2018 financial outlook to reflect the combined operations after the transaction is complete.

Franklin Electric Acquires Industrias Rotor Pump S.A.

Franklin Electric Co., Inc. has acquired Industrias Rotor Pump S.A. headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Industrias Rotor Pump imports, manufactures, assembles, and distributes a large variety of water pumping equipment for sale to distributors and other resellers in the Argentine market place. In their fiscal year 2017, Industrias Rotor Pump had annual sales of approximately $21 million.

Gregg Sengstack, Chairman and CEO of Franklin Electric Co., Inc commented:

“We are pleased to acquire Industrias Rotor Pump, one of the leading providers of water pumping equipment in Argentina. Franklin Electric has had a long and successful relationship with Industrias Rotor Pump for over three decades. It serves customers’ water pumping needs by providing products imported from all over the world for residential, agricultural and industrial end markets. The team at Industrias Rotor Pump has built the most successful business of its kind in Argentina by being technical experts on water pumping products and providing its customers with outstanding service and support.”

Results of Industrias Rotor Pump will be reported in the Water Systems segment beginning in the third quarter of 2018. The Company expects this acquisition to be accretive to 2019 earnings per share.

Private Equity Firm Buying Baker Hughes’ Natural Gas Solutions

Houston's Baker Hughes is selling its natural gas solutions business for $375 million to a private equity firm and an Italian company.

The business segment, which makes gas meters, pipeline repair products, chemical injection pumps and more was previously acquired back in 2011 when General Electric bought Texas-based Dresser Inc. for $3 billion.

The business then became part of Baker Hughes, a GE company, when the Houston oilfield services giant merged last year with GE Oil & Gas. This sale is just a portion of the previous Dresser deal.

Most of the natural gas solutions is being sold to the Connecticut-based First Reserve private equity firm, which used to own much of Dresser before it was sold to GE. First Reserve will acquire the global manufacturing business and about 450 employees. An Italian manufacturing plant with about 40 workers is being sold to the Pietro Fiorentini company.

The First Reserve sale includes one of the Houston facilities near Jersey Village.The deals are expected to close before the end of the year.

New Facilities

Wartsila Building New Technology Center

Wärtsilä is building the Smart Technology Hub, a new center of research, product development and production, in Vaskiluoto, Vaasa, Finland. As of 2020, all of Wärtsilä's functions and personnel in central Vaasa will transfer to the new hub, along with the logistics and maintenance workshop operations from Runsor.

As a part of the project, Wärtsilä will invest EUR 83 million in modern testing and production technology for the hub. The total investment in the Smart Technology Hub will be in the region of EUR 200 million, consisting of office and factory buildings, logistics and infrastructure.

The Smart Technology Hub is the latest tangible step in Wärtsilä's Smart Marine and Smart Energy visions. The hub will be unique in its field, enabling more agile, more efficient testing and product development of solutions for the maritime, oil and gas industries, as well as new energy systems.

The Smart Technology Hub will invite other operators in the sectors and researchers to collaborate. The vision is to create a partners' campus where research and product development take place together with Wärtsilä's customers and suppliers, start-ups in the sector and universities.

Planning of the Smart Technology Hub is well underway, and the new centre will open its doors in Vaskiluoto in 2020. The Vaasa region is already the leading energy technology cluster in the Nordic region, and the developing area of Vaskiluoto will further reinforce the region's significance and potential as a global trendsetter. Wärtsilä is the largest private-sector employer in Vaasa with around 3,000 personnel, and the Vaasa unit is Wärtsilä's largest location. Wärtsilä has approximately 400 employees in Turku and almost 500 in Helsinki.

The Group's transformation into a technology services company has necessitated property investments in smart technology, new working methods and sustainable development throughout the organization. Alongside the Smart Technology Hub, the most visible renewal projects have included the new business premises in Runsor, Vaasa, and the Wärtsilä Helsinki Campus in Salmisaari, Helsinki, due for completion in the late autumn. The value of these investments is just under EUR 20 million.

Elmo Rietschle Opens Expanded German Facility

Elmo Rietschle recently completed a large investment in its facility in Schopfheim. The improvements have seen an expansion of the manufacturing facility to over 14,000m², including new stores, product engineering and logistics space. The improved facility is home to over 250 employees dedicated to the design, manufacture, assembly and delivery of Elmo Rietschle’s solutions. The investment has also seen an update to the logistics center, utilizing modernized digital systems to improve efficiency and delivery times.

The new 350m² Repair Shop also provides dedicated ongoing support for their equipment in the field. 13 expert engineers with over 280 years’ experience, based in Germany, are part of the network of over 50 service facilities worldwide, utilizing genuine parts and spares to provide planned and preventive maintenance.

Financials

Xylem Reports Sales Increase of 13 Percent in Second Quarter

Xylem Inc., a leading global water technology company dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues, reported second quarter 2018 net income of $115 million, or $0.64 per share. Excluding the impact of restructuring, realignment and other special items, the Company delivered adjusted net income of $131 million or $0.73 per share in the quarter, a 24-percent increase over the prior year period. Second quarter revenue was $1.3 billion, up 13 percent including the impact of foreign exchange and acquisitions. Revenue for the quarter increased eight percent on an organic basis, driven by double-digit growth in utilities and continued strength in the industrial and commercial end markets across nearly all major geographies. Orders increased eight percent organically in the quarter.

Curtiss-Wright and Saipem Agree to Work on Subsea Pump

Curtiss-Wright Corporation has signed an Exclusive Cooperation Agreement with Saipem for barrier fluid-less subsea pump technology for water treatment and injection applications.

The development of the barrier fluid-less pump is a derivative technology application of Curtiss-Wright’s internationally recognized commercial nuclear expertise whose hallmarks are high reliability and maintenance-free equipment designs.

To qualify this new technology, Curtiss-Wright and Saipem will develop, build, and test a full-scale prototype of a barrier fluid-less pump. This pump is a cornerstone of the all-electric strategy to replace conventional hydraulic umbilicals with power/control cables in subsea processing applications. This technology will be beneficial for SPRINGS®, the subsea desulfation technology co-owned by Saipem, Total and Veolia, as well as for Saipem’s proprietary subsea processing technologies as a whole.

People

ITT Corporation’s CEO to Retire and Replacement Announced

ITT Inc. announced that CEO and President Denise Ramos has decided to retire. She will continue to serve as CEO until Jan. 1 and in an advisory role to the company until her retirement on March 1, 2019. As part of the company's long-term succession planning process, Luca Savi has been named to the newly created role of President and Chief Operating Officer, and he will become Chief Executive Officer and President on Jan. 1, 2019.

For the remainder of 2018, Savi will continue to report to Ramos as they work together, along with the ITT Leadership Team and Board of Directors, to ensure a seamless transition. He will remain responsible for driving global business performance and expanding world-class capabilities across the company.

Savi joined ITT in 2011 and most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, where he worked closely with the company's three segments to implement sustainable management systems that have helped drive operating margin expansion, working capital improvements and overall business performance. Given these advancements, the company will not seek to fill the COO role in January. Savi also served as president of the company's Motion Technologies segment, where he led the development of strong operational capabilities, revenue growth of 55 percent, global expansion and customer-centric innovation such as the ITT Smart Pad.

Aspen Pumps Appoints New Marketing Director
Aspen Pumps, the designer, manufacturer and distributor of condensate removal pumps and ACR ancillaries, announced the appointment of Kelly Butler as Group Marketing Director. Kelly’s appointment underlines Aspen’s commitment to push toward the next phase of growth, which has been the cornerstone of Aspen’s heritage for over 20 years, either through launches of innovative products, the success of a dynamic sales team or strategically focused business acquisitions.

A key appointment to the Aspen team, Kelly brings with him a wealth of knowledge boasting over 20 years’ marketing communications and product management experience within the built environment. A well-known figure within the HVAC sector, before joining Aspen, Kelly was Deputy CEO at BEAMA, the leading trade association representing electrotechnical manufacturers. He was also a member of the senior team at the Energy Saving Trust responsible for trade marketing relationships and home energy marketing.

In Kelly’s new position he will head up Aspen Group’s marketing which includes overseeing the company’s continuous innovation; delivering multiple product solutions to customers across its core brands in the UK; ensuring well-defined customer messaging; as well as the day-to-day servicing of 100 export markets. In terms of product offering through the channel, Kelly aims to provide a cohesive approach to planning, validating, measuring and evaluating all marketing activity. Kelly will also be reviewing Aspen’s digital strategy and building strong links with the innovation team and global sales force to ensure product development and overall offering are relevant to the ACR engineer.

Commitment to innovation, expert knowledge of the industry and global marketing achievements have seen Aspen flourish over the past 25 years. In the last 10 years alone, Aspen has trebled in size and secured a global position, trading in over 100 countries worldwide and with business premises on four continents.

Simflo Appoints New President

Simflo, a provider of industrial, agriculture and municipal-use pumps, has appointed Woody Boyd as its new president.

Boyd will be responsible for day-to-day company operations, management over its 120 employees, and guidance over the company’s growth via new product offerings and engineering technologies.

Boyd has been involved with Simflo since 2007 where he previously served as its chief financial officer (CFO) and active board member. He has also served as partner at McMahon, Vinson & Hubbard, LLP, one of the largest financial advisory firms in West Texas. Boyd holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of the Southwest and a Master of Science in Accounting from Texas Tech University.

Projects

Landia Supplying Pump for Jordan Wastewater Plant

Denmark-based Landia has signed a contract of undisclosed value to supply pumps, and mixers to a wastewater treatment plant in Aqaba, Jordan. Expansion work is already under way as Jordan ramps up its "extensive construction of new hotels and resorts" to attract more tourists, pump manufacturer Landia said in a statement. Landia will install long-lasting submersible mixers and re-circulation pumps.

Working alongside Jordanian equipment supplier Modern Industrial Services, Landia will install 23 units at the plant, reducing the number of mixers in the anoxic tanks from 16 to eight. Halving the total number of mixers will "significantly reduce installation and ongoing operational costs for many years to come," Landia said.

The upgrade of the Aqaba facility will see the construction of a 12,000m³ per day mechanical wastewater treatment plant, as well as the installation of systems for reclaimed urban and agricultural water, and a flow-splitter to separate in-fluent from the mechanical plant.

HMS Group Delivers Pumps to Russian Water Plant

HMS Group has manufactured and delivered a batch of the pumping units to the 2nd lift pumping station of the Tver water intake (Tver Vodokanal).

The pumping units have been designed and manufactured by HMS Livgidromash in accordance with the special technical requirements of the customer for operation within a certain range of pumping station operational parameters. The units are equipped with DeLium D500-735 double-suction centrifugal pumps with a rated flow rate of 3600 m³/h and a head of 72 m. The pumps are distinguished by their improved reliability and extended service life. The hydraulics of the pumps flow path is designed using contemporary computer simulation methods.

The project was implemented with the purpose of modernization and reconstruction of the centralized water supply and sanitation systems in the city of Tver. Earlier, the HMS Group has already supplied to the Tver Vodokanal the ECV, D and SM series pumps, as well as pump control and protection panels of the HMS Control series.

HMS Group Supplying Pumps to Russian Power Plant

HMS Group will supply a large batch of sophisticated pumping units for Inter RAO - Engineering (a member of Inter RAO Group) under the construction project of a power plant comprising three steam-power units with a total capacity of 195 MW at Primorskaya TPP (Svetly, Kaliningrad region of Russia).

The circulation pumping units AD700-700 are designed to supply cooling water to the steam turbine condenser. The units are equipped with DeLium series of the double suction pumps with 8500 m³/h capacity and 22 m of the pressure head. The pumps are manufactured by HMS Livgidromash (a member of HMS Group) and distinguished by their high reliability and energy efficiency.

The feed water pumps, intended for supply water to the stationary steam boilers, are based on PE 400-185-1 pumps with improved flow path and high efficiency to provide the required parameters of 277 m³/h capacity and 2100 meters of pressure head. The units are equipped with Voith Turbo hydrodynamic clutch to regulate the parameters of the pumping units and maintain the optimal operation mode of the entire feed water supply system at the TPP.

Framo Pumps Used to Pump Out Base of German Offshore Wind Turbines

Framo’s pump technology has been used to successfully anchor 20 wind turbines at the wind farm Burkum Riffgrund 2. A total of 60 suction buckets have been pumped in place as foundation for the 20 wind turbines in Ørsted's new wind farm Borkum Riffgrund 2.

In June 2018, a team of specialists from Framo, the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) and GeoSea installed the first of the 20 suction bucket jackets at the offshore wind farm. After periods of storm and high waves, the foundations of all 20 wind turbines were safely pumped into the seabed with the final jacket foundation installed on Monday, July 30. The full commissioning of the wind farm is planned for early 2019.

“The suction bucket jacket technology for offshore wind farms has gone from concept to reality during the last five years. Besides lowering costs due to the increased installation speeds compared to traditionally piled jackets, the concept provides for easier decommissioning and practically noise free installation,” says Thomas Langford, Director for Offshore Energy at NGI.

Framo is a sub-contractor to NGI in the installation of the 20 offshore wind turbines. NGI and Framo have collaborated on the installation of offshore anchoring and foundation elements using suction/vacuum since the 1990s.The technology of suction and bucket foundation has been used to secure and safely anchor platforms and offshore installations around the world. Now larger wind farms are being built with this technology. The foundation is installed by pumping water out of the buckets. This creates a suction/vacuum, which press the buckets into the seabed.

The windfarm Borkum Riffgrund 2 is located 54 kilometers off the coast of Lower Saxony, in the German North Sea. In the installation of the 56 wind turbines, 20 will use the suction bucket technology as foundation and 36 will be supported using monopiles. The three-legged foundations measure more than 50 meters in height and weighing 950 tons each.

When the 8,5 megawatt giant turimages are in place, they rise 109 meters above sea level and have a wing span of 164 meters.

Amarinth Delivers Pumps to Schlumberger for Kazakhstan

Amarinth, a leading company specializing in the design, application and manufacture of centrifugal pumps and associated equipment to the Oil & Gas, petrochemical, chemical, industrial and power markets, has delivered $500K of API 610 OH2 pumps to Schlumberger, which will be deployed on a process water treatment package in the Dunga oil field, Kazakhstan, operated by Maersk Oil.

The order, for six API 610 OH2 super duplex stainless steel pumps valued at $500K, was the first that Schlumberger had placed with Amarinth. The pumps were required on a very tight 26-week delivery and will be used on a process water treatment package destined for the Dunga oil field in Kazakhstan. The Dunga field, operated by Maersk Oil, is an onshore development located 50 km north east of the town of Aktau on the east coast of the Caspian Sea in western Kazakhstan, and is currently producing around 15,000 barrels of oil per day. The pumps will operate in the challenging Kazakhstan environment that can see temperatures reaching 45C in the summer but plunging to an ice-bound -30C in the winter.

Amarinth had supplied pumps to other Maersk Oil projects over many years and so was already familiar with Maersk specifications. Furthermore, Amarinth had manufactured pumps for other fields in Kazakhstan and so was confident handling the complex GOST-K Certificate of Conformity documentary evidence required by Kazakhstan law to prove that equipment meets Kazakhstan requirements and standards.

Amarinth Receives Order for Pumps in Offshore Mozambique

Amarinth, a leading company specializing in the design, application and manufacture of centrifugal pumps and associated equipment to the Oil & Gas, petrochemical, chemical, industrial and power markets, has secured orders totaling $750K of API 610 OH2 pumps with Plan 53B support systems for the Coral South Development Project, Mozambique.

Coral South is the first project in the development of the considerable gas resources discovered by Eni in Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin, off the coast of Mozambique, more than 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) beneath the ocean’s surface. The Coral field contains approximately 450 billion cubic meters (16 trillion cubic feet) of gas. Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility vessels moored above the offshore natural gas fields will be used to produce, liquefy and store the natural gas at sea. Coral South will be the first ultra-deepwater FLNG facility in the world.

The $750K comprised of two orders, both secured through the Amarinth Malaysia Sales Office. The first order, which was required on a 28-week delivery, was for an API 610 OH2 pump with Plan 53B seal support system for installation on a de-sanding package.

This was quickly followed by a larger order for eight API 610 OH2 custom pumps with Plan 53B support systems. The custom design requirement for these pumps called for a 600lb flange rating on the discharge and suction nozzles, which is double the normal API 610 loading. Amarinth undertook the design and stress analysis using Finite Element Analysis tools to prove and guarantee the unusually high ratings. These pumps will be used in hazardous areas and so had to be fully IEC/EX compliant on all electrical items and, like the first pump, were also required on a tight 28-week deadline.

Indar Supplying 30 Motor Submersible Pumps to Lake Mead Pump Station

Facing the worst drought on record in the Colorado River Basin and as lake levels continue to fall, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) is building a low lake level pumping station to ensure Las Vegas and Southern Nevada maintains access to its primary water supplies in Lake Mead.

Lake Mead water levels have dropped more than 131 feet (40 meters) since the drought began in 2000. The new pumping station will allow SNWA to pump water from Lake Mead from an elevation as low as 875 feet (267 meters) above sea level into the water treatment facilities and further on to provide water to the city of Las Vegas and neighboring communities.

Development of the pumping station consists of constructing a 315-inch diameter access shaft at more than 498 ft. depth. At the bottom of the access shaft, a 12,379 sq. ft. underground cavern is excavated. The cavern, known as a fore bay, will connect with 34 vertical shafts — each 498 feet deep and 72 inches in diameter — to accommodate the station’s 34 submersible motor pump sets. Thirty of these pump sets will be manufactured and installed by Indar.

So far, 20 low lift submersible motor pump sets (LLP) plus 10 high lift submersible motor pump sets (HLP) will be delivered by Indar.

Maria Elena Rodríguez, Water Engineering Director at Indar, explains, “The drop of Lake Mead enables wells to be drilled down in order to access those deep water reservoirs…making a traditional vertical turbine solution unfeasible to operate reliably at those depths”.

Each of those 30 Indar pumps is rated at 20,835 US gallons per minute with 433 ft. and 695 ft. of head, respectively, providing a total capacity at the pumping station of more than 900 MGD (million gallons per day).

The pumps are operated through submersible motor pump sets with 13,800-volt motors, ranging from 3,150 HP through 5,200 HP. These pump sets will obtain the required energy right from the hydro power plant at the nearby Hoover Dam. The pumps, motors, riser pipes, and well heads are made of stainless steel 316/316L in order to guarantee a long service life and to reduce the impact of the water.

In order to test the pumps and motors on full load performance, Indar has built an additional test lab 98.4 ft. deep and 158 x 197 inches wide. This $2 Million Euro investment enables Indar to guarantee the highest performance standards and a lead production schedule in order to fulfill the tight project schedule for SNWA. “Since the motor pump sets need to be ready for start-up by April 2020, we gain now the time which we had invested into the new test lab,” states Jon Alberdi, General Manager of Indar Pump Division.

From the fore bay, the water will be pumped to SNWA’s water treatment facilities. The high-volume low lake level pumping station, combined with the recently completed Lake Mead Intake No. 3, will provide the community continued access to its primary water supply even as lake levels fluctuate as a result of the ongoing drought.

The design and construction cost of the Lake Mead Intake No.3 is expected to total approximately $650 million, and L3PS is on track to be operational by 2020.

This L3PS pumping station with its huge 30 Indar submersible motor pump sets will be the blueprint for newly-built large pumping stations, and furthermore, for refurbishment of all old-fashioned vertical turbine equipped stations.

Weir Oil & Gas Services to Support Iraqi Oilfields

Weir Oil & Gas Dubai announced the signing of multi-year contracts in Iraq with two international oil companies totaling more than $50 million USD. The contracts secure the provision of Weir Oil & Gas workshop services and engineering support for an oil field and valve repair and maintenance services for another giant oil field, respectively.

Positive past performance with the international oil companies as well as Weir Oil & Gas’ in-country capabilities, local content, in-house engineering and comprehensive international facility near the customers’ sites made Weir the logical choice. These deals further consolidate Weir’s Rig to Grid capabilities in the Middle East.

Landustrie Screw Pumps Supplied for Santiago, Chile WWTP

For the largest WWTP in Latin America, Landustrie will supply 5 new Archimedes screw pumps. These LANDY screws are positioned in the inlet pumping station of WWTP La Farfana to handle some 6 to 7 hundred thousand m³ of wastewater per day.

Before the contract was awarded, the bidders had to comply with substantial tender conditions and requirements. In the end, not only the lowest price was decisive, but also quality aspects and references. Quality in particular was one of the main award criteria, since the existing screw pumps showed fractures, after only a few years of operation. Landustrie uses the Finite Element Method for designing the LANDY screw pumps. With this program the load carrying capacity and behavior of the screw can be calculated and subsequently the most efficient screw design achieved.

All five screw pumps, measuring 3.7 meters diameter with a length of 21 meters, are delivered and assembled with drive units and control equipment. Landustrie is also responsible for the civil works. The new screw pumps will be operational in phases and the project should be completed by the end of 2022.

Sulzer and Mono Pumps Used in New Melbourne WWTP

With the population of Melbourne’s Northern Growth Area expected to rapidly increase in the coming decades, Yarra Valley Water was faced with the task of needing to install major water, recycled water and sewerage infrastructure to meet the increasing demand, according to Pump Industry. To deliver services in the coming years, a $400 million program of works is being completed, including the construction of the Craigieburn Sewage Transfer Hub (CSTH)—an innovative facility designed to expand with the community.

Extensive research was undertaken in the design stage of the project on the pump and impeller options available.

Due to the high load of rags that are being encountered in newer developments, Yarra Valley Water said the key factors when selecting pumps for the CSTH were the pumps ability to handle solids—either by passing or chopping them. Other important factors that were a priority when considering pumps were energy efficiency, cost, replacement availability and lead times.

“Energy efficiency is always important in selecting pumps, however, it was not the primary selection criteria. Due to the highly varied operating points (300L/s at 2m head or 14m head) for the wet weather pumps, high efficiency was always going to be hard to achieve with a limited pump selection,” Andrew said.

“As the pumps have all been type tested, the on-site testing will be limited to checking that the design setpoints can be achieved. There will be a trial period to refine the pump cut in and out points, as well as the control programming.”

The project has pumps of varying sizes and functions:

The main dry weather transfer pumps are Sulzer XFP 205J-CB2 PE 900/4 pumps with contrablock impellers. The main wet weather pumps are Sulzer XFP 305M-CB2, PE 750/6 pumps with contrablock plus impeller. Mono progressive cavity pumps were chosen for sludge transfer. Three JWC Environmental Muffin Monster macerators were chosen to reduce ragging of the dry weather pumps.

Flygt, Roto and Vogelsang Pumps Part of New South Wales Sewage Plant Upgrade

An $8.1 million upgrade of the Gunnedah Wastewater Treatment Plant in Gunnedah, New South Wales was completed in May, securing the town’s sewage treatment works until 2038, according to Pump Industry July 11, 2018.

The plant has not been upgraded since 1968 and was in need of improvement to enable additional treatment volume to support a growing Gunnedah.

The project was in the planning for a number of years, with work beginning in 2017.

Mr. Ludlow said the Inlet Lift Pump Station has three submersible Flygt N-series pumps installed in a duty/assist/standby configuration.

“The pumps are fitted with variable speed drives (VSDs) to assist in the balancing of flows presented to the inlet works and process streams.

At full speed, lift pumps transfer 3ADWF to the inlet works with two pumps running. There are also Roto mono pumps and a Vogelsang grinder pump for sludge transfer.

PG Flow Solutions Providing Pump Package for North Sea Oil Platform

Rosenberg WorleyParson AS has awarded PG Flow Solutions subsidiary Calder Ltd a contract to supply a MEG pump package to the Nova tie-back to Gjøa Project. The Norwegian EPCI contractor is responsible for the upgrade on the Gjøa platform in the North Sea.

Wintershall as the operator of Nova has decided to develop the field with two subsea modules tied back to the Gjøa platform, which is operated by Neptune Energy. Rosenberg WorleyParsons is responsible for the engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) of the Nova topside module on the Gjøa platform.

Operating as a subcontractor to Rosenberg WorleyParsons, liquid handling and pump specialist Calder will deliver a MEG (mono ethylene glycol) package that consists of several high pressure pumps including MEG subsea injection pump, MEG jockey pump, MEG topside injection pump and MEG booster return pump plus spare parts for installation, commissioning and start-up.

The MEG package will be engineered, assembled and skid mounted at Calder’s facility in Worcester, UK, and subsequently delivered to Rosenberg WorleyParson’s yard in Stavanger, Norway, in the first quarter of 2019. The successful bid was a joint team effort between PG Flow Solutions operations in Sande, Norway, and Worcester, UK.

PG Flow Solutions Awarded Contract for Pump Package on Multi-Purpose Platform Support Vessels

Singapore-based Pacific Ocean Engineering & Trading Pte Ltd (POET) has awarded PG Flow Solutions a contract to supply pump equipment to two new build multi-purpose platform support vessels (MPSVs).

Under the contract, liquid handling and pump specialist PG Flow Solutions will deliver various equipment for the two hybrid MPSVs oil recovery system, including liquid pump, ORO pump, liquid mud agitator, methanol cargo pump and hydraulic powerpack. The contract value is undisclosed.

PG Flow Solutions will supply the equipment for the two MPSVs to POET’s Chinese shipyards in December 2018 and January 2019, respectively. The 80-metre hybrid MPSVs will be ready for operation in 2019.

To date, PG Flow Solutions has delivered pump and liquid handling equipment to more than 1,400 offshore support vessels globally.

World’s Largest Pumps Made by Bharat Heavy Electricals Tested in Indian Irrigation Project

History was created as the dry run test of the world’s largest pump, used in irrigation project, was hundred percent successful at the under construction Kaleswaram lift irrigation project in Telangana.

The irrigation department authorities successfully conducted the dry run of 139 MW pump in the presence of Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao in a tunnel at Ramadgu Lakshmipur village and with a speed of 214 RPM.

Officials said that all the seven pumps with the similar capacity will be ready in next couple of month. “Hopefully we will lift water from Yellampally to Mid Manair in October,” Harish Rao said. “By then the sixth, seventh and 8th packages of the project will be completed.”

Kaleswaram is believed to be the biggest lift irrigation project in the world and will have world’s largest motor pumps in service. The pumps have been manufactured by the public sector Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.

Kaleswaram project will have 86 motors and 19 pump houses to lift the water through reverse pumping. The project was built because of the typical topography of the region in which the river Godavari flows on a lower plane while the land is on a higher plane.

The most difficult and crucial part of the entire project involves the flow of water from Yellampally through two underground tunnels and from there the seven powerful pumps will lift it to Mid Manair project. The entire design has the capacity to lift massive amounts of water per day saving the precious flood water from going to waste. The state government has hired the services of German engineers to run this system.

P & M Pumps Provide Vaughn Chopper Pumps to Gibraltar Sewage Pumping System

Over the last decade, AquaGib, the local water utilities company in Gibraltar, has continued to work with its long-standing partner P&M Pumps, specifically to supply Vaughan Chopper Pumps. Since 2007 and following the successful trial of a standard Vaughan self-priming chopper pump that was installed at AquaGib’s Waterport sewage pumping station, over twenty self-priming Vaughan Chopper Pumps have now been installed across the Rock. These pumps have become a standardized feature in many of AquaGib’s pumping station and are now a standard requirement in any future station.

A problem unique to Gibraltar is the use of sea water for sanitary purposes, as well as street cleaning and firefighting. All this sea water ends up flowing into the sewage network, which ultimately increases the salinity of the sewage making it that more corrosive. The combination of the high salinity as well as the high solid content offers a challenging scenario to any pump. However, following the successful trial back in 2007 and the subsequent year in use, the Vaughan Chopper Pumps have shown how effective they are in dealing with high solid contents especially when those contents are non-degradable in combination with the high salinity.

New Products

Grundfos Adds to CR Pump Line

The Grundfos CR vertical, multistage, centrifugal in-line pump family works for water supply, water treatment and almost any industrial solution – including those for high-pressure, hot, dangerous, flammable and aggressive liquids. Now, the range has been upgraded with a new, more robust generation of CR pumps (CR 95, CR 125 and CR 155), offering an optimized hydraulic design for world-class energy efficiency.

Thanks to a small footprint, the pumps are also easier and less costly to install than comparable pumps. The new CR pumps have been developed using simulation-driven design to perfect every single component and have been field-tested around the world, so you can install and operate the range with total confidence.

The CR is available in millions of different configurations through four modules:

· Motors

· Shaft seals

· Pump modules

· Connections.

Grundfos offers a “mix and match” modular approach. In Grundfos Product Center (GPC) they offer a large variety of CR pumps. Further, you can utilize the configurator to customize the solution to your specific application. They offer a “mix and match” modular approach, so you can configure a pump that meets your exact needs. Grundfos tests, qualifies and documents all modules, just like any standard Grundfos pump.

The basic CR pump range is available in four different materials: cast iron, two grades of stainless steel and titanium. Thirteen flow sizes are capable of producing up to 180 m3/h at 50 bar, with a variety of shaft seals, rubber materials and supply voltages. Grundfos optimizes pump parts that are typically vulnerable to difficult liquids or demanding operating conditions. They also offer highly efficient “E” version pumps with a built-in frequency converter (CRE) or pumps with an external frequency converter (CUE). These combine the very best of pump technology with highly efficient motors and variable speed drives. You will never use more energy than you need.

Wilden Launches New Velocity AODD Pump

Wilden®, part of PSG®, a Dover company and a worldwide leader in air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pump technology, announced the availability of its new 6 mm (1/4”) Velocity Series AODD pump. Featuring the industry’s first detachable mounting foot, the Velocity Series pump provides adaptable mounting capabilities making it the ideal solution for all small-dosing applications.

Thanks to a unique and versatile design, the Wilden V2550 Velocity Series pump can quickly and easily be reoriented by loosening a single screw. This design provides the user with multiple mounting options while allowing the pump to perfectly fit into restricted spaces, a critical consideration for OEM systems and skids. The pump’s design also eliminates the effects of torque decay and delivers improved dry suction lift at all operating parameters for better priming under a wide variety of system conditions. Additionally, Velocity Series pumps feature an interchangeable footprint with competitor and previous Wilden designs.

Velocity Series pumps come equipped with a simple air distribution system (ADS) containing only two moving parts that reduce the risk of downtime. Wilden Velocity Series pumps can handle suction lifts from 10-14 feet. These pumps are available in polypropylene and PVDF construction, as well as an Accu-Flo™ (solenoid) option. Additionally, Velocity Series elastomer options include PTFE and Wil-Flex™.

Australian Pump Company Develops New More Efficient Pump than Centrifugal Pumps

Australian pump design specialist, New Fluid Technology (NFT), has announced its new variable speed, general purpose pump for irrigation, agriculture, aerospace, marine and automotive.

NFT has been developing this style of pumps, known as Supa-Stelth, for more than 10 years, working on the Solid Body Vorticity (SBV) principle of operation. The company says that pumps operating on this scientific principle outperform centrifugal pumps by around 30 percent in terms of efficiency.

In Supa-Stelth pumps the impeller is, in effect, a solid body of water that cannot change its shape because of the speed it is travelling through a small vortex-shaping surface. This is the only hard surface that comes into contact with the impeller (the body of water).

The primary function of the physical impeller in Supa-Stelth pumps is to introduce the water to create the impeller in the first place and it then continues to feed in new water. The impeller made of water can spin at much higher rpm than standard pumps.

Supa-Stelth pumps can and do use conventional induction motors. With variable speed drives operating at much higher rpm, efficiency increases as the rpm increases.

The pumps have an impeller diameter of 77 mm (3 in) and, at 4516 rpm, can deliver a hydraulic efficiency of 75 percent at 267 liters per minute at a head of 157 kPA. With a 93 mm (3.66 in) impeller it can deliver 370 liters per minute at 455 kPA. This enables one stage to replace a seven-stage pump for rural and irrigation applications.

Wanner Engineering Announces New High Flow Pump

Extending its seal-less product range, Wanner International has launched the Hydra-Cell G66, a new positive displacement multiple diaphragm pump capable of flowrates of up to 249 liters per minute, (65.7 USgpm) at pressures up to 48 bar (700 psi).

The pumps are available with a choice of pump head materials, including brass, 316L stainless steel, ductile iron and polypropylene making them suitable for pumping a wide range of liquids including water, acids, caustics, freons, ammonia solutions, resins, glues and adhesives, inks, paints, polymers and NGLs – butane and propane.

The G66 is also capable of pumping slurries across the full spectrum of viscosities and liquids at temperatures up to 100ºC.

The seal-less design and horizontal disk check valves enable the Hydra-Cell G66 to handle abrasives and particulates commonly found in recycled liquids that Wanner argues may damage or destroy other pumps.

With its unique Diaphragm Position Control (DPC) protecting the diaphragms, the Hydra-Cell G66 can tolerate challenging operating conditions such as a closed inlet while still running. Wanner details how the pump is also able to indefinitely run dry without damage in the event of accident or operator error, eliminating downtime and repair costs. With a complete lack of dynamic seals, packing or cups to leak and replace reducing maintenance costs, Wanner claims that the Hydra-Cell G66 is “truly an economical proposition.”

Marzocchi Gear Pump Uses Low Pressure

Marzocchi’s new FTP Gear Pump is ideal for low pressure and lubrication applications where low viscosity fluids are required. Specifically, the gear pumps are geared towards liquids such as fire resistant fluids, water - oil or water and glycol emulsions.

Marzocchi FTP pumps are based on ELIKA Gear Technology which reduces the noise level by an average of 15 dBA compared with a conventional external gear pump. Typical applications of these pumps include use in large lubrication systems, lubrication of the guides of machine tools and the lubrication and cooling of the tools themselves. Fire-resistant hydraulic fluids are specially formulated lubricants that are more difficult to ignite and do not propagate a flame from an ignition source.

There are several types of fire-resistant fluids and they are generally classified as follows: oil and water emulsions, water Polymer solutions, anhydrous Synthetics. The only fire-resistant fluids that are completely incompatible with gear pumps are the HFDR ones; for all the others, it is possible to obtain a configuration that makes them compatible. To avoid fast wear of the sliding contact parts, the FTP pumps can be supplied, depending on the type of application with bronze or bronze/PTFE thrust plates.

Since Marzocchi FTP gear pumps are based on ELIKA technology, the helical gears ensure the continuity of the motion, despite the low number of teeth. The low number of teeth reduces the fundamental frequencies of the pump noise, producing a more pleasant sound. ELIKA tooth profile, without encapsulation, also significantly reduces pressure-oscillations and vibrations produced by the pump and transmitted to the other components, reducing the noise of the hydraulic system. Specific compensation areas in the flange and cover, insulated by special gaskets reinforced with anti-extrusion, allow for fully free axial and radial movement of the bushings. FTP pumps are perfectly interchangeable with standard gear pumps.

KSB Impeller Improves Pump Suction Characteristics

The KSB Group has developed a special impeller for its Movitec multistage high-pressure pumps. This new impeller significantly improves these pumps’ suction characteristics (NPSH value).

It proves its worth particularly in applications with critical inlet conditions (e.g. boiler feed applications) as well as applications in which the pump is required to take in water from low-lying tanks or at higher temperatures. Under these conditions, a pressure drop in the intake area may cause cavitation to occur in the first pump stage. This can result in excessive wear of pump parts or motor bearings as well as a reduced service life of the pump due to damaged parts and an unbalanced hydraulic system.

The new impeller is offered as an alternative to the standard product. When developing the new impeller, KSB’s design engineers went to great lengths to ensure it can be used with a number of Movitec variants without necessitating modifications to the outer pump casing.

The new impeller features a modified inlet diameter, vanes allowing a slightly diagonal throughflow and a newly designed stage casing, all of which serve to substantially improve the pump’s NPSH curve.

The multistage centrifugal pumps from the Movitec range are designed for handling fluids such as water, coolants, condensate and mineral oils. They are ideal for a wide variety of applications ranging from industrial boiler feed installations in steam circuits, recirculation and fire-fighting systems, cooling water circuits and washing plants to pressure boosting in general process applications.

Circor Allweiler Presents New Marine Three Screw Pump

Circor announces the launch of EMTEC-C®, the next generation of the Allweiler three screw pump that moves abrasive machine chips, particles and heat away from cutting surfaces in high-pressure machine tool coolant service, delivering improved durability and best-in-class efficiency.

Intended for use in metalworking applications, transfer lines, and grinding and deep drilling machines, EMTEC-C delivers coolant at a higher rate than centrifugal pumps, allowing machines to run at peak levels without compromising tool life.

Difference-making innovations include

· A new screw system with a patented reversed hanging idler and integrated thrust compensation system for durability, reliability and precision

· Improvements to seal life expectancy and need for maintenance

· A unique transparent backflow pipe that alerts the user to possible medium return into the system

· An extra-long piston to minimize flow loss

· The option of connecting a pressure sensor to the frequency controller for easy control and measurement

In addition, the surface of EMTEC-C has a hardness similar to ceramic in the housing bores, yet is elastic enough to eliminate the danger of bore surface fracture.

EMTEC-C is interchangeable with previous models and available in different sizes and spindle pitch angles to accommodate tank-top, submerged and horizontal installation configurations.

Weir Minerals Announces New IIoT Platform for Its Products

Weir announced the global launch of Synertrex®, its advanced IIoT technology which is set to transform the mining industry. Complementing Weir’s existing portfolio of mining equipment, the Synertrex® platform is now available globally. Delivering an advanced level of understanding, it allows operators to monitor every aspect of their equipment’s operation, prevent problems and increase throughput.

Synertrex® is a cutting edge IIoT platform which harnesses the latest digital technology to transform productivity, foresee risk and enhance performance. Utilizing cloud computing, it involves placing smart sensors on an array of Weir products which gather critical operating data for advanced analysis. The data is transformed into powerful insights which are relayed to the customer through a digital interface. It can identify problems before they occur, reducing downtime, and can optimize equipment performance across an entire circuit.

Remote management allows for simplified maintenance. Wear and tear can be easily monitored, and trouble spots detected before they escalate into major issues. Whether it’s a drive system, structural or lubrication issues, Synertrex® provides the tools to keep mining equipment at its most profitable.

Through its Synertrex® platform, the guesswork is removed. Its customers will have detailed real-time insight into how their equipment is performing, and machines will be able to learn over time. Information is displayed on a simple, easy to understand dashboard which can be accessed via any device or integrated into existing operational systems. It will convey real-time, fact-based insights into machine performance and health, remaining useful life and other crucial indicators.

At this stage, the platform can be paired with Warman® pumps, Cavex® hydrocyclones, GEHO® PD pumps, Enduron® HPGR, Enduron® screens and Enduron® crushers; however there are plans to expand the range of compatible products. Customers with existing Weir products who wish to enable Synertrex® will be able to retrofit sensors to equipment.

Weatherford Releases New Long-Stroke Pumping Unit

Weatherford International plc announced the commercial release of a new Rotaflex long-stroke pumping unit that improves artificial-lift efficiency in challenging applications including deep, high-volume and high gas-to-liquids wells.

The new Rotaflex design extends the functionality of a field-proven technology with more than 10,000 installations worldwide. The units apply long pump strokes—up to 36.5 ft—that allow more time for fluids to enter the pump intake before being lifted to surface. By delivering fewer strokes per barrel at a constant velocity, the Rotaflex design increases equipment run life, mitigates downhole failures and decreases deferred production.

The latest version of the Rotaflex unit adds numerous features that improve lift efficiency, including a purpose-built 350-series gear reducer and enhanced top drum. The unit also includes numerous enhancements that improve reliability and maintainability, including a built-in rollback system, greater accessibility, an enhanced lubrication system and a revised ladder system.

Atlas Copco Expands Dewatering Submersible Pump Series

Atlas Copco recently expanded its PAS range to include 18 new models, which are suitable for multiple applications, from dewatering on construction and mining sites to sewage and silt handling, drainage and even emergency situations involving flooding and shipping. The modular design of the PAS range allows many different configurations and comes in 4”, 6”, 8” and 12” models. All pumps in the diesel dewatering range feature a patented hinged door that provides fast access to the impeller and wear plates. This innovation makes issues previously related to on-site service and unclogging a thing of the past.

Recent additions to the Atlas Copco family of submersible dewatering pumps in theWEDA+ range that underwent a top-to-toe design overhaul, resulting in several innovative new pumps that offer up to 20 percent overall reduction in power consumption compared to previous models; combined with greater efficiency, simplified maintenance and increased capacity.

SIDE Industrie Launches New Booster Pump

Side Industrie launched the DIP Booster, a pump the company describes as designed "to accelerate flow in a gravity line." The product is designed for use in water applications.

According to Side Industrie, the DIP Booster is made of ‘high quality’ stainless steel, composed of a shared hydraulic body that fits the pipe size, allowing the gravity to flow through it. It includes a by-pass valve, a level sensor upstream and two variable speed hydraulic drives connected in parallel using VFDs.

The operation principle of the in-line DIP Booster is built around gravity flow. When flow passes through the DIP Booster and does not fill the pipe the motors remain off. The control panel leaves them on standby while continuously checking the level via the level sensor.

If gravity flow leads to the pipe filling up to the extent the start-up level of the first motor is reached, the DIP Booster will start up one pump slowly and then accelerate the flow, activating the internal check valve.

The second motor unit starts up if the upstream pressure increases. The motors stop when the upstream flow decreases back down to the gravity flow pressure setting.

In a statement, Side notes that its new technology is particularly suitable for cases where manifolds and pipes have ‘insufficient slope’, when pipes are undergoing periodic backup, are inadequately sized for current flow loads, or even where increased scouring is needed. The company states that the DIP Booster is suitable for use in numerous configurations, from storm water treatment to combined sewer reinforcement or flood control and prevention.

Verderflex Peristaltic Pumps Now Have Remote Control

The new Modbus® RTU version of the Verderflex® Vantage 5000 peristaltic pump brings easier system integration and real time communication to form a sophisticated, remotely operated pumping network.

Modbus® RTU is a simple, stable, globally used, open data communications protocol with over 7 million active nodes or connection points in use in North America and Europe. It allows a single master controller, such as a PLC, to easily work with multiple, uniquely addressed Verderflex Vantage 5000 pumps in digitally controlled, high resolution dosing or metering systems.

Up to 247 Vantage 5000 pumps can be networked over an industry standard, license free MODBUS® RTU data network

Function and features of the Verderflex Vantage 5000 Modbus enabled pump:

· MODBUS® RTU protocol for easy system integration and data communications.

· Vantage 5000 Touch screen color LCD for fast pump programming, network configuration and device address definition.

· USB pump backup port allows 1 pump to setup, system settings validated and then copied to other pumps, saving on pump configuration time.

· 4000:1 Speed resolution on each pump.

· Remote commands include start, stop, increasing or decreasing pump flow or speed and change pumping direction.

· Remote readouts of pump parameters including pump run time, calibration date and job counter.

· Remote monitoring of the status of the Vantage 5000’s own sensors including the tube burst and open front cover alarms plus analogue inputs such as supply or feed tank level sensors.

· Operation at speeds up to 921600 baud.

T-T Adds New Submersible Electric Pump

Due to the success of its innovative portfolio of sewage pumps, T-T Pumps is expanding their range and introducing the Grey series of submersible electric pumps. This is a brand-new solution for pumping sewage and drainage waters in civil, residential and industrial applications, featuring completely redesigned hydraulics and motors to guarantee high performance, low consumption and outstanding versatility.

In civil, residential and industrial applications, the reliability of an electric submersible pump is essential for smooth operation, steady performance and continuous work cycles without stoppages and repairs. The Grey range has been designed with this in mind, along with immediately available standard components resulting in lower installation costs, and submersible pumps that are built to facilitate maintenance.

The Grey range has been developed using cutting-edge technology, featuring an anti-clogging system, a large oil chamber with a leakage detection sensor, two mechanical seals and a cable gland to protect the power cable. Each model undergoes pressurized testing to guarantee perfect assembly and the operation of the gaskets, cable gland and mechanical seals.

Developed using the Uniqa know-how, the Grey series features completely redesigned hydraulics and motors to generate high performance, low consumption and outstanding versatility in the 0.37kW to 18.5kW power range. Models available within this electric submersible range feature a variety of hydraulics and therefore can be used in many different sectors, from civil/residential to industrial.

The new range is a replacement for the O, F, I, N and P models, this redesign and reconstruction of the pump models has made production more efficient, increasing lead times and reducing costs. The new model is also an advancement on many technical features.

McIlvaine Company

Northfield, IL 60093-2743

Tel: 847-784-0012; Fax: 847-784-0061

E-mail: editor@mcilvainecompany.com

Web site: www.mcilvainecompany.com