CUSTOMER STORY: HOW OPTIMAL PUMP SELECTION RESULTED IN HUGE PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS
Produce the best foods
Producing the best foodstuffs (semi-finished products) for companies such as Haribo and Nestlé, which is part of the order of the day for one of our major customers.
Meeting strict hygiene requirements and pumping complex media presented a major challenge.
COMPLEX MEDIA
The production process was continuously challenged by various problems in pumping condensate, cooling water and pieces of pig skin with acid.
Failing mechanical seals, wear and tear, damage to pipework, an unstable process and process shutdown for maintenance work were part of the daily routine.
OPTIMAL FUNCTIONING CONDENSATE PUMPS
One medium that caused problems for years was condensate. This was pumped with multistage centrifugal pumps, whose mechanical seals had to be replaced 3 to 4 times a year. The replacement and overhaul costs increased enormously, so that an urgent solution was sought.
HIGH-QUALITY SOLUTION
When looking for a high-quality solution to replace the old multi-stage pumps, Grundfos pumps type CR was chosen. Where other pumps constantly presented challenges, the Grundfos pumps have been functioning optimally and without problems for over 7 years.
"We now have CR pumps from Grundfos, which have been running smoothly since installation. The seals of the predecessor had to be replaced 3 to 4 times a year"
Cooling water pumps with high overhaul costs
Another application where Grundfos pumps were the solution was the cooling water, which circulates throughout the entire plant. Due to the expansion of the factory over the years, the predecessors no longer met the requirements of the process.
We found that the old pumps were constantly running out of curves. In addition, the pumps were not frequency controlled, so they ran continuously at the highest power. This resulted in unnecessarily high energy consumption, with associated costs.
Grundfos NK pumps
Grundfos type NK pumps were selected to meet the requirements. The pump housing and impeller are completely made of stainless steel 316 and the pumps are equipped with Danfoss frequency converters.
Grundfos pumps have been performing excellently since installation without any problems. In addition, substantial energy savings have been achieved by adding frequency converters.
How pieces of pork skin with acid were a big problem
Pumping pieces of pig skin with water and acid at 90 degrees was very problematic for years.
Over a period of 15 years, various worm pumps of different brands were used, but none seemed resistant to the medium.
The pumps suffered a lot from wear and tear, the cuffs dissolved quickly and the pulsating action of the worm pumps caused shocks to the pipework, causing damage. One of the causes of this was the pumps running dry. Worm pumps cannot withstand this, resulting in defective stators.
The continuity of the production process was hampered because the pumps had to be overhauled very regularly. The problem resulted in a lot of working hours, production limitations and high costs.
"Every time a pump failed, production was limited. Left or right it costs a lot of money, because the pumps have to be overhauled and it leads to production loss"
The solution: screw spindle pumps
After many years and worn-out pumps, the problem situation was brought to us. We had the opportunity to review the process and select the optimal pump.
The advice was to test a screw spindle pump. These pumps are designed to reliably pump low to highly viscous products for applications where maximum hygiene and efficiency is required.
All parts that come into contact with the medium are made of stainless steel 1.4404. The pumps do not have a pulsating effect and are very easy to maintain.
“We first tested a screw spindle pump for a year, which we didn't have to worry about. We now have twelve of them, which have been working without problems for more than three years ''
During the test period of one year, there was no need to worry about the screw spindle pump. The pump functioned all year round without any problem.
After the successful test, a total of 11 screw spindle pumps were delivered and installed. All pumps have been working without problems to date, so for more than three years.
A success story starts with good cooperation
“I think the collaboration is really great. Last year we went to Inventflow, then we attended a pump training, which was great. Superbly prepared. I can always reach you, either by phone or WhatsApp. Communication is always very pleasant and smooth ”.
“If I put a question to you, I will be relieved. For example, we recently had a malfunction, then I will report it and it will be picked up. Two technicians came and took care of it from A to Z. The most important thing is that they always think along in solutions ”.
“If I put a question to you, I will be relieved. The most important thing is that we always think along in solutions ”
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