Chemical Manufacturer Stops Clogs & Flooding with SKX Submersible Shredder Pumps
Authors: Kelly McCollum, Regional Manager, BJM Pumps
Based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ford-Gelatt (a SunSource company) provides industrial pumping equipment and repair services to the oil and gas, power generation, and chemical process industries. Over the past 25 years, service representatives from Ford-Gelatt have supported the maintenance team working in-house at a local chemical manufacturing facility. This chemical manufacturer is the second largest producer of chemicals in the United States, and they have worked with Ford-Gelatt for over two decades to source and select pumps for a variety of applications.
When the chemical manufacturer experienced frequent clogging of their horizontal self-priming pumps, they contacted Scott Swilley, Industrial Equipment Specialist at Ford-Gelatt, to find a solution that would enable them to avoid flooding and eliminate the related clean-up costs.
Authors: Kelly McCollum, Regional Manager, BJM Pumps
Based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ford-Gelatt (a SunSource company) provides industrial pumping equipment and repair services to the oil and gas, power generation, and chemical process industries. Over the past 25 years, service representatives from Ford-Gelatt have supported the maintenance team working in-house at a local chemical manufacturing facility. This chemical manufacturer is the second largest producer of chemicals in the United States, and they have worked with Ford-Gelatt for over two decades to source and select pumps for a variety of applications.
When the chemical manufacturer experienced frequent clogging of their horizontal self-priming pumps, they contacted Scott Swilley, Industrial Equipment Specialist at Ford-Gelatt, to find a solution that would enable them to avoid flooding and eliminate the related clean-up costs.
The Challenge
Two horizontal self-priming pumps had been pumping from two separate 9-foot deep sewage sumps. These pumps were supposed to send raw sewage collected from the chemical manufacturing facility to the nearby wastewater treatment facility, but they clogged excessively and led to inconvenient flooding on two separate occasions. Each time the flooding occurred, employees had to be moved out of the manufacturing facility into rented trailers placed off-site and a third-party company had to come clean and sanitize the flooded area. The clean-up was a lengthy process, and costly!
Not wanting to risk a flood of raw sewage a third time, the chemical manufacturer’s maintenance manager contacted Swilley to discuss replacing the self-priming pumps. In discussing the problem with Swilley, it was clear that the new pumps to be selected for this sewage lift application needed to meet the following requirements:
The Solution
The chemical manufacturer had previously installed BJM Pumps in several drainage sumps throughout their facility. Having 6 corrosion-resistant stainless steel submersible shredder pumps (model SKX15CSS) already operating reliably in their chemical manufacturing facility, the maintenance manager was confident in the SKX Series pumps.
For these specific sewage lift sumps, Swilley recommended an SKX model, the SKX110CSS, for the following reasons:
Two horizontal self-priming pumps had been pumping from two separate 9-foot deep sewage sumps. These pumps were supposed to send raw sewage collected from the chemical manufacturing facility to the nearby wastewater treatment facility, but they clogged excessively and led to inconvenient flooding on two separate occasions. Each time the flooding occurred, employees had to be moved out of the manufacturing facility into rented trailers placed off-site and a third-party company had to come clean and sanitize the flooded area. The clean-up was a lengthy process, and costly!
Not wanting to risk a flood of raw sewage a third time, the chemical manufacturer’s maintenance manager contacted Swilley to discuss replacing the self-priming pumps. In discussing the problem with Swilley, it was clear that the new pumps to be selected for this sewage lift application needed to meet the following requirements:
- Non-Clog. It was critical to select non-clog pumps that could handle the solids and raw sewage that entered the sumps. The new pumps needed to reliably transport the raw sewage out of the sumps to the effluent treatment facility.
- Rated for Continuous Duty. The pumps in these sumps operated almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; so it was important to install non-clog pumps that could run reliably for extended periods of time.
- Durable and Reliable. The maintenance manager’s goal was to avoid flooding, so it was critical that a pump with proven reliability be installed in these sumps.
The Solution
The chemical manufacturer had previously installed BJM Pumps in several drainage sumps throughout their facility. Having 6 corrosion-resistant stainless steel submersible shredder pumps (model SKX15CSS) already operating reliably in their chemical manufacturing facility, the maintenance manager was confident in the SKX Series pumps.
For these specific sewage lift sumps, Swilley recommended an SKX model, the SKX110CSS, for the following reasons:
- The SKX110CSS submersible shredder pump will not clog. Manufactured with non-clog, two-vane impellers designed for high volume and lift performance, the SKX has been proven to cut and pass solids up to 3.5 inches in size, while delivering high liquid volume at up to 845 gallons per minute. The SKX, which is specifically designed for industrial shredding applications, uses an engineered Tungsten Carbide Tip Fang™ impeller. This specially engineered impeller cuts against a spiral-shaped diffuser plate to continuously rip apart solids-laden sewage with 360-degree shredding action.
- The SKX110CSS is manufactured from corrosion-resistant stainless steel. All the internal components exposed to the raw sewage being pumped are made of 316 Stainless Steel; this includes all wear and wetted parts, such as impeller, wear-plate, seal chamber, and pump volute. The elastomers, such as O-rings, lip seals, and gaskets, are made of durable FKM. With a durable construction, this pump is rated for continuous duty and built to last.
 | The SKX110CSS has “Three Seal Motor Protection”. The motor is protected with an oil-lubricated double seal design whereby the double mechanical seals are comprised of a lower seal made of silicon carbide/silicon carbide and upper seal faces made of carbon/ceramic. An additional lip seal is installed above the impeller to help prevent abrasives from entering into the seal chamber. Utilizing winding protection and (NEMA) Class F motor insulation, the SKX is superior to pumps with Class A and B insulation because the (NEMA) Class F motor insulation allows the motor temperature to raise up to 230°F. An automatic switch turns the pump motor off if the temperature and/or amp draw raises too high. When the motor cools, the switch is designed to automatically reset and the pump will once again begin operating. |
After thorough deliberation, the chemical manufacturer purchased (2) SKX110CSS corrosion-resistant stainless steel submersible shredder pumps and installed them in the fall of 2016. BJM Pumps provided the guide rails to make installation and future inspection and maintenance easier for the in-house maintenance team. The pumps have worked well in the sewage application, and the chemical manufacturer has not experienced clogging and flooding since the SKX pumps were installed. The chemical manufacturer plans to purchase 2 additional SKX pumps for their other two sewage lift sumps to pre-empt any potential clogging and flooding – thereby avoiding headaches and unnecessary clean-up costs.
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