28 APRIL 2022 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Electric Submersible Pumps Get the Job Done! Adapted from Information by Tsurumi Pump An aggregate mine in Wisconsin got amazing results when it replaced its diesel-powered dewatering equipment with a high-volume electric submersible Tsurumi GSZ pump. Once blasting occurs in a quarry, it will begin filling up with rain and groundwater; the water must be steadily removed for adequate harvesting of rock. This mine had been using dieselpowered pumps, which not only release harmful emissions, but also use about $1600 in fuel per unit per month. Assessing the situation, the quarry’s new owners decided to consider other options. A quarry representative called on their pump guy, Brian Radovich, vice president at Wisconsin Shoring & Supply, for advice. He suggested the Tsurumi GSZ pump. Despite standing at just over 61 inches tall, and approximately 35 inches in diameter, the newly installed submersible pump is actually one of the smallest and lowest horsepower in the GSZ range, and it has proven more than capable of emptying the Wisconsin quarry pit. With its output of 50 hp (the range tops out at 200 hp) and six-inch-diameter discharge, it efficiently pumps the water 100 feet up into a retention pond, for subsequent use as process water in the wash plants. “After the blasters have finished, they rely on KTV pumps while they’re hauling away the stone. Then they remove the pumps and set the GSZ to the bottom of the quarry with an automatic float that activates the pump as soon as the pit begins to fill up again. The trucks run up and down there every weekday, so keeping the pit dewatered is crucial to successful operation of the quarry,” Radovich explained. Since switching to the electric pump, running costs are only $600 a month; saving the operation around $12,000 a year. Plus, there are additional benefits. Diesel pumps require more servicing, so the company has noticed a huge increase in the level of equipment availability. In contrast to the high level of maintenance required by the oil-filled seals of diesel pumps, Tsurumi's 4-pole, 1800 rpm models feature exclusive Seal PressureRelief Ports to protect the mechanical seals by providing a flow path above the pump casing, allowing a release of water from the pump and away from the shaft. The mechanical seals remain isolated in the oil chamber above this flow path, protected from any excessive pumping pressure or water hammer that may cause premature wear or failure of the mechanical seals in high-pressure applications. It also boasts excellent durability due to its high chrome impeller, cast iron suction cover, and stainless steel fasteners. Aside from their temporary use following blasting, small, lightweight KTV series pumps also play a vital role in ensuring the GSZ operates during the bitter Midwest winter, when freezing water could lead to damage of the pump, its hose, or other issues. The KTV creates a constant turbulence preventing the water around the GSZ from freezing even during Wisconsin’s coldest winter nights. “The installation has been in place for over a year now, and it’s working out great, even over what was an extremely cold winter in 2021,” Radovich concluded. “It might be the quarry’s first GSZ pump, but I doubt it will be the last one we install in applications like this.” MIN
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDk4Mzk=