Affordable Even at Higher Flow Rates

In many functions within the oil and gasoline business, the chemical business, or even the meals industry, pumps that work reliably and supply high performance are needed. At the same time, they must have convincingly low funding costs. With the Ecosmart diaphragm metering pump, the German Lewa GmbH has provided a cost-attractive and secure mannequin that may deal with flow charges of as a lot as 300 l/h for many years. For use in functions with higher move rates, the pump professional from Leonberg, Germany, is now increasing its product range with two new sizes. In addition to the LCA model, the Ecosmart will also be available in the extra powerful LCC and LCD versions in the future. While the LCC mannequin can meter in excess of 264 gallons per hour, Lewa designed the LCD for a circulate rate of up to 528 gallons per hour. The most permissible operating strain for both fashions is 50 bar and 600 kilos respectively. The stringent use of similar components throughout the Ecosmart product household keeps production costs and due to this fact the final worth low. At the identical time, a high stage of security could be guaranteed by specializing in all essential design options such as the stress relief valve or the confirmed sandwich diaphragm with continuous monitoring. The LCC variant was made out there on the finish of 2021 and the LCD mannequin might be available by mid-2022.
In addition to the proven diaphragm metering pumps of the Ecoflow sequence, Lewa has supplied the inexpensive Ecosmart pump for several years. This is especially as a outcome of the truth that although a dependable pump unit is required in quite a few processes, at the identical time relatively low discharge pressures in the decrease two-digit vary require less advanced pump technology. With the Ecosmart LCA in the single pump model, nevertheless, solely a circulate rate of below 80 gallons per hour was previously attainable. In pressure gauge to find a way to provide the Ecosmart for applications with higher move rates, the engineers at Lewa started growing two further, larger pump variants in 2019. The goal was to scale up the Ecosmart to bigger applications with the proven security degree and high quality Lewa components with out significantly increasing the low funding price typical for this pump sequence. This was to be achieved by a consistent modular principle throughout the pump collection, in addition to a strict focus on the essential functions and options. The specifications also demanded the usual Lewa suitability for unrestricted steady operation over many years. Options for integrating the pumps into automated systems via analog control alerts or bus systems are also a matter in fact.
Lewa Ecosmart LCC3 on the check stand.
ADJUSTMENT OF PLUNGER DIAMETER AND STROKE ENABLE MORE FLOW
First of all, the requirements for the conveying capability needed to be implemented constructively. Larger plunger diameters have been chosen for the smaller LCC variant, in order that more than 264 gallons per hour may be conveyed as a substitute of less than 80 gallons. In the case of the more highly effective LCD model, the engineers also decided to increase the stroke length so that a maximum flow price of 528 gallons per hour could be achieved. Both pump types can work in opposition to a maximum working stress of 50 bar. As with all hydraulically actuated diaphragm metering pumps, maximum pressures are achieved with smaller plunger diameters.
Just as necessary as the performance of the pump was the operational reliability typical of Lewa familiar from different pump collection. For this function, individual, essential features such because the built-in strain security valve or the sandwich diaphragm had been taken over from the Ecoflow fashions. The individually adjustable strain security valve ensures that sudden overpressure within the pump does not injury the diaphragm or pump drive. The diaphragm safety system DPS, whose essential element is a return spring for the diaphragm, also ensures that the PTFE sandwich diaphragm always works in the best place. It cannot be overstretched or broken throughout start-up. Thus, the pump is protected towards working errors or upset working circumstances. Finally, the usual diaphragm monitoring system checks the condition of the diaphragm and warns plant operators instantly if there’s any damage. This reliably prevents cross-contamination between the pump and the piping system and ensures operational security always, particularly in delicate areas with toxic fluids. However, diaphragm monitoring is rarely used as a end result of Lewa diaphragms of this sequence often achieve service lives of a quantity of years – even under full load and steady operation.
A key point was to keep manufacturing costs within an analogous range to the small LCA variant, thereby creating enticing market costs for functions with less demanding necessities and decrease working pressure. To do so, the design of the 2 new pump sizes needed to combine components which are as identical or no much less than related as possible so as to avoid high manufacturing prices. In this way, the Lewa engineers had been capable of efficiently implement the common components strategy that had already been practiced many times.
Pump customers additionally profit from this clever modular principle, as many put on elements can be used across pump sorts. This considerably simplifies the spare parts stock. At the same time, the modular principle also allows individual changes to the respective utility. For instance, stroke frequencies or plunger diameters can be selected individually. The foundation for this is the M900 pump head, which is already used within the LCA variant and within the Ecoflow program.
Lewa Ecosmart LCC in heated cabinet.
GOOD INTEGRABILITY FOR PLANT CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES
The pump’s flexibility also presents advantages for plant construction: It permits the Ecosmart pump to be oriented either vertically or horizontally, making it simpler to combine the unit into systems with limited or confined spaces. In addition, the pump head of the new LCC and LCD models is aligned at proper angles to the plunger axis, resulting in a very compact format. In many pumps, the pump head is on the same axis as the plunger, which frequently results in bulky pump dimensions. The 90-degree orientation avoids this with the brand new fashions. This advantage is achieved by the extremely compact and utterly newly developed, cost-effective diaphragm drive.
In order to ensure the lengthy service life typical of Lewa pumps, solely high-quality, robust materials are used within the LCC and LCD versions. Toxic and abrasive substances can stress the pump considerably and so a wide selection of supplies can be used on the wet finish, which are also successfully used in the high-pressure variants of the Ecoflow sequence. Many high-quality elements from the Ecoflow collection are additionally used for the drive items, using the frequent elements strategy. The result’s robustness and durability that is uncommon on this pump class. In addition, all Ecosmart pumps have been designed with a single oil tub, which is used for both the lubrication of the drive unit and the hydraulics of the pump head. This eliminates the more complicated lubrication via two separate oil systems and ends in a less complicated design, which not only facilitates operation but also reduces maintenance work.
Last however not least, the new LCC and LCD versions—like the LCA—comply with the us trade commonplace for metering pumps API 675, making certain nearly unlimited utilization for quite a few demanding processes in a variety of industries.
USE IN THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
For example, when metering solvents in the chemical trade, pumps are wanted that on the one hand meet the highest specification necessities and on the opposite hand are still cost-effective. Here, the Ecosmart pump with its higher efficiency is prepared to meet exactly these necessities, as it has been exactly engineered for applications within the decrease pressure vary up to 50 bar (600 pounds). The larger versions of the Ecosmart pump are also suitable for industrial water remedy, corresponding to in seawater desalination or industrial cooling circuits. What counts here above all is compactness and cost-effective design, which the entire Lewa Ecosmart sequence fulfills thanks to its revolutionary design principle.
Before the new pump variants can be found to clients, numerous extensive exams will be carried out. They will ensure that the units additionally meet the excessive internal firm requirements for reliability and performance in operational follow. They embody, on the one hand, steady load exams of up to a quantity of tens of thousands of hours and, on the other hand, overload exams. In the latter, the pump is run constantly at as much as 20 % above maximum strain to further validate its robustness. Special checks are carried out in heated cabinets to proof that the pumps also carry out completely underneath excessive ambient circumstances. After profitable completion of all exams and last adjustments, the Ecosmart version LCC is now in the marketplace, the LCD mannequin will observe in mid-2022.
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