A Western Australian lead acid battery recycling plant grappled with severe operational challenges due to the aggressive nature of their slurry, which contained a harmful mix of lead oxide, plastic, and lead particles. Frequent failures of their previous AOD pumps caused by abrasive solids resulted in exorbitant downtime and hindered production efficiency. To overcome these obstacles, they made a strategic shift to SlurryPro pumps.
Our client is a top player in Western Australia for resource recovery and managing hazardous and chemical waste. They handle compliant disposal, safe destruction, and turning waste into valuable products. Due to ongoing issues with their pumping system, they decided to contact our team for support.
The Challenge
The Plant Maintenance Manager reached out to us looking for a better solution for their application. They were pumping wastewater into a holding tank, but the water contained lead oxide, plastic bits, and lead, which caused frequent downtime.
Previously, they used 1-inch AOD pumps for this task. These pumps needed repairs at least once a week and replacements about once a month because the solids in the water were damaging the diaphragms, balls, and seats. The pumps had to run almost continuously to manage the water removal. If they fell behind or failed, the entire area would flood.
The Solution
After discussing the issue with our technical team and drawing on our experience with similar processes, the Global Pumps sales team recommended the SlurryPro pumps for the challenging recycling application.
This new solution transformed a full-day operation into running the SlurryPro pumps only 3 to 4 times a day. Each run took as little as 2 minutes when things were under control, or up to 10 minutes if the situation had gotten out of hand before turning the pump on.
The Result
The SlurryPro pumps have been running continuously for 12 months and have already paid for themselves , thanks to savings on AOD pump spares, new AOD pumps, reduced workshop repair time, and avoiding repairs to assets such as floor coatings or structural repairs in the area.
Some key takeaways:
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Previously, when pipes became blocked with debris, the recycling facility team had to disassemble the pipes to clear them. Now, they can easily clear blockages using the pump by turning off the outlet valve for a few seconds to build up pressure and then quickly opening it. The force generated by the pump effectively clears the blockages from the lines.
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One of the SlurryPro pumps in the main sump sustained significant damage from a large piece of sharp plastic. Despite this, the pump continues to operate efficiently. Images below show the marks and cuts on the top liner caused by the debris. Although the top liner is damaged around the shaft hole and water leaks slightly when the pump is running, the pump still performs effectively.
- In the 12 months since installation, the recycling facility has performed minimal maintenance on the SlurryPro pumps, with only one impeller replacement due to damage from plastic.
Overall, the experience has been excellent. Our client is very satisfied with the SlurryPro pumps, finding them to be a perfect fit for their current needs and confident that they will continue to perform well for future upgrades to the application.
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