In many purposes in the oil and gasoline industry, the chemical business, or even the food trade, pumps that work reliably and supply high performance are needed. At the same time, they will have to have convincingly low investment costs. With the Ecosmart diaphragm metering pump, the German Lewa GmbH has supplied a cost-attractive and secure model that may deal with flow rates of up to 300 l/h for a couple of years. For use in purposes with greater move rates, the pump expert from Leonberg, Germany, is now increasing its product vary with two new sizes. In addition to the LCA version, the Ecosmart will also be obtainable within 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 flow rate of up to 528 gallons per hour. The most permissible operating stress for each models is 50 bar and 600 kilos respectively. The stringent use of comparable parts inside the Ecosmart product family retains manufacturing prices and subsequently the ultimate worth low. At the identical time, a high stage of safety can be assured by focusing on all important design options such because the stress relief valve or the proven sandwich diaphragm with continuous monitoring. The LCC variant was made obtainable on the end of 2021 and the LCD mannequin might be out there by mid-2022.
In addition to the confirmed diaphragm metering pumps of the Ecoflow series, Lewa has provided the cheaper Ecosmart pump for several years. This is especially as a result of the reality that although a reliable pump unit is required in quite a few processes, at the similar time comparatively low discharge pressures within the lower two-digit range require much less complex pump expertise. With weksler ea14 in the single pump model, nonetheless, solely a circulate price of under 80 gallons per hour was previously potential. In order to find a way to supply the Ecosmart for applications with greater circulate rates, the engineers at Lewa began developing two additional, larger pump variants in 2019. The purpose was to scale up the Ecosmart to bigger applications with the confirmed safety level and top quality Lewa components with out considerably growing the low funding price typical for this pump series. This was to be achieved by a consistent modular principle within the pump series, as properly as a strict concentrate on the essential features and options. The specs additionally demanded the standard Lewa suitability for unrestricted continuous operation over a few years. Options for integrating the pumps into automated methods through analog control signals or bus techniques are also a matter after all.
Lewa Ecosmart LCC3 on the take a look at 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 had been chosen for the smaller LCC variant, in order that greater than 264 gallons per hour could be conveyed as an alternative of lower than 80 gallons. In the case of the more powerful LCD model, the engineers also determined to increase the stroke size so that a most move price of 528 gallons per hour might be achieved. Both pump varieties can work in opposition to a maximum operating stress of 50 bar. As with all hydraulically actuated diaphragm metering pumps, maximum pressures are achieved with smaller plunger diameters.
Just as essential as the performance of the pump was the operational reliability typical of Lewa familiar from different pump series. For this objective, individual, essential options such because the built-in strain safety valve or the sandwich diaphragm have been taken over from the Ecoflow fashions. The individually adjustable pressure safety valve ensures that sudden overpressure in the pump doesn’t harm the diaphragm or pump drive. The diaphragm protection system DPS, whose essential component is a return spring for the diaphragm, additionally ensures that the PTFE sandwich diaphragm all the time works in the right place. It can’t be overstretched or damaged during start-up. Thus, the pump is protected against working errors or upset working conditions. Finally, the standard diaphragm monitoring system checks the situation 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 safety at all times, especially in sensitive areas with poisonous fluids. However, diaphragm monitoring is rarely used because Lewa diaphragms of this series often obtain service lives of a quantity of years – even underneath full load and steady operation.
A key level was to keep manufacturing prices within an identical vary to the small LCA variant, thereby creating engaging market prices for applications with less demanding necessities and lower working pressure. To achieve this, the design of the two new pump sizes needed to combine parts that are as similar or no much less than related as potential so as to keep away from high manufacturing prices. In this fashion, the Lewa engineers have been able to successfully implement the frequent parts technique that had already been practiced many occasions.
Pump users also benefit from this intelligent modular principle, as many wear elements can be used across pump types. This significantly simplifies the spare parts inventory. At the identical time, the modular principle additionally permits particular person adjustments to the respective software. For example, stroke frequencies or plunger diameters may be selected individually. The basis for this is the M900 pump head, which is already used within the LCA variant and in the Ecoflow program.
Lewa Ecosmart LCC in heated cupboard.
GOOD INTEGRABILITY FOR PLANT CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES
The pump’s flexibility also provides advantages for plant construction: It allows the Ecosmart pump to be oriented either vertically or horizontally, making it easier to integrate the unit into techniques with limited or confined areas. In addition, the pump head of the new LCC and LCD fashions is aligned at proper angles to the plunger axis, resulting in a very compact format. In many pumps, the pump head is on the identical axis as the plunger, which often results in cumbersome pump dimensions. The 90-degree orientation avoids this with the model new models. This benefit is achieved by the extraordinarily compact and utterly newly developed, cost-effective diaphragm drive.
In order to ensure the long service life typical of Lewa pumps, only high-quality, robust materials are used within the LCC and LCD versions. Toxic and abrasive substances can stress the pump significantly and so quite so much of supplies can be utilized on the moist finish, that are additionally efficiently used in the high-pressure variants of the Ecoflow series. Many high-quality components from the Ecoflow collection are also used for the drive units, using the frequent elements strategy. The result is robustness and durability that’s uncommon in this pump class. In addition, all Ecosmart pumps have been designed with a single oil tub, which is used for each the lubrication of the drive unit and the hydraulics of the pump head. This eliminates the extra advanced lubrication through two separate oil techniques and ends in an easier design, which not only facilitates operation but in addition reduces maintenance work.
Last but not least, the brand new LCC and LCD versions—like the LCA—comply with the united states industry normal for metering pumps API 675, ensuring almost unlimited utilization for quite a few demanding processes in a broad range of industries.
USE IN THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
For instance, when metering solvents within the chemical trade, pumps are wanted that on the one hand meet the best specification requirements and however are nonetheless cost-effective. Here, the Ecosmart pump with its higher efficiency is prepared to meet precisely these requirements, because it has been precisely engineered for applications in the decrease stress range up to 50 bar (600 pounds). The larger versions of the Ecosmart pump are also suitable for industrial water treatment, similar to in seawater desalination or industrial cooling circuits. What counts right here above all is compactness and cost-effective design, which the entire Lewa Ecosmart collection fulfills due to its progressive design principle.
Before the model new pump variants can be found to clients, numerous in depth tests might be carried out. They will be sure that the units additionally meet the high internal firm requirements for reliability and efficiency in operational practice. They embrace, on the one hand, steady load tests of up to a quantity of tens of thousands of hours and, then again, overload checks. In the latter, the pump is run repeatedly at as much as 20 p.c above most pressure to additional validate its robustness. Special exams are carried out in heated cabinets to proof that the pumps also carry out completely beneath extreme ambient situations. After successful completion of all tests and final changes, the Ecosmart version LCC is now available on the market, the LCD mannequin will follow in mid-2022.
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