Mining Application Is No Wooden Nickel In Colombia

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P1070680icon-75x75-miningSecret To The Success — Cycloseal® And Efficiency

Cornell has been active in the agricultural and municipal markets throughout Colombia, South America for a couple decades. Working to convince mining companies of the ultimate price savings of installing premium products with lower operational and maintenance costs has been challenging, however. In 2011, Cornell’s Colombian distributor was able to secure the bid for a dewatering application in the nickel mine located in the Northern Andean region of Colombia. Much work went into securing the contract, as the mine was generally closed to new products, there was an entrenched sales network, and there were concerns about the initial pricing of Cornell relative to lower cost/lower quality competitors.
Despite these challenges, the distributor secured a job for three Cornell 8NHTA-RP-EM18-3 units and provided the engine and pontoon locally to keep the packaged price to a minimum. Three years later, the pumps have been running flawlessly for over 4,500 hours. Not a single spare part has been required, which prevents any additional costs and more importantly, allows the mine to operate without any down time, avoiding any disruption of nickel production.
The dewatering application in the nickel mine is not unique. Cornell has had great success in mines throughout Australia and Indonesia for years. Currently, there are more than 600 units in the Pacific Rim region that are all working as well as in Columbia.
Much of the success is attributable to Cornell’s patented Cycloseal system design which generally reduced seal maintenance at least three fold. Cornell’s Australian distributor hails the Cycloseal design as a game changer for the mines. A typical dewatering application, using a Cornell product, experiences over 15,000 hours of operation before any seal maintenance is required. This is unprecedented with diesel driven applications in such severe environments like mines. More challenging applications, containing 3-5% silt suspended in the water, are still realizing over 5,000 hours before the seal needs replacement or repair.
At an average cost of $5,000 per seal replacement (including drive time, crane rental, labor and seal price), any additional operational time is a huge windfall for the mines. With the Cornell Cycloseal out-performing the competitors, the seal replacement costs become very significant and can justify any initial price difference that may be associated with a Cornell.
Cornell also generally offers industry-leading pump efficiencies. Not only will a customer get the most robust and maintenance-free pump available for the mining market with the purchase of a Cornell, but they will also experience a pump that has the lowest operating costs of any pump available.

Creek Water Re-Routed For Pollution Cleanup

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icon-75x75-municipalEPA Project Uses Cornell Pumps To Re-Route Portage Creek During Soil Decontamination

The Problem: A community in Southwest Michigan had discovered severe PCB contamination in a creek flowing through the city. A nearby paper mill, long since closed down, was suspected as the source.

upstreamdownstreamThe Solution: The EPA Region 5 commissioned a project to by-pass segments of the creek, in order for the soil to be removed and re-mediated. In order to do so, the creek had to be dammed up, a section at a time, and the flow had to be by-passed, downstream, below the area where the soil removal was taking place. This was not an easy task, given the amount, and fluctuations, of flow that the creek experienced in any given weather condition.

The company contracted to the project stepped in and provided multiple Cornell pumps for the 2012 season, and for the unusually wet 2013 season.

A combination of three Cornell Model 16NHG22 pumps, one Model 12NNF, and numerous 4” & 6” Sound-Attenuated diesel driven units were used – enough to control the 9,000 GPM flow of the creek.

The creek was remediated in 7 segments, beginning in July, 2012 through October 2012, and again in March 2013 through October 2013.

While the project was sized for a flow of 9,000 GPM, the wet 2013 season required the pumps to attain 11,300 GPM.
It is estimated that a total of 5.94 billion gallons of water, enough to fill over 8,950 Olympic-sized swimming pools, were pumped during the process.

The Senior Branch Sales Representative for the contractor in charge of the project commented, “The durability, and reliability of the Cornell Pumps, met, or exceeded our expectations throughout the Project.”

Unique Rental Company Employs Cornell Pumps for Leasing Program

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3155387386_8447fdc550_zicon-75x75-rentalHelps increase sugar mill yields by 50 percent, while reducing fuel and maintenance costs.

More than 90 percent of sugar cane mills in Guatemala employ Cornell pumps in their irrigation systems. Since making inroads in the 1970’s, Cornell’s reputation as a premium quality product with high efficiencies and low cost of ownership has pushed adoption in more and more systems.

A Cornell distributor began a unique program in 2008 that has rapidly increased adoption though. Through an innovative program, Almacen de Maquinaria de Topke leases irrigation systems (including pumps) to sugar cane mills, and then charges the mills by millimeters of water applied to determine the lease rate. Seen as innovative, and a first of its kind program, the lease is similar to a rental house in an industrial market. Differentiating it from rental though, the lease program is long-term, and the sugar mills participating in the program find it an economical program to operate. There are no fixed costs to the mills, and operation, maintenance, and replacement parts are all the responsibility of the distributor. The only cost outside the lease is the fuel charge.

Topke’s lease equipment program has increased 10 fold since inception four years ago. They have also chosen to standardize on sizes to reduce inventory costs and have interchangeability in case of an unforeseen incident with the equipment. The benefit to the mills is clear; an irrigation program can increase yields by 50 percent. Having the lease program helps them manage their capital exposure and be able to respond to changes in acreage. Many of the sugar mills have operations elsewhere in Central and South America; the success in Guatamala has helped the lease program expand. The distributor has installations in four Central American countries, and three south American locations now. Because of Topke’s experience and technical expertise, they are qualified to work with the mills on irrigation scheduling, which assures the correct water application rates to optimize production in each region. The question was asked of the Topke’s owner why the program is flourishing now and why with Cornell? His response was: “Fifteen years ago, fuel and electrical costs were significant, however not nearly as significant as today (i.e. in 1998, diesel was $1.00 / US gallon. Current costs for diesel in Guatemala are about $4.00/ US gallon.) In addition, the world price for sugar cane has increased dramatically due to the demand for alternative fuels (ethanol in this case), so growers and the mills feel they can buy or lease a higher quality system since the return on investment will be much quicker than 15 years ago.”

And why Cornell: “It is simple, Cornell is the most reliable pump on the market here in Guatemala, so why would I choose anything else for a lease program when maintenance and downtime cost me money? Not to mention the fuel savings the mills and farmers will experience with Cornell horsepower requirements being the lowest in the industry.”

Cornell continues to supply the world with robust pumps that are highly efficient and have the lowest cost of ownership in the long run. As a distributor said, “It’s not so much the initial cost that should make one pause, it is the operating costs you need to pay attention to because they can kill you.”

Clogging Pump Station Needs Innovative Approach

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icon-75x75-municipalCornell and partners tested various Cornell cutter variations to help alleviate ragging; new hybrid cutter—auger worked best.

117TH_STREET_CLOGGINGA Southwest Washington water district started a waste water management system to address the needs of 77,500 residents. The system has a pump station with 18.4 mgd capacity at 200’ TDH.

Shortly after being placed in service in December of 2008, the station experienced daily ragging that caused capacity to degrade from approximately 3,750 GPM to around 2,900 GPM. That flow decrease shaved more than 1.2 million gallons of operating capacity per day. The system was paying the same energy cost to pump less liquid though, effectively increasing costs. Material was also accumulating in the wet well.

The system operator tried fixes such as operating at different speeds and different operating levels. They changed the pump order, and institute a self-cleaning cycle. None of the fixes stopped the ragging, though. The station was taken offline in April 2009, and operated seasonally. In that capacity it had to be deragged twice a day, seven days a week; costing four hours of staff time per day.

Cornell won the 2012 Pumps & Systems Innovative Product of the Year for our cutter pump technology. The original design of the cutter was placed in the system in 2012. While the cutter reduced some of the issues and increased the flow rate, the eye of the impeller was still getting clogged more frequently than the system operator wanted.

Cornell got to work creating more than half a dozen prototypes designs for new cutters to deal with the plugging of the impeller eye; there was not enough vane geometry to guide the flow of solids into the impeller passageway. Ultimately, the solution was using the stationary cutter from the original cutter system, and adding a hybrid cutter—auger that extended impeller vanes all the way to the center, while using the auger as cutter of the ragging material.

The new cutter—auger design reduced capacity somewhat, but kept a consistent flow rate throughout the day. Ragging events were reduced more than ninety percent. The municipal water district is looking at retrofit other pump stations, in order to reduce ragging events.

Cornell’s Hydraulic Fracturing Water Transfer Pumps bring the Power

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MX_6822_ALBERTA_OIL_SHALE (1)icon-75x75-oilgasIn Alberta Oil Shale, Cornell bests competitors’ pumps with the MX6822

An Alberta oil field service company providing water transfer services, mostly supplying frac water, had purchase some 6” pumps from a Cornell competitor. After the oil field company put them in service, they realized they did not produce the volume and pressure required to do the job.

The customer approached a Canadian Cornell distributor for a better option. Three MX 6822 engine mount pumps were sold and then mounted on diesel engines with trailers. The customer now is completely satisfied and cannot believe how much more volume and pressure he can get with the Cornell over the competitors pump. Operating conditions are 3000 GPM at 400’ TDH.

Cornell’s MX series, introduced in 2011, are high-head pumps, with three or four vane enclosed impeller designs. MX pumps handle up to 2” solids with excellent efficiencies; up to 75 percent. The MX series features high operating pressures, is useful for high flow requirements, and come with Cornell’s renowned dependable and high quality construction. Heads up to 800’, flows of 8,00 GPM, and operating pressures of 300 PSI are attainable with the Cornell MX series.

Peruvian Wastewater Treatment by Way of Montana

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6NNT_MONTANA (1)icon-75x75-municipal6NNT dredge pumps help remove sludge lagoon biosolids in Peru

For over 45 years a Cornell customer based in Montana has helped their customers meet their most difficult pump and dredging challenges. This Cornell customer manufactures unique, high quality floating dredges for industrial and municipal applications.

In 2011, they had a request from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Peru, for two dredges mounted with Cornell 6NNT-30HP-1800rpm submersible pumps to dredge biosolids and residuals from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The pumps operating conditions are 1500 GPM @ 50’ TDH each.

The company mounted Cornell 6NNT pumps on floating dredges. They attached cutterheads to help break up the sludge that has settled on the lagoon floor. The floating lagoon dredge pumps are portable, fully automated, unmanned remote controlled units.

The dredges help remove settled wastes and other by-products that no longer may be scattered over the countryside, but, instead, must be contained in settling ponds or lagoons, built to prevent wastes from leaching into the water-table.

These pumps have been in operation since 2012 with no issues.

Keeping Hawaii Beautiful and Economically Viable

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photoicon-75x75-municipalSix Cornell 16NHG28 pumps help protect vital commercial and tourist bay from effluent

Mamala Bay, named after a legendary Hawaiian chieftess renowned for her surfing ability, straddles some of the most expensive and desirable real estate on the island of Oahu. It is also the only harbor in the United States that combines both commercial and tourist functions in one spot. Tens of millions of tons of cargo are off loaded yearly at the working port, the adjoining Aloha Tower Marketplace is a great tourist attraction, and the water from the shallows of Honolulu Harbor flow directly into the bay past coral reefs.

Mamala Bay had a problem with raw sewage spills. These discharges threaten to disrupt the commercial, tourist, and environmental activities of the bay. The losses could potentially reach hundreds of millions of dollars.

Cornell was called in to engineer a bypass system while the aging and overtaxed current sewage treatment system was upgraded to chemically enhanced primary treatment plants, with primary outfall discharges changed from chlorine to ultraviolet disinfection.

To handle all the sewage while the change was made, the sewer district operated six Cornell 16NHG28 pumps on trailers. The entirety of the effluent of an area with more than 1.5 million residents and tourists was passed through the six pumps flawlessly.

The 16NHG28’s pumps were located around the treatment facility and moved the wastewater into the old treatment plant for more than two years as the new plant was and piping was built.

UAE’s POSITIVE VIBRATIONS, THANKS TO CORNELL

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icon-75x75-municipalTwo Cornell 14NHG 28RPEMTB pumps help alleviate failure of previously installed pumps; working flawlessly since 2011.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAA municipality in the United Arab Emirates had installed twin 700 HP submersible sewage pumping equipment in 2005. Repetitive failures of these pumps occurred due to system mismatches and severe vibrations. Lacking adequate backup and given the systems problems, the client with was concerned. Failures included seal leaks and on some occasions, sewage seeping into the motor windings and burning out the motor, with some shaft shearing as well.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAClient’s expenses on emergency maintenance and repairs reached towards than 200 percent of their installation investment. Additionally, the pump station was located in densely populated area of the city, hence any shut down would be an awful situation

CENTEX FP LLC, Cornell’s distributor and technical supports office in Middle East & North Africa (MENA) worked with the municipality to find a solution that would allow them to use a Cornell pump as a complete back up, which would keep the system operational with minimal modifications in piping. Centex conducted a complete site study, including system resistance, average / peak flow situation, and piping design. After the thorough review, they were able to offer suitable pumps that would not only handle this station at peak load but also another master station which has similar issues.

Cornell’s Redi-prime system® was seen as real asset with ability to run dry and be able to lift the sewage from nearly 23 feet (seven meters) deep. In February of 2011, two Cornell 14NGH28 Redi-Prime® pumps were installed, and have been working well ever since. The pumps each operate on a 630 HP Cat engine, each with 9200 GPM (580lps) at 206 feet of head, for a total flow of 18,400 GPM (1160lps.) It just took two of Cornell’s 14” pump to accomplish that flow, while a competing system designed required 6 units of 10” pumps to match. Understandably, the Centex & Cornell team won the contract on merit, offering the best performance and system solution for the client.

In an appraisal letter the client described their experience as:
“We are extremely satisfied with these pumps completely designed, manufactured, tested and commissioned by Centex-Cornell. In fact, the pumps by far exceed our expectations, not only in terms of product quality, pumping capacity and performances, but also in terms of reliability, robustness, solids handling ability (the pumps never clog), suction lift ability (7.56 m), fuel consumption (very low) and maintenance requirements (just basic routine checks).

Furthermore, we are tremendously grateful to Centex-Cornell for the professional services they offered us well ahead of the decision to select their product.”

Cornell 8H-VC18 Pumps Form a ‘Green Dragon’

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icon-75x75-municipalMuscle, Ingenuity, and Determination need to move Cornell Pumps 250 Miles into the Jungle to Supply Fresh Drinking Water

Two vertical mount 8H-VC18 units were installed in the Colombian jungle on the river Caucasia, about 400 kilometers (248 miles) South of coast. Because of some interesting features, the installation earned the nickname the Green Dragon.

8H-VC18 Columbia (1)The pumps were designed in the vertical position in order to elevate the motors to avoid damage from flooding – a regular occurrence during the rainy season. The pumps replaced a locally manufactured brand, IHM. The pumps were put in series, to overcome a relatively high pressure requirement due to a 1.5 kilometer (~1 mile) distance of piping to a local village. The pumped river water is being used to supply the village with fresh treated water for personal consumption. Due to the Rain-a-flo blue paint color (which actually looks green) and the exotic discharge and suction piping design, the locals named the pump installation the Green Dragon.

8H-VC18 Columbia (14)The logistics required to get the equipment to the job site was interesting in itself. The crew employed traditional banana boats to transport pumps, motors, pipes, etc., across the river to the pump house. Once the equipment arrived, a system of wooden rails and rollers were used to move the pumps and motors along the ground and in some cases, sloped gradients. Ropes and block and tackle apparatus were used to do a lot of the heavy lifting, as no powered cranes were available.

8H-VC18 Columbia (15)Pump house modification was also required, as the crew removed a large portion of the roof to accommodate the vertical installation and the discharge piping—the snoot of the Green Dragon. It was an incredible feat of local ingenuity to make this a successful installation; relying solely on manual labor, determination, and brute strength.

The pumps have been successfully in operation since 2010, supplying clean drinking water to the village.

European Waste Water Plants Uses Cornell Pumps to Reduces Foam, Help Sludge Settle

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icon-75x75-municipalTwo major waste water treatment plants in Brussels faced issues with sludge circulation in the decanting basins; use of the previously installed pumps was creating too much foam, leading to sludge particles floating near and on top of the water’s surface. Because the sludge was not settling down into the basins as expected, the extraction process was not as effective as designed, and the pumps were using more energy than anticipated to operate.

18NHFL RP F24K - Cornell Pump Company ImageThe plants manager wanted a change to efficiency; that desire led to a change in extraction strategy. To alleviate the problem of the excessive foam, it was decided to pump sludge from lower tanks to higher tanks with Cornell Self-Priming pumps. These innovative Cornell pumps helped remove the excess air from the sludge before it was pumped into the upper tanks and comes into contact with the surface mixers.

Cornell’s self-priming pumps aided in the removal of air bubbles that were trapped in the water. At certain times observers could hear the vacuum pumps extracting the air that had already been separated from the water by turbulence. Under those conditions, pumps without self-priming capabilities would lose their prime because of the excess air. In the previous pumps that had been an issue; an issue that was solved beautifully by using Cornell self-priming pumps.

04---18NHFL-RP-F24K-Brussels-SouthThe installed Cornell pumps have two functions at the plant: initial priming at start-up and extracting the excess air during the pumping process. These pumps are driven by 90kW electric motors and are controlled by variable frequency drives that operate between 400 RPM and 600 RPM at the pump shaft. The maximum hydraulic efficiency of the pumps is 87.3%!

Six Cornell 18NHFL pumps have been working effectively at the Brussels plants since February 2011.