Pumped up for mining
WHEN Australian Pump started 25 years ago, one of its very first products was a Honda engine-powered 3in (outlet) tanker pump designed for basic water delivery applications.
Since then, the world has changed and dust suppression is not just desirable, but an essential addition to mining, earthmoving and construction projects.
Aussie Pumps chief engineer John Hales said that input from the market led the company to develop a wide range of pumps suitable for water carts with petrol, diesel and even hydraulic drive configuration.
“Our first step was to turn a high volume pump into a high pressure and high volume pump just by changing over the impellers and volute”, he said.
“This was the origin of our ‘ Brigade Boss’ series of pumps that also found their application in high pressure firefighting.”
These big pumps deliver flows of up to 1800l/m, but also come in configurations that operate at up to 90 psi.
“Those high-flow, high-pressure combinations made them ideal for dust suppression on big tankers,” Mr Hales said.
The company progressed to diesel drive pumps with a focus on both Yanmar and Kubota as the key drive.
“These reliable Japanese design engines provided loads of power and reliability,” Mr Hales said.
“Parts are also readily available in Australia and overseas.”
“There is a continuing sophistication of water carts with water cannons, sophisticated angle sprayers and pumps that are a capable of working 10 hours a day without failure.”
Hydraulic drives are coming
Australian Pumps was one of the first companies to develop a hydraulic drive tanker pump.
The company took a cast iron industrial trash pump and turned it into a high-pressure hydraulic drive piece of kit that can deliver flows of 1200 lpm and pressures to 50 psi.
“Not only is that a great success, but we even were able to offer the advantage of a clean-out port being built into the pump’s bowl,” Mr Hales said.
“That means no disconnecting pipework to carry out a pump flush.”
Mr Hale believes that the beauty of the hydraulic drive defeats the massive maintenance problem of dust on small, single cylinder engines normally mounted at the back of the tanker.
“Dusted engines are a thing of the past when you go hydraulic,” he said.
“The system is sealed and what’s more, the pump can be mounted wherever you like, that means the drive lines, being flexible, from the hydraulic pump, to the hydraulic motor driving the water pump.
“The big self-priming cast iron pumps are not subject to issues with pressure spikes; they prime from vertical depths of six metres meaning you can refill the tanker from streams, rivers or dams where necessary.
“We’ve heard of tankers being used in emergency firefighting applications where that self-priming capability is a godsend.”
The Aussie Pumps family of self-priming tanker pumps isn’t only available in hydraulic drive.
The range is also available in heavy duty cast iron construction pedestal pumps with bare shaft, which means the pump can be run off PTO shaft, or even by pulley drive.
The pumps start with 2in heavy duty cast iron semi trash pumps, with small, compact hydraulic motors.
Pressures of up to 35 psi and flows up to 600 l/m make them ideal for water carts, mini tankers and even, in their fuel handling configuration, suitable for transferring diesel fuel or even light lubricating oils on mine sites.
The 3in pumps are available in the same family: cast iron, self-priming but with up to flows of up to 1800 l/m and heads as high as 65 psi.
“These higher pressure pumps, in cast iron, with the self-priming capability make them ideal for big water carts doing dust suppression or water transport jobs”, Mr Hales said.
“They’ve done wonderful service during the drought with water carters sometimes delivering 50,000l semi tankers to drought stricken townships.”
All feature unique Aussie GMP semi trash design with silicone carbide seal and stainless steel wear plate.
Also, cast iron foot mounts and separate flanged bell housing is mounted in the hydraulic motor.
The mount for the hydraulic motor and the pump pedestal can be aligned for easy installation on rails or flat tray.
The company chose Casappa gear motors for their reliability, reasonable cost and rugged design.
The motors are simple, capable of dealing with a little contamination, and easy to repair.
Big pumps make sense
In the Aussie GMP hydraulic and bare shaft drive configuration pumps, the biggest is a high pressure, high flow 4in unit with tremendous performance.
It can push up to 2900 l/m out and at the same time offer pressures as high as 50 psi.
The big 4in pump, Aussie’s B4XR-A, is claimed by the company to be simple to mount and to represent excellent value for money.
For more information on Australian Pumps, visit: www.aussiepumps.com.au or distributors throughout Australia.