For this project, our client was a turnkey engineering company which specialised in power plant installations, including the commissioning of performance upgrades and plant extensions.
They needed a pump for cooling chilled air in their evaporative cooler. It would be operating in extreme environments which included both high and low temperatures and high humidity, with continuous operation. The mixture of high temperatures, humidity and condensation in the workspace created a highly corrosive atmosphere, which meant that our cooling pump had to be a proven, heavy duty model.
So what is an evaporative cooler?
Cooling a room using evaporation is an ancient natural principle, and technology has simply enabled us to use the concept more effectively.
Evaporative coolers provide a constant supply of cool, humid air that can be circulated. Also known as bio coolers, air coolers, swamp coolers and wet air coolers, these units add moisture to hot air to cool it down.
Evaporative coolers are a good choice for use in power plants, industrial units, workshops and warehouses. They can also be used in well-ventilated indoor and semi-outdoor and sheltered outdoor areas.
How do they work?
Evaporative cooling is the conversion of liquid water into vapour using the thermal energy in the air, resulting in a lower air temperature.
Evaporative coolers use the natural process of evaporation to cool air. They add moisture to the air to take advantage of the scientific principle that water absorbs a large amount of heat and evaporates it. This vaporisation helps to cool the environment, and the machine circulates the colder air around the interior space using an internal fan.
They have an inner water tank, a water cooling pump, cooling pads and the fan. They pump the water from the tank up to the top of the unit, where it flows back down and through the cooling pads.
The internal fan then draws warm air into the machine and passes it through the wet cooling pads which make water droplets evaporate into the air. The fan then blows this cooler air out of the machine reducing the temperature of the air naturally, making it cooler and more comfortable.
What does the pump do in an evaporative cooler?
The cooler pump is installed within the evaporative cooler’s water tank at the bottom of the unit. It’s submerged under water and it works by sucking water from the tank and forcing it through the cooling pads.
For this particular evaporative cooler, our client needed an end suction centrifugal pump which could accommodate multiple flows and pressures as necessary to meet differing cooling requirements.
At North Ridge Pumps, we’re not tied to a single pump technology, so we can provide the best pump for any application at the lowest lifetime cost. In short, we use our expertise to offer a bespoke solution – not something off the shelf.
In fact, one of our specialist areas of expertise is in providing 60hz pumps worldwide, which have been designed for operation at variable speeds enabling the same pump to be used at 50Hz as well as 60Hz.
Introducing our End Suction Centrifugal Pump
The pump we specified was our XRVHC close coupled, end suction, single-stage horizontal centrifugal pump. This is standardised to DIN 24255 / EN 733 and is designed for a wide range of industrial and marine applications.
Our specification included all internal parts in AISI316 stainless steel with ANSI 150lb flanges. The unit was close-coupled to an IP56 WEG motor with anti-condensation heaters rated for continuous duty with a L10 bearing life of 100,000 hours.
This particular model is designed to pump low viscosity clean or slightly contaminated fluids without the presence of solid or fibrous particles. These include fresh water, sea water, diesel, petrol and kerosene.
A pump design with many benefits
This compact horizontal close-coupled design can be installed where space is limited. In addition, the clever back pull-out design means that the motor can be taken out while the pump is still connected to the pipework. This saves time while the pump is being maintained or serviced.
The centrifugal pump and motor have independent shafts which mean that only the pump shaft has to be replaced if it breaks. Other less robust horizontal centrifugal pumps available only use the motor shaft, so if that breaks the entire motor has to be replaced. In addition, we fit a lantern bracket between the pump and the motor. This creates a space to protect the motor from fluid getting in if a seal ever fails.
Fully certificated on delivery
We supplied the cooling pump complete with full material certificates and traceability from foundry to assembly, supported by a performance test report and factory inspection carried out before it was despatched.
One of the more stringent requirements was for a motor provided with INMETRO certification (ABNT NBR 17094-1). This is a Brazilian regulation enforced by INMETRO, the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality, which is Brazil’s standards body. It requires manufacturers and suppliers to have their products tested and certified by a recognised certification body, who apply their own mark as well as the INMETRO seal of approval.
If you have a process you’re looking to achieve, don’t have all the technical info available and want a little support in your project, speak to North Ridge Pumps to see how we can help.
