Pumping Bilge water with a Verderair double diaphragm pump

More and more Verderair air operated double diaphragm pumps are being used for
pumping bilge water. 
Verderair double diaphragm pumps are an excellent choice pumping bilge water,
because of the excellent chemical resistance of the wetted parts of the pump. The
priming capabilities and the possibility of the Verderair double diaphragm pumps to
pump oil/water mixture are essential features for bilge pumps. Not the least this air
operated pump can also run dry without damage. 
The Bilge Industry
Bilge water is the collective name for the wastewater, oil residues and all other liquid
wastes (also from domestic use) that are produced on a ship. This ballast water is
collected in the bilges of the ship. And must be neutralized before discharging it in to
the sea or storing it in bilge waste storage tanks for controlled disposal.
Bilge water is collected in the bilge (hull) of the ship and consists of maintenance and
cleaning water, tank over flows, leaks and drains. The bilge water is pumped up into
bilge water collection tanks. This in addition to the ship’s purifier waste water and the
oil waste water. It is mixed than with other relative clean water residues such as
condensate of air coolers and domestic wastewater. 
From the bilge water collection tanks, the wastewater is pumped into a separator. In the
separator water, oil and solid matter are separated. 
Following separation the cleaned water is discharged into sea; The polluted residue
waste is being stored in bilge waste tanks until it can be disposed of in a controlled
manner in a harbour. 
Dosing hypochlorite in new wastewater treatment plant
The City of Eagan in North Minnesota, USA required a pump capable of accurately dosing 15% sodium  hypochlorite
or ‘hypo’ for their new wastewater treatment plant. Hypo has outstanding disinfection properties, used in
wastewater treatment to kill off bacteria before being discharged back into the environment, and in  water
treatment as one of the primary methods of drinking water disinfection.
Hypochlorite is a challenging product to pump as; when being pumped, Hypo tends to off-gas, causing some pump
types like diaphragm pumps to vapour lock. After evaluating several pump choices from a number of manufacturers,
they decided to use the Verderflex VF10 peristaltic hose pump for the job. The ten pumps will be put to immediate
use in this new area of the treatment plant. Each Verderflex VF10 pump is capable of flow rates up to 48 US GPH and
at pressures up to 175 PSI.
Verderflex pumps can pump both gas and liquid, ensuring the liquid stream receives a consistent dose. Peristaltic
pumps are the perfect pump choice for dosing sodium hypochlorite and Verderflex pumps can be found in
wastewater treatment plants worldwide.
Variations in hose types
The fluid being dosed is kept totally enclosed within the rubber hose which is then compressed by a rotating shoe,
forcing the liquid inside along. Upon restitution of the hose the resulting vacuum draws in more liquid. This process
is knows as peristalsis and is what makes the peristaltic pump the first choice for liquid  metering. Variations in
hose type allow for low strength and even high strength hypo dosing.
Long hose life
The wastewater plant needs to run as cost efficiently as possible and the City of Eagan were impressed with the
long hose life given by the Verderflex hose and the ease of maintenance when the hose needed to be changed. “We
were really pleased with the installation at the City of Eagan Wastewater Treatment Plant. There were many other
pumps considered for this  application, but in the end the  ease of maintenance, the proven  reliability, and the
exceptional hose life of Verderflex’s superior design won out. As a result of this installation, a similar project located
nearby chose Verderflex for these same reasons and a third customer in the state just recently purchased a new
Dura after hearing all of the positive feedback and new features of this design. These pumps have certainly been a
success for us in this industry”. – Tom Eisemon, National Sales Manager, GPM Pumps (Master Distributor for
Verderflex in US). Because of the pumping process used by peristaltic pumps, the hose is the only part that ever
comes onto contact with the fluid being pumped. Not only does this mean that the pump is hygienic and leak free, it
also means that  there are no moving parts to become clogged or damaged. The only maintenance required is to
change the hose, which is done quickly and efficiently, keeping downtime to an absolute minimum, saving costs and
increasing profits.
Dura Hose Doses Calcium Hypochlorite
Dura replaces calcium hypo diaphragm pump 3 x Dura 25 with PP flanges replaced problem vapour locking
 diaphragm dosing pumps Calcium Hypo diaphragm pumps. Sterilisation of water supply is dependent on
Lime dosing solutions for water treatment plant
Progressive cavity pumps no match for peristaltic technology. The Sioux Falls Water Purification Plant in South Dakota USA, had
always relied on gravity to feed slaked lime slurry to their softening basins. The staff decided to give gravity a helping hand by trialling
a pump to move the slurry more effectively.
Lime slurry is a dense product to transfer with a high solid content of up to 35%. Due to the slurry’s abrasive nature which causes
wear on progressive cavity pumps with consequent downtime and operating costs, Sioux Falls opted to use a peristaltic pump for the
transfer process. Peristaltic or hose pumps use alternating compression and relaxation of a reinforced hose to push liquid through
pipe work. The resulting vacuum, caused by the repeated cycle, draws more product into the hose.
Accurate
Peristaltic pumps are accurate and repeatable dosing pumps where the pumped product is totally contained within the hose,
eliminating the possibility that any moving parts can clog or corrode. This makes a peristaltic pump the perfect choice for pumping
high solid content slurries such as lime.
Sioux Falls’ largest obstacle when deciding on a suitable pump was the amount of available space. They wanted to continually pump
approximately 2,350 l/hr which would normally mean a sizeable pump with a large motor and gearbox.
The solution
The solution was the compact Verderflex Dura 35. Verderflex are specialist peristaltic pump manufacturers and part of the Verder
group of companies, combining over 50 years experience with a worldwide presence, Verderflex have developed a peristaltic pump like
no other: the Dura’s unique space saving design, with a vertical motor and gearbox, dramatically reducing the pump footprint and
saving space.
The Verderflex Dura 35 is capable of pumping up to 5.5 m3/hr at pressures up to 12 Bar, more than enough for Sioux Falls who wanted
to pump at just over 4 Bar, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Durable hoses
Although the pump has been running continuously with the same hose for over 8,000 hours, all Dura pumps are designed with quick
and easy maintenance in mind. When Sioux Falls finally need to change the hose they will find the simple taper fit flange design makes
hose changes easy, keeping downtime to a minimum.
Introducing a Verderflex peristaltic pump at Sioux Falls water municipality’s treatment plant has proved to be such a great success
that additional Dura 35 pumps have already been installed.
Peristaltics replace submersible pumps for PAC
Often overlooked, the reliable peristaltic pump has again proved its worth at Coddle Creek Water Treatment Plant, eliminating the
mixed results of a few years previously experienced using a submersible pump dosing powder Activated Carbon (PAC) from a wet well.
After more than three submersible pumps failed in just over a year the maintenance and operations management sought an
alternative.
The problem was the location of the pump: in the pump room 8 metres above the bottom of the well and additionally, the pump must
also be able to resist the PAC’s abrasive nature. So the plant called on Verder Inc to help find a solution. The Verder Inc. consultant
recognised that the best pump for the job would be a Verderflex peristaltic pump. The simple but highly effective peristaltic process
results in a pump with a high dosing accuracy, a high suction lift  and a low cost of maintenance. Because the fluid is completely
contained within the reinforced hose there is no possibility of parts clogging, the only wearing part is the long life hose itself, which is
quick and easy to change, keeping downtime to a minimum.
Using a flow paced controller, the Verderflex hose pump can transfer and dose variable flows in accordance with the plant’s demand
and by their very nature these pumps can gently pump abrasive suspensions such as PAC and lime slurries without any check valves.
Given the flow rate, suction and discharge pressures needed, Verder Inc chose the Verderflex VF15 hose pump with its 15mm diameter
natural rubber hose. The VF15 is capable of short term flow rates up to 600 l/hr and continuous flows of 375 l/hr at pressures up to 12
Bar. Use of the high pressure rotor and Verderflex’s unique reinforced hose technology creates excellent suction lift and easily
manages the 8 metre lift needed by Coddle Creek.
3700 hours running hose
The Verderflex VF15 pump has been installed for over a year and the plant have now had 3,700 hours running on the same hose without
problems. Verderflex manufacture a large range of peristaltic pumps for many process applications,  from small custom tube pumps
used in OEM equipment through to the VF125, the largest high pressure peristaltic hose pump in the world and SCADA controlled Smart
tube pumps that accurately and consistently dosing process chemicals. During difficult economic times customers are increasingly
looking for reliable, low cost of ownership engineered solutions over cheaper but high maintenance alternatives and recent studies
indicate that more and more customers will be using peristaltic technology in the future. Peristaltics replace submersible pumps for
PAC Often overlooked, the reliable peristaltic pump has again proved its worth at  Coddle Creek Water Treatment Plant, eliminating the
mixed results of a few years previously experienced using a submersible pump dosing Powder Activated Carbon (PAC) from a wet well.
After more than three submersible pumps failed in just over a year the maintenance and operations management sought an
alternative.
Pumping primary sludge
At a sewage treatment plant in Holland primary sludge is handled with a solid content of 4.5% to 9.5%. The circumstances for pumping this
product are severe, making the handling and treatment difficult.

Previously, an eccentric screw pump was applied to pump the sludge, but experienced several problems, not least because of the severe
suction conditions. Sludge is thick and therefore difficult to handle.
The problem
It was impossible to control the flow, as the increase in solid content has the effect of raising the viscosity, which in turn caused a drop in
the capacity of the pump. Higher pump speed would resolve the problem, but as solid content then decreased, as a result the lower
viscosity increased the flow. This pump type is a  positive displacement pump, yet in these circumstances the performance did not
maintain a constant relationship between flow and pump speed.

Another problem occurred regularly when a partial blockage in the suction line would cause the pump to run dry for short periods, resulting
in a burned stator. In addition, the abrasive solids in the product caused high wear in the pump, stator and rotor life were significantly
below expectation.

For this application the eccentric screw pump not only resulted in high maintenance cost, but also failed to offer good performance.
Process data
The required capacity for the pump is 5 m3/hr and the geodetic height is approx. 18 meters. The pump cannot be positioned near to the
fluid inlet, leaving a longer suction line. 
The solid content varies dependent upon the incoming effluent. Solid content affects the viscosity – 4,5% solids the laminar viscosity of the
fluid is 0.78-2.71 Pas (average high level of 747-2593 cSt) but with the 9,5% solids the viscosity is 6.42-22.3 Pas (average high level of 5894-
20350 cSt).

These circumstances are far from ideal for any pump type. But Verder offers a solution: The peristaltic hose pump; Verderflex.
The solution
Following a site visit, Verder’s specialist engineers identified the key requirements; positive displacement pump function, good suction
characteristics and the capability of dry running. Last year a Verderflex peristaltic hose pump VF65 was installed. Due to its good
performance a second Verderflex hose pump VF65 has been installed.

In this specific application, the ability of the Verderflex industrial peristaltic tube pump to handle sludge of varying thickness and viscosity
is a result of the high quality hose working at the heart of the pump. The high suction capability generated by the hose is matched by its
ability to handle the abrasive solids without adverse wear and tear. The result is great performance with minimal maintenance.

After installing the Verderflex VF65 hose pumps, maintenance cost has dropped significantly and pump performance is completely
controllable. The peristaltic pump has been used for over 4000 hours and it is still running well. 
Verder pumps for water treatment
Water and wastewater treatment plants are usually continuous flow operations, with additional treatments at certain points in the process
such as vacuum filtration,dosing of chemicals, sedimentation, storage and disposal of the treated sludge. In addition to these processes
there are water treatments that have a periodical operation; running once a week or once every day.
A professional waste treatment system combines a number of processes that are either:
•Physical (e.g. filtration & flotation) 
•Chemical (e.g. chlorination & coagulation)
•Biological (aerobic & activated sludge processes)
•A combination of these three.
 
It is through our comprehensive range of pump solutions that we can offer you a result that is right for your facility. Verder pumps are
perfectly designed for pumping wastewater through all stages of treatment with high efficiency and reliability. Applications include:
Sludge treatment
•Dewatered sludge pumping
•Stabilized sludge pumping
•Thickened sludge pumping
•Pumping of primary sludge
•Secondary sludge pumping
•Tertiary sludge treatment
 
Wastewater treatment
•Pumping wastewater
•Odor control
•pH correction
•Dosage of flocculants
•Determination of polymer
•Feeding filter press
 
Application areas
Water purification
Verder pumps are designed for various applications pumping wastewater through the many process stages inthe purification. Highly efficient
and highly reliable 
Industrial wastewater
Slurries & residues are highly corrosive, abrasive and need pumps that are able to handle highly viscous  fluids. The Verderflex, Verderpro
and Verderhus ranges are designed to handle difficult to pump media,  equire low maintenance and are relatively low in cost to operate. 
Stabilization
Flow Rate
As the slurry mixture is filtered, each screen begins to block with solid particles and either the flow is reduced through the press or more
pressure is required to pass the media at the same rate. The filtration process can be halted manually or at a determined flow rate, which
is measured by a filtrate flow indicator. The process pump is stopped and the solid or sludge cake is removed with compressed air. The
filter press process requires a pumping system which can respond to the build-up of pressure in the chamber. 
Pumping media
The solid and sludge-like nature of the media that is to be processed is often abrasive or corrosive and will harm the internal workings of
pumping equipment.
Safety
Due to the nature of the media, it is imperative that any pump involved in the filtration process be seal-less as to avoid wear on perishable
and abrasion sensitive components.
Customer requirements
A pumping solution is required that can deliver a flow rate of viscous and abrasive media into the chamber and can allow for changes in
pressure as build-up occurs on the screens. For H&S purposes and for continuity of production the pump needs to be seal-less and be
easy to service and maintain.
Solution
The Verderair and Verderflex ranges
The Verderair series of AODD (air-operated double diaphragm) pumps have been successfully installed in a variety of industry chamber
filter press processes. 
Why is the Verderair AODD pump series suitable for filter press applications?
It is designed to provide a constant, non-stalling operation – As the pressure builds in the chamber the Verderair pump is self-regulating
and will cut out at a predetermined pressure and/or with an alarm trigger signal from a flow sensor. As the pressure is released in the
tank the pump will self-prime and return to its
original flow rate. 
The innovative Verderair pump design is seal-less and can handle abrasive and viscous, sludge-like fluids. The design of the pump reduces
the chance of fluid leaking and the risk to employee safety. 
Verderair pumps can be specified with a range of materials and external casings so the working life,  maintenance cycles and MTBF are
maximized.
Other advantages and benefits of Verderair include
•It is easy to install, maintain and transport 
•There are a wide range of accessories such as pulsation dampeners, monitors to indicate a failed diaphragm, solenoid valve for remote
operation and stroke counter.
•Can run dry without pump damage
•There is no air lubrication necessary 
•Up to 16 bar pressure and 1060l/min flow
 
Why use the Verderflex range?
•Verderflex pumps require no valves, seals or glands which makes them inexpensive to maintain. The only maintenance item is the hose
Peristaltic pumps The perfect cure for lime dosing problems
Lime dosing in utility applications poses particular challenges for the pumps that are used in the process, and recent times have seen an increase in the use of peristaltic pumps for this application. Here we look at
the reasons for this increasing popularity and examine some of the benefi ts which a peristaltic pump can provide for this duty.
Treating wastewater is an essential step in both protecting the environment into which it will eventually be discharged, and  avoiding the wrath of the local authorities who protect that environment. A typical
biological treatment involves the use of lime chemicals that are mixed with water to produce a slurry. This is then added to the wastewater, so that any organic elements are removed and the water’s pH and
alkalinity are controlled. 

The lime needs to be added in carefully measured doses so that the pH and alkalinity of the water can be maintained at the correct levels, and this makes specific demands on the dosing pumps. The primary reason
for this is that although different lime compounds are used for diff erent purposes, they all share the same characteristics of being both abrasive and chemically aggressive, albeit to different degrees. 
Progressing  cavity pumps have previously been a popular choice for this type of lime dosing application, which is perhaps surprising when you consider how vulnerable they are to the damaging effects of abrasion
caused by the solid particles in the lime. This type of pump operates by rotating a helically shaped rotor inside a specially confi gured stator. This causes the rotor to seal against the stator and create a series of
identically sized cavities between the two. The cavities fill with the medium being pumped - in this case the lime compound - and as the rotor rotates the cavities progress along the pump and transfer the lime to
the point of discharge. 
Abrasion means maintenance
Unfortunately, the interference fit between the rotor and stator, combined with the constant movement of one against the other, creates considerable potential for wear to occur. With an abrasive medium such as
lime it is often not long before the speed of rotation needs to be increased in order to maintain the required lime dosing capacity. The pump then enters into a vicious circle where the increasing rotation causes
more and more wear, which then creates the need for an ever faster rotation speed. Replacement parts are soon called for and an expensive maintenance routine quickly becomes the norm, and this causes the
lifetime costs of the pump to rise dramatically. It’s not just progressing cavity pumps that suff er from this problem either, especially where abrasive media such as lime are involved. Other pumps designs can suffer
from component failure, leakage and clogging if they are allowed to run dry.
These sort of operational problems and lifetime cost penalties are one of the reasons why increasing number of endusers are now recognising the benefi ts of a peristaltic pump for lime dosing applications – or
indeed for many other types of duties where abrasive media are involved. The key to the peristaltic’s popularity lies in its unique method of operation. This involves subjecting a fl exible tube to a constant process of
alternating compression and relaxation. Operating in a similar way that in which the human throat and intestines function, this drives the fluid through the pump. 
A flexible approach
The peristaltic pump uses a precision  extruded fl exible tube (or a heavy-duty hose for more demanding applications) into which the pumped media is drawn at one end. A series of rotating rollers then move along
the length of the tube, compressing it where they touch to create a reliable seal between the suction and discharge ends of the tube. The rollers trap the pumped liquid between them, and as they move along the
tube they create a positive displacement action which carries the pumped fl uid through the tube smoothly and easily. As the rollers move they gradually release each compressed  section of the tube which then
regains its original shape. As they do this they create a vacuum in the tube, allowing a process known as peristalsis to draw more product into the tube at the suction end. The key factor here is that the pumped
medium – the lime compound – is always contained within the tube and never allowed to come into contact with any of the pump’s  moving parts. There are no valves, glands or seals for the lime to aff ect, and these
are the features which often represent the weak points on other pump types used in lime dosing applications.
The result is that on a particularly demanding duty such as this, a peristaltic pump eliminates much of the process downtime and maintenance costs that can be expected from the progressing cavity pump (or many
other types). Peristaltic pumps that have been used for lime dosing have been examined and found to be entirely free of damage as much as six months after the date of installation, but  that is only the first of the
peristaltic’s many benefi ts. The only component that may need to be replaced with any sort of frequency will be the fl exible hose. This can usually be accomplished in around 90 minutes and it eff ectively returns
the pump to ‘as new’ condition. Creating the same eff ect on a progressing cavity pump takes far longer as it often entails replacing many components including the seal, coupling rod, rotor and stator. Not only does
this significantly increase the maintenance time required, it also adds considerably to the spares stock holding requirements for the end-user.
Coating – a common problem
A recent report by the Water Research Council confi rmed the suitability of  peristaltic pumps to lime dosing duties. Among the benefi ts which led the Council to this conclusion is the ability of the peristaltic pump
to resist the problem of lime coating. Because the lime chemical is typically held in suspension (rather than  actually being dissolved in the water) it is able to fall out of suspension, especially in any areas of the
process where low fl ow velocities are experienced. The lime then begins to coat any surface it comes into contact  with, and as this coating becomes hard and settles on mechanical parts such as rotors and
stators, it  increasingly restricts the pump’s ability to function effectively. The coating becomes thicker over time and the performance of the  pump involved suffers even more. 
The seals used with progressing cavity pumps are especially susceptible to this problem as the lime coating will cause the seal spring mechanisms to clog up. The seal faces will be abraded by the lime particles,
and  then the pump is stopped, the lime solution tends to dry out on the seal faces and cause them to stick together. Even traditional metering pumps that employ ball valves can suffer badly in this situation as the
ball valves and seats become choked with lime. Without the need for any complicated sealing or ball valve arrangements, the peristaltic pump eliminates these problems. Fortunately for peristaltic pump operators,
the movement of the tube or hose provides another benefit. The constant flexing of the tube prevents any lime coating from taking hold in the first place, and it also eliminates the need for cleaning to combat the
problem. As a peristaltic is usually connected to flexible discharge hose, this benefit also extends beyond the pump, whose gently pulsing action causes the discharge hoses to flex constantly and once again this
prevents any lime coating beginning to build up here. On the subject of hoses, it’s always advisable to deal with a manufacturer such as Verder who only use hoses that are made from 100% natural rubber, thus
making them completely resistant to attack from the chemically aggressive lime compounds. It’s also well  worth ensuring that, as with a Verder peristaltic pump, and flange connections are made from stainless
 steel which provides them with the same resistance to chemical attack.
A question of accuracy
One of the key requirements for lime duties is the ability deliver accurately measured doses on a reliable basis, and this is another area where the peristaltic pump scores highly. Modern in-line measurement
equipment makes it easy to gauge the pH of the process and assess whether or not the correct lime doses are being added. As the dosing capacity of a  peristaltic is directly proportionate to its operating speed,
feeding the output of the measuring equipment to the pump’s control  system allows its speed can be constantly varied. This ensures that accurate dosing is delivered at all times and it allows the treatment plant
to  accommodate the regular changes in demand which it encounters at different times of the day. With this type of holistic benefit in mind, working with a peristaltic pump supplier such as Verder pays other
dividends as they can provide and install full turnkey systems. These can include pumps in duty/standby configurations, plus the necessary control systems, housing and associated pipework, all combined into a
fully integrated and reliable pumping solution. 
A perfect replacement
The advantages we’ve covered so far make a convincing case for peristaltic pumps in lime dosing. However, if more proof is needed, we should consider that although the peristaltic’s initial purchase price might be
everse Osmosis
Industrial reverse osmosis is used in several processes where a solution in  needed to produce a reduced or increased concentration of a
fluid. Reverse osmosis can be found in many industries, each with the need to separate the solid and liquid parts.
Process examples
•Desalination of salt water
•Wastewater purification
•Water deionization
•Food industry
•Desalination of waste salt
•solutions in electronics and batteries manufacturing
 
Process points
Reverse osmosis uses a high pressure pump to push a fluid through a membrane which processes the original fluid into two different
concentrations – A filtrate, which is a lower concentration such as fresh water which is channelled off and a higher concentration such as
salt water which is either recirculated into the membrane or channelled off to be processed further or disposed of. An industrial plant will
use extreme pressures in passing the liquid through a membrane. The recirculation of the high concentration solution will be at a reduced
pressure, however it will still  be high. Depending on the media itself, the high concentration solution may also be corrosive and increase
wear on plant equipment. Energy input is very high at  desalination plants, which places energy efficiency as a high-priority. 
Pumping requirements
A pump is required to recirculate  the concentrated solution from the membrane where reverse osmosis occurs to the high pressure pump.
The pump(s) must be able to handle high pressures, potentially corrosive media and high flow rates.
The solution
The Verdermag Global HSP range  of mag-drive centrifugal pumps provide the optimum solution for high system pressure applications such
as processing plants where reverse osmosis lines are in operation. The HSP range is particularly effective in applications where medias are
pumped at high pressure. Samples can be tapped off the mainline and pumped through a densitometer/sample extractor. The pump range is
built with an incredibly high-duty casting and assembled with high quality compenantry.
The Verdermag Global range is renowned in the industry for its exceptional reliability and performance. Each unit is built with simplicity,
reliability and longevity in mind. The customer and their process are at the forefront of design and development. Every unit has a wide array
of specification options including internal  materials, coatings and product testing. There is a high level of interchangeability for spare
parts and a highly qualified team of service engineers to assist with all maintenance. ATEX certified models are available. All Verdermag
Global pumps are built for heavy duty applications and require little or no maintenance. All  models in the series are hermetically closed
rather than using mechanical seals so the units are 100% leak- free.