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Floating Booster Pump Reduces Energy Consumption For some time, E.R. Jahna had been experiencing hydraulic problems in the dredging system at their mining operation in Haines City, Fla. The operation mines silica sand, which is used for industrial and commercial applications, from the bottom of a man-made lake then processes it on shore. Because their dredge was located approximately 3,000 feet (915 meters) from their booster pump, they were losing velocity and experiencing frequent pipeline plugging. "We could pump efficiently for 15 to 20 minutes then we had to pick up suction and pump clear water to flush the lines," says Mike Roberts, mine manager of the Haines City facility. This resulted in a lot of frustration, high energy consumption and production losses. Mr. Roberts and E.R. Jahna's Regional Manager Marlin Register discussed the problem and decided to consult GIW Industries. The two companies have enjoyed a successful and mutually beneficial relationship for over 50 years. "GIW has been very helpful in designing our systems both here and in our contract dredging division," Mr. Robert says. "We have an excellent working relationship with them. In fact, we have chosen GIW as our preferred supplier of heavy-duty slurry pumps." GIW Sales Engineer John Powers responded to the call by visiting the Haines City Mine, where he determined the system's parameters to be: Dredge Pump Booster Pump Piping Static Elevation Solids by Weight Working with E.R. Jahna engineers, GIW personnel performed detailed calculations on site and in their offices then suggested two alternatives for re-engineering the system, neither of which involved the purchase of a single GIW product. First, they proposed that E.R. Jahna change the 12-inch (30 centimeters) I.D. pipe to 14-inch (36 centimeters) I.D. pipe. When this proved economically infeasible, GIW recommended that Jahna relocate the booster pump 600 feet (180 meters) to 800 feet (244 meters) closer to the dredge. This would allow them to maintain minimum suction pressure at the booster pump yet mine an additional 300-foot (91 meters) deposit that the company had not been able to mine with the existing system. But there was one minor glitch. To re-engineer the system as GIW suggested, E.R. Jahna would have to float the pump in the lake. While this is an unusual location for a booster pump, as they are usually placed on land for maintenance purposes, E.R. Jahna's engineers, who are among the most innovative in their industry, agreed to give it a try. They anticipated the need for maintenance access and designed the float with overhead hoists, cranes and light signals to alert personnel on-shore to pumping problems. Then they relocated the pump to the float and started the system. Moving the booster pump has had some remarkable long-term results. The new system saves E.R. Jahna approximately $30 an hour in energy costs, which equates to $25,000 to $30,000 a year. Further, it has increased production between eight and 20 percent. "GIW did a really good job here," Mr. Roberts says. "They responded quickly with knowledgeable and professional people, even though there was no sale involved." This consultative marketing approach allows GIW to form quality partnerships with their customers. Partnerships that have propelled GIW to the forefront of the slurry pumping industry. If you'd like more information on how GIW Industries can improve your slurry pumping systems, please call (706) 863-1011, Ext. 2272, or send an e-mail to sales@giwindustries.com.
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