Side channel pumps Sustainability throughout the entire lifecycle

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Environmental awareness in the form of sustainability, energy efficiency and resource conservation plays an increasingly important role - even with plants, processes and components. Using its side channel pumps as an example, Sero Pumpsystems shows how to reduce the ecological footprint.

The CO₂ footprint of a product is a criteria that can't be ignored nowadays and in the future when it comes to the purchasing decision of plant builders and industrial end users. A holistic view is necessary to validly assess the greenhouse gas balance - from design, material selection, operation, maintenance, repair, to recyclability and disposal. This applies to entire plants as well as individual components, such as side channel pumps.

In petrochemistry and process engineering, as well as in fields of application such as LPG logistics, dual-fuel ship drives or carbon capture and storage (CCS), side channel pumps offer special conveying solutions whenever it is necessary to transport small quantities of solid-free liquids or liquid-gas mixtures cavitation-free with high conveying heights at low inlet pressure head (net positive suction head, NPSH value). Sero Pumpsystems is probably the only company worldwide that specializes exclusively in this type of pump - a niche product between positive displacement and centrifugal pump - in development, manufacturing, sales and service. This is accompanied by the special expertise of a holistic sustainability view over the entire life cycle of the pumps.

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Sustainability starts in product development.

The implementation of sustainability aspects starts already in product development. Sero Pumpsystems' side channel pumps are radially split, multi-stage segmented casing pumps, which are designed in modules. This allows them to be manufactured in a process- and energy-efficient manner and configured as pumps with an optimal operating point and efficiency specific to the application. Constructive measures on main manufacturing parts such as suction and pressure casings, impellers, bearings or shaft seals, as well as modern assembly and testing processes, ensure high manufacturing reliability and minimal production and material scrap. For example, Sero Pumpsystems has recently commissioned a high-performance test bench for its side channel pumps, which measures vibrations and bearing temperatures in real time, records and evaluates flow rates and pressures, and monitors limit values in speed-controlled, fully automatic test runs. All test cycles are documented in order to be able to trace back the measuring instruments used and calibration data if necessary.

The choice of material is determined by the application and the medium to be conveyed

The material selection for the pumps is based on the properties of the media to be conveyed and the requirements of the operating environment. For the pump housing alone, different materials such as grey cast iron, spheroidal graphite iron, stainless steel and special materials are available.

The side channel pump SHP, for example, was designed for the transport of solid-free, chemical and petrochemical liquids, media with an increased gas content of up to about 20 volume percent, and light boiling and liquefied gases. As a product variant SHP Marine, used in the Secondary Fuel Supply Systems (SFSS) of hybrid ship drives for the transport of the LPG, it has been adapted to the operating environment at sea in terms of material selection and manufacturing technical execution. Thus, the cast parts in this version are made of austenitic stainless steels or low-temperature steel. In addition, compared to usual applications in the oil and gas industry, the corrosive environment and temperature-related requirements had to be considered. Therefore, spring-loaded stainless steel screws and special low-temperature O-rings were used and a five-layer marine coating (C5M) was applied to protect the structural components from salt water and UV radiation.

The environment-specific design of not just this side channel pump from Sero Pumpsystems ensures long service lives in the field. In conjunction with the appropriate maintenance management, this ensures efficient and resource-saving pump operation over many years. The SHP series is designed according to the API610 rules and therefore has a 20-year service life and, due to its design, few precisely specified wear parts. In the hardest operation, 26,000 operating hours should be possible as a maintenance interval.

Sustainability guidelines in the manufacturing process

Finally, the organization, environment, and processes in production are guided by comprehensive sustainability guidelines. Materials and components are procured and kept in quantities necessary in the long term - thus avoiding unnecessary transports. The transport aids used, such as boxes, pallets, packaging, and filling materials, meet contemporary ecological standards and are therefore suitable for efficient recycling and multiple use. As a result, only a minimal amount of disposal material is produced, for example in the form of damaged packaging.

The production hall is lit exclusively with LED lamps, saving about 50 percent of the otherwise required energy. Energy-saving machines are used for the processing of raw parts as well as for assembly processes, which are also supplied with electricity from the 71 MWh photovoltaic system located on the production hall and the roof of the administrative building. The power of the sun at Sero Pumpsystems is supplemented by an energy-efficient gas heat pump in conjunction with a geothermal system. This allows the company to cover a significant portion of its primary energy needs from renewable resources. This is expected to increase further with the planned expansion of the photovoltaic system in 2024.

In October 2023, a new painting booth was also commissioned. It is characterized by process-optimized paint application and drying processes that minimize material and energy use and prevent the formation of aerosols. Finally, the efficiency-optimized compressed air technology saves about 3,500 kWh per year during machine operation. All production steps are controlled by a powerful ERP system, which both optimizes the processes and contributes to continuous product quality.

Sustainability in operation: Minimizing environmental impact

Side channel pumps, in accordance with the Eco-design Directive 2009/125/EC, are considered energy-consuming products, the environmental impacts of which must be minimized taking into account the entire life cycle. Sero Pumpsystems achieves this through a bundle of complementary measures:

• Use of energy-efficient motors and frequency inverters for speed control with a view to sustainable operation.

• Correct design of pump systems: This involves the optimal operating point of the pump, its optimal efficiency, and the optimally energy-efficient speed of the electric drive.

• Consultation with pump specialists: Such consultation can help unlock additional performance and efficiency potentials beyond CAD data and characteristic curves.

• Energy optimization of products: Sero Pumpsystems continuously works on improving the efficiency of the pump hydraulics to generate more pumping capacity with less energy input, for example. The hydraulically correct dimensioning of the suction and pressure side pipes at the pump also opens up opportunities for energy as well as economic optimization.

Maintenance: Efficient use of energy in focus

In addition to the design and adaptation of side channel pumps to their respective pumping tasks, the early detection of potential failures and appropriate maintenance management are key factors for efficient use of energy and raw materials - in other words, sustainable pump operation. Therefore, in addition to its own repair capacities at the Meckesheim headquarters, Sero Pumpsystems offers comprehensive maintenance and repair services through its subsidiary SMW Service und Pumpentechnik in nearby Neidenstein/Germany.

The fast availability of spare parts, timely repairs, performance verification through test bench runs, application technical advice and evaluation of possible application-specific alternatives, individual service contracts and comprehensive maintenance strategies - all this is part of the service provider's portfolio. This contributes to both a high availability of the pumps and significantly to their sustainable use.

Another key area is preventative measures such as vibration and balance measurements, which can identify and rectify potential failure risks at an early stage.

Sustainability in recycling and disposal

Avoid, reuse, recycle and only dispose as a last resort - this is the sustainability philosophy of Sero Pumpsystems in terms of environmentally sensible recycling and environmentally friendly disposal. Helpful in implementing this are key features of the side channel pumps, such as their modular construction and their modules and components that can be dismantled and replaced without destruction.

These parts can be tested for wear in the repair and recycling department at Sero Pumpsystems using modern machines and, if necessary, professionally and resource-efficiently refurbished before reuse. If repair is no longer feasible, the various materials of the side channel pumps can be separated by type, recycled and reused in material cycles. Eventually, any remaining residues are disposed of professionally through recognised recycling partners.

Thanks to all these features and measures, Sero Pumpsystems achieves a high recycling rate. Thus, the company's side channel pumps are sustainable, energy-efficient, and resource-saving when looking at their entire life cycle.

Sustainability means future security

The entire lifecycle of side channel pumps at Sero Pumpsystems is based on the responsible use of resources and the environment, as described. The processes are designed to conserve resources and minimise environmental impacts. At the same time, the company is thus able to offer its customers pumping solutions that support their efforts to optimise energy use and reduce CO₂ emissions. Sustainability is therefore a ecologically sensible strategy and a future-proof business model for all involved.