Novaplex pumps can deliver a flow of up to 150 m³/h and a pressure of up to 400 bar with a PTFE diaphragm or 1,000 bar with a metal diaphragm. These pumps are used in many types of process where a high flow rate must be supplied at high pressure, accurately and with a high level of operating reliability. Their typical applications include reaction, high-pressure injection, transfer and recirculating pumps. The high-performance Novaplex process pumps are popular in all installations where space is limited, and the range has now been extended with the Novaplex Integral.
Jens Voigt
The dia-phragm pump heads have a freely floating, multiple-layer diaphragm with a patented position control system which ensures that the diaphragm cannot be overloaded, even under critical operating conditions such as when pumping against a closed valve or a blocked inlet filter. An integral pressure limiting valve in the hydraulic system protects the pump head from unacceptably high pressures on the delivery side.
The multi-layer diaphragms provide a leakproof seal that protects the atmosphere and personnel from contact with the pumped fluid, and they also ensure that the product cannot become contaminated with hydraulic fluid in the event of damage to the membrane. A diaphragm condition indicator immediately signals membrane rupture.
Flexibility
The modular construction of a Novaplex system means that up to seven pump heads of the same size can be combined to provide the most economical solution for a particular application, depending on the physical characteristics of the pumped fluid and the required pumping characteristic. An existing Novaplex installation with one or two drives can be extended in order to increase the capacity.
Roller bearings are fitted as standard, allowing the pumps to be used under conditions of high suction pressure yet still deliver the rated output pressure. The output can be varied from zero to maximum and the pumps run continuously at the lowest speeds, with the proven immersion lubrication in each drive module contributing to long life and reliability. No external oil supply is needed.
The output can be steplessly controlled by a variable-speed drive motor. Electric motors are normally used, but an internal combustion engine with an external gearbox can also be employed. The motor can be mounted horizontally or vertically.
Space-saving
One obvious requirement for installing a process pump is that sufficient space is available. In certain situations where space is restricted or expensive, such as on an oil rig, there is only room for a pump of limited size.
The Novaplex Integral was developed specially for installations where size is critical. It is supplied with three pump heads of any size, mounted on a specially designed housing. Depending on the drive size, the total length is reduced to between 0.5 and 1.8 m. An integral reduction gear is used, with proven components from the Bran+Luebbe product line. This has the advantage of giving the user complete flexibility in setting the desired reduction ratio. As well as the familiar 4-pole motors, 6-pole types can also be used, helping to reduce operating noise.
A further benefit is that the units do not need to comply with supplementary norms such as API 677 (General Purpose Gear Units for Petroleum, Chemical and Gas Industry Services) or API 671 (Special Purpose Couplings for Petroleum, Chemical & Gas Industry Services, e.g. Metastream).
Economy
One of Novaplex‘ main advantages is the diaphragm technology, which ensures that all parts subject to wear – except the diaphragm itself and the pump valves – work in a controlled environment of hydraulic oil. This greatly increases the lifetime and the service interval, so that the costs for spares and maintenance are reduced accordingly.
The low-loss roller bearings result in much lower friction losses than the sleeve bearings installed in inferior pumps. This not only cuts energy costs but also eliminates the need for supplementary power assis-tance when starting from rest.
A major contributor to low running costs is planned maintenance, which minimises not only the direct service costs but also the indirect costs of plant down-time.
The Novalink CSM (Continuous Status Monitoring) system, which is suitable for Ex zones, monitors the performance of reciprocating pumps continuously and automatically, with local or remote data evaluation. The pump’s operating behaviour is portrayed in the form of a pV diagram showing the relationship between stroke and pressure, while the different parts of the diagram show a complete pumping cycle. This allows defects to be identified, such as gas in the pump head or hydraulic chamber, a faulty valve or insufficient damping in the suction and discharge system. The result is output as a warning or alarm on a monitoring computer and on the process controller. A detailed data analysis allows the volumetric efficiency, hydraulic performance and flow rate of each pump head to be calculated. The on-line diagnostic system is simple and effective. All modern Bran+Luebbe diaphragm pumps are fitted with a quick connector in the hydraulic chamber. This can be connected to a pressure sensor, which transmits the pressure data without coming into contact with the product being pumped. A second sensor and a rotation angle monitor on the last drive unit provide the rotation speed and angle, to give a picture of a complete rotation of the crankshaft.
The Novalink CSM computer receives the signals in real time and creates a pV diagram for each pump head. This is displayed on the PC screen and contains all key performance parameters.
The program automatically generates an ideal pV diagram for a pump of the same type, allowing an instant comparison of the ideal and actual conditions and comparing them to previously defined limit values for the key performance parameters. Deviations from any of the pump heads in a compound pump are signalled as a warning or alarm.
In addition to transmitting the test data to a control computer, the program can also send it over an internal Ethernet network or an ISDN phone line to a monitoring PC in the office for remote display and monitoring.
The performance parameters when a limit is exceeded are transmitted and stored along with various other data to facilitate long-term service diagnostics. This continuous monitoring concept means that changes in pump behaviour are immediately recognisable, enabling preventative action to be taken at the appropriate time.
Bran+Luebbe offers a performance evaluation for customer pumps. The pump data is received by email or ISDN, then analysed by a skilled engineer and the results reported with recommendations for the best course of action.
Novaplex Integral cpp 400
Novalink CSM cpp 401
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Novaplex process pumps
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