Problem:Neutralac SLS45 high strength liquid lime from Lhoist is said to be safer to use than caustic soda and other alkali alternatives, with equal or better performance. The company however required a way of taking it to customer plants to provide delivery and analysis equipment on site. As a result, a lightweight, yet robust pumping solution was required.
Solution: The delivery technology Lhoist has chosen is a Watson Marlow 720UN/RE high flow dosing/metering pump. Six have been acquired since the project commenced in 2012.
The service and technology offered by Lhoist means that a company such as a metal finishing plant, for example, where strong acids are used to etch metals prior to plating, can now process its effluent stream easily and cost effectively. Lhoist will arrive on site with a ready-to-go system comprising Neutralac, pH control and delivery equipment, essentially supplying a small, pilot-scale effluent dosing plant.
“We selected a peristaltic unit because they offer the easiest and best way to pump slurry around,” said Derek Thompson, product manager. “Neutralac lime suspension is fairly thick and the pumps are often sited outdoors. However, the Watson-Marlow 720UN/RE is a work of art – it’s tremendously flexible yet extremely robust and reliable. In addition, they are easy to hook up with pH controllers – either our own meters or those used by the end user.”
The 720UN/RE is used to pump Neutralac from storage vessels into effluent treatment plants for pH control. Flow rates vary from 10 to 1500l/h, which is controlled via a 4-20mA signal from a pH meter. According to Thompson, the performance of the system means there isn’t much that can compete.
Watson-Marlow Pumps Group
T: 01326 370370
