Glenlivet distiller adds peristaltic pump for water treatment
18 Jan 2010
Ballindalloch, Scotland – Whisky manufacturer Chivas Regal, part of the Pernod Ricard Group, has selected a Verderflex Dura peristaltic hose pump for a water treatment application at its Glenlivet plant in Scotland. The application required the pump to be suitable for dosing abrasive and viscous fluids and minimal need for maintenance.
At Chivas Regal, the DURA pumps are employed for lime dosing to rectify the pH of waster discharges. Lime is highly abrasive, creating continual wear problems for progressing cavity pumps. This leads to ongoing high stator replacement costs and frequent maintenance downtime. Lime is also relatively viscous, indeed generally too viscous for diaphragm pumps, causing them to clog up and become highly maintenance dependent.
The Verderflex pump’s drive configuration that provides a 70% smaller footprint to similar pumps, while its rigid drive connection is claimed to enhance reliability. The rotor is mounted directly over the bearings, so there is no overhung load, and it has been designed so it requires no shims, simplifying installation and reducing overall power consumption.
As the pump runs at a significantly lower operating temperature than equivalent pumps, hose life is improved by up to 40%. Another contributor to its longevity is the custom engineered construction of the Verderflex hose. The increased strength in the reinforced layers between the rubber and maximises the fatigue strength. The bearing construction is sealed for life and centrally absorbs the forces released in the pump. This is said to result in quieter operation and a more durable pump and drive.
