Pumps Pass Endurance Test in Pressurised Coal Gasification Process

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Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH

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ProMinent GmbH

KSB SE & Co. KGaA

...handling the gas liquor, because they have to last at least 15 years despite the harsh conditions of service.

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Thanks to long years of experience with similar projects in South Africa — the country seen as the leader in coal gasification technology — KSB is thoroughly familiar with the application parameters. No trace of the commonplace, though: the process is heavily dependent on the employed grade of coal, and coal can vary widely in composition, depending on its origin. That must be kept in mind, of course, in designing both the process and the components to ensure that each and every solution is specifically appropriate to the task.

In the present case, the pumps are a hybrid type comprising the best traits of the well-proven RPK volute casing pumps and KWP non-clogging impeller pumps. Each has a Norichrom wear plate and double mechanical seals. Describing the specific properties of KSB’s favoured material for the application, Wallner notes that, “This KSB cast material is unbeatable in terms of resistance to wear and corrosion.”

The entire process runs round the clock in a potentially explosive atmosphere. The KSB pumps therefore must be extremely reliable to keep the pressure gasifiers from failing. Specially developed auxiliary shaft seal systems offering increased redundancy are therefore provided.

The KWPK non-clogging scrubber pumps installed further downstream have to contend with enormous loads. Consequently, they are made of cast steel and particularly wear-resistant modified Duplex Noridur DAS instead of grey cast iron. This type of pump is normally built to pressure class PN10, but the KSB engineers extended the range by appropriately modifying their design and materials. The process’ high solids content is not only hard on the materials, but also means that...

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