49
november 2014
international
construction
PUMPS
Primed for action
A
s Roland Berns, managing director of BBA portable
pumps, explained, challenging market conditions have
meant many companies are becoming ever-more budget
consciouswhen selecting equipment.
Responding to contractor feedback, he saiddesigning a durable
product range capable of coping with the demands of wide-
ranging construction sites and tighter environmental policies has
remained a core priority.
BBA’s pumps have been used in major ventures as diverse as
dewatering projects at the Panama Canal, assisting with the
management of water levels for a hydroelectric power plant near
Moscow, tomining operations inPortugal.
Mr Berns said, “What we have seen is that our customers are
experience rising levels of cost, which is why we have developed
pumps likeourPT150whichfitwith a strategyof trying to lower
the cost of ownershipof equipment.
“So what we are doing is designing products that are meeting
emissions standards and are also mindful of fuel economy and
the environment. One of the main things that we have now
done with this pump is shorten its service
maintenance times.”
He said the latest wellpoint PT150,
which is said tohave improvedhydraulic
performance and up to +14% increased
efficiency, would prove a valuable
addition to its range.
BBA has also released Stage IV/Tier 4
Final-complaint pumps across the130 to
560 kW power range, tomeet the 2014
European, Japanese and US emission
regulations for diesel engines in off-road
applications.
The units are driven by engines
featuring a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, which
BBA said had also resulted in lower fuel consumption.The SCR
systemuses adiesel exhaust fluid, calledAdBlue in somemarkets,
to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) levels in the exhaust gas stream.
Electric vs diesel
One of the features of the pumps sector is that both electric and
diesel-powered pumps are common, making for a fragmented
market.
AtlasCopcovicepresident forpumps businessdevelopmentPer
Rehn said that on the electrical side, there were some companies
that couldbedescribed as global, butnotwhen it comes todiesel-
poweredpumps.
His colleague, pumps product marketing manager, Abet
Cantuba, agreed, saying, “At the moment there is really no
dominant player. Our ambition is to be among the leaders in
dewatering pumps.”
An important step towards this was the introduction this
summer of anew rangeofdiesel-drivenportablepumps.
The 4, 6 and 8-inch (102, 152 and 204
mm) dry-prime units – PAS 4, PAS 6
and PAS 8 – are said to deliver high
performance and operating efficiency for
the rental anddewateringmarkets.
Atlas Copco already offered electric,
pneumatic and hydraulic submersible
pumps. It said the PAS diesel-driven
pumps extended its dewatering range for
tough environments or where electricity
is not available.
The PAS dry-prime pumps are best
suited to transporting or lifting water
with abrasive solids in suspension.
Applications include dewatering at
construction and mine sites, floodwater or
streamdiversions, and sewage bypass.
Mr Cantuba said, “We understand our customers operate
>
Primed for action
Efficiency and performance
remain the key drivers
for construction pump
manufacturers.
Neill
Barston
examines some of
the latest developments.
BBA pumps PT150 aims to lower the
cost of operating for contractors.
Atlas Copco’s PAS pumps are said
to deliver high performance and
operating efficiency.
