The benefits offered by repair coatings and composites
Industrial pumps are costly to run and maintain as they often require substantial capital investment and they consume significant volumes of power.
Industrial pumps also operate within challenging environments that can leave them prone to problems such as erosion, corrosion, and chemical damage. High-performance polymeric repair composites and protective coatings from Belzona, a leader in the design and manufacture of these products, are proven to help negate these costly elements of operating pumping assets.
Hayley 24/7, the mechanical engineering services division of Hayley Group, has a dedicated Belzona-approved coating centre within its 35,000 sq. ft. Dudley facility. This gives the company a controlled environment to apply WRAS-approved Belzona coatings to its customers' damaged pumps. This has proven to be a highly successful and popular service as part of the repair specialist's overall pump refurbishment offering, which includes repairs for all pumping equipment, a state-of-the-art testing facility, and dynamic balancing capabilities.
Let's take a look at the main benefits of Belzona coatings.
REDUCED CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
There is no getting away from the fact that industrial pumps are expensive pieces of equipment. By opting to repair, if economically viable to do so, instead of purchasing a replacement for a damaged pumping asset, capital expenditure (Capex) can easily be reduced. In some cases, customers have saved more than £10,000 by choosing to have their pumps refurbished rather than buying a new unit.
Replacement of pump components also requires a significant investment, and conventional welding and fabrication repairs aren't always feasible. By applying a product from the Belzona range of paste grade composites, rebuilding of pitted and worn wear clearances, eroded cutwater profiles, and ring seals on end casings is possible. Products from the Belzona 1100 Series and 1300 Series help to prevent galvanic and uniform corrosion and slow the effects of erosion and cavitation. This process is exceptionally cost-effective when compared to the expense of replacement units or even physical repair work, representing an immediate cost-saving.
EXTENDED SERVICE LIFE
Belzona protective coatings offer a durable and corrosion-resistant layer to defend both internal and external areas of pumping assets from the harmful effects of erosion and corrosion. By coating fluid-flow passageways and pump casings with Belzona, the challenges associated with pump maintenance, such as pressure and efficiency losses and reduced flow rates, can be tackled at their very source.
Rough surfaces within pump assets, caused by erosion and corrosion, is a major problem as it leads to impingement, where the turbulent action of the liquid bombards the equipment and further accelerates the corrosion process. This turbulence also gives rise to cavitation, generated by the implosion of fluid bubbles within the liquid, which results in a severely pitted surface.
All of this activity negatively affects the efficiency of pumping systems, and also cuts short their expected service life. When your pumps are running efficiently, and are better protected from the stresses that corrosion, erosion and cavitation cause with a coating of Belzona, their output can be better relied upon and maintenance intervals extended.
IMPROVED EFFICIENCY
The smooth surface finish provided by Belzona coatings enables an improved flow of pumped material, which improves the system's overall hydraulic efficiency as less energy is required to move product through it. It is estimated that worn and pitted components reduce pump efficiency by up to 20% – a significant amount, given that around 85% of an industrial pump's total cost of ownership is accredited to energy costs alone. This 20% figure also represents an opportunity for improvement in which Belzona products excel.
For example, Belzona 1341 (Supermetalglide) has an ultrasmooth, hydrophobic surface, 15 times smoother than stainless steel, and is capable of improving efficiency by up to 20% on refurbished assets and even 7% on new equipment. Thanks to improved hydraulic efficiency, customers opting for a pump refurbishment with a Belzona coating can enjoy dramatic energy savings, reducing the total cost of ownership and providing a rapid return on investment. A reduction in the operations' carbon footprint is another welcome bonus to be enjoyed here and is always valued by customers who are progressively implementing environmental initiatives
The Belzona product range is manufactured through stringent quality and environmental control guidelines complying with the internationally-recognised requirements of ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004. Belzona 1341 (Supermetalglide) is suitable for contact with potable water as it is certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61 and WRAS.