M Pumps Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

No.42 Mactaggart Road, #02-2 Mactaggart Building

Singapore 368086
Tel:(65) 6316 1339
Fax: (65) 6287 1406

Email: dpee@mpumps.it

Breaking new ground for the application of combination side channel

pumps for Isobutylene tank farm at Isobutylene Isoprene Rubber (IIR)
FormosaNingboPlant.
CaseStudy:#0006

FormosaSyntheticRubberCorporation,partofFormosaGrouphadcompletedthe
constructionof50KTAIsobutyleneandIsopreneRubberPlantinNingboZhejiang.

Therearetremendouschallengeswhencomingtopumpinghighlyflammableandhigh
vapourpressurefluidsinthePetrochemicalIndustry.Manyexperiencedengineerslamented
thattherewerenoreliablepumpsavailableinthemarketplacewhichcouldsuccessfully
handletheLowNPSHA,gas/liquidmixture,lowviscosityandexplosivenatureofthesefluids.
Ironically,mostplantengineerswouldimmediatelyrejecttheproposalonmagnetically
drivenpumpswhichwerefrequentlysynonymouswithpoorreliabilityandcostlyfailures,
SaidMr.Fong,FormosaRotatingEquipmentSpecialist.

However,withthelatestdevelopmentandbreakthroughincombinationsidechannel
pumpsbyMPumps,solutionsarenowavailableforplantengineerstotacklethese
challengesposedbythevolatilefluidsinthePetrochemicalIndustry.

TraditionallyVS6,VerticalMultistages,Doublecasing,VerticallySuspendedCentrifugal
PumpsareusedfortransferringandunloadingIsobutyleneinthetankfarm.Themain
reasonistotacklethelowNPSHAbyloweringthepumpheadintothegroundtoincrease
theNPSHAagainstthePumpsNPSHR.Themultistageimpellersaretoproducehigh
pressureneededtodeliverthefluidintotheprocess.However,thedesign,installation,
maintenanceandthemechanicalsealsystemarecomplicatedandcostlyforaVS6Pump.
Thedeliveryleadtimecouldalsotakeupto12months.Facingwiththehighcost,design
challengesandalongleadtimeforacquiringVS6pumpsfortheproject,theFSRCproject
teamhadmadeanunprecedenteddecisiontoinstallMPumps;combinationmultistage
sidechannelpumps,SCMAGMseriestoaddressthepumpingofIsobutyleneinthetank
farm.

ThedistinctivefeaturesofSCMAGMseriesofcombinationsidechannelpumpsareas
follow:

1) TheSCMAGMseriesismagneticallydrivenseallesspumps.Thatmeansthese
pumpsareleakfreewithouttheneedsofanymechanicalsealanditsupporting
sealingsystem.

M Pumps Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

No.42 Mactaggart Road, #02-2 Mactaggart Building

Singapore 368086
Tel:(65) 6316 1339
Fax: (65) 6287 1406

Email: dpee@mpumps.it

2) ThecurrentSCMAGMseriesofpumpsofferscapacityupto85M3/hrandtotal
dynamicheadof450m,makingthisrangeofpumpssuitablefortankfarmtransfer
application.

3) TheSCMAGMseriesofpumpsismanufacturedinaccordancewithAPI685,
Doublecasing,centrelinemountedwithmaximumworkingpressureof50BarG.
Thatmeansthesepumpsarebuiltwithgreatreliabilityandperformance.

4) TheSCMAGMseriesofpumpsisselfpriming,abilitytohandleupto50%liquid/Gas
mixture.ArmedwithfirststagelowNPSHRimpellerandmultistageperipheral
impellermeanthesepumpscanachieveanNPSHRaslowas0.3meter.Theinherent
selfbalanceoftheperipheralimpellerenablesthesepumpstoresistcavitation
duringanunfavorableprocessconditions.

5) TheSCMAGMseriesofpumpsisbuiltwithtwoconfinedgasketswhichgreatly
reducesthepotentialleakedpointsandenhancesthesafetyoftheplantwhen
pumpinghighlyexplosiveandflammablefluids.

Thecombinationmultistagesidechannelpumps,SCMAGMseries,offereddistinct
advantagesagainstVS6asfollow:

1) ByinstallingSCMAGM,thetotalcostsofequipmentprocurement,installationand
futuremaintenancearegreatlyreducedascomparewithVS6.
2) TheinstallationissimplifiedforSCMAGMwhichjustplacedhorizontallyonthe
foundationascomparetoVS6inwhichaholemustbedugonthegroundto
accommodatetheverticallysuspendedpumpsalongwithitscaisson.
3) NomechanicalsealisdeployedonSCMAGMmeansinstallationisgreatlysimplified.
MechanicalsealanditssealingandmonitoringsystemareneededforaVS6Pumps
installation.
4) SCMAGMisselfpriming,selfvent,resistscavitationunderunfavourbleconditions.
VentingisrequiredforVS6pumpforitsmechanicalsealwhichisinstalledonthetop
ofthepumpscolumn.VS6Pumpsaremultistagecentrifugalimpellerdesigned
whicharepronetodamagewhenhandlinggas/liquidmixture.
5) EaseofmaintenanceastheSCMAGMisinstalledhorizontallyonthefoundation.
AnyrepairworkscarryoutonVS6willrequireliftingequipmentandthehassleof
dealingwithlonglineshaft.
6) General8~16weeksofdeliveryleadtimeisrequiredforSCMAGMascompareto
24weeks~52weeksdeliveryforaVS6pump.

ThroughthetechnicalmeetingwithMPumps,wehadcometoknowthatthereweremany
greatinnovationsanddevelopmentsinMPumpsthatbroughtthemagneticallydriven
pumpstechnologiestoanewfrontier.Weweredelightedtolearnaboutthenew
breakthroughsinthedesignofSCMAGM.,andthesuperiorfeaturespossessedbythis
rangeofpumps.Infact,manyofourbusinessunitswerefacingthechallengesofhandling

M Pumps Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

No.42 Mactaggart Road, #02-2 Mactaggart Building

Singapore 368086
Tel:(65) 6316 1339
Fax: (65) 6287 1406

Email: dpee@mpumps.it

volatilefluidsandIwasnothesitatingtorecommendthecombinationsidechannelpumps
tosolvetheexitingpumpsandsealfailuresinotherFormosasplants,SaidMr.Fong.

InfactMPumpshadasimilarapplicationfor2unitsofSCMAGM30/6SA600operating
with20%ChlorineGas/liquidmixtureinFormosaPlasticsGroup,TexasUSA.Thisproven
applicationhadfurtherconvincedhimthatthiswastherighttypeofpumpsforpumping
IsobutyleneinthetankfarmfortheIIRNingboProject.

SpecificationofPumpsinstalledinIIRProject:

1) Service:IsobutyleneTransferPumps
Model:SCMAGM50/8SA300
NumberofStages:8Stages
Features:DoubleCase(Barrel),centreLinemounted,withonly2confinedGaskets.
Centrelinemounted.
Medium:Isobutylene
Capacity:14.7m3/hr@218meter.
SG:0.569
Viscosity:0.15cPs
VapourPressure:4.7BarA
NPSHA:0.94meter
NPSHR:0.5meter
DesignPressure:50Bar
Suction/Dischargeconnection:4/2ANSI#300RFFlange
WettedMaterial:CF8M
Motor:22KW/1450RPM,380V/3PH/50Hz,DIIBT4.
Qty:2sets

2) Service:IsobutyleneTruckUnloadingPump
Model:SCMAGM50/2SA300
NumberofStages:2Stages
Features:DoubleCase(Barrel),centreLinemounted,withonly2confinedGaskets.
Medium:Isobutylene
Capacity:16m3/hr@75meter.
SG:0.569
Viscosity:0.15cPs
VapourPressure:4.7BarA
NPSHA:1.37meter
NPSHR:0.5meter
DesignPressure:50Bar
Suction/Dischargeconnection:4/2ANSI#300RFFlange
WettedMaterial:CF8M

M Pumps Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

No.42 Mactaggart Road, #02-2 Mactaggart Building

Singapore 368086
Tel:(65) 6316 1339
Fax: (65) 6287 1406

Email: dpee@mpumps.it

Motor:7.5KW/1450RPM,380V/3PH/50Hz,DIIBT4.
Qty:1set

SiteInstallationPhotos:

M Pumps Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

No.42 Mactaggart Road, #02-2 Mactaggart Building

Singapore 368086
Tel:(65) 6316 1339
Fax: (65) 6287 1406

Email: dpee@mpumps.it

M Pumps Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

No.42 Mactaggart Road, #02-2 Mactaggart Building

Singapore 368086
Tel:(65) 6316 1339
Fax: (65) 6287 1406

Email: dpee@mpumps.it

PossibleApplicationsandSolutions

TheSideChannelPumpsareuniquelydesignedtohandleLiquid/GasMixtureupto50%
withoutimpairingtheperformanceofthepump.Thedesignofthestellarimpellerisnot
onlyinherentlyselfbalancedbutenablesittohandleentrainedgasesandresistscavitation.
Ithasanamazingcapabilityofgenerating10timesthedynamicheadascompareto
standardcentrifugalpumpsandpossessesexcellentselfprimingandgashandling
capabilities.WiththecombinationoffirststageLowNPSHRcentrifugalimpeller(Aslowas
0.3meter).Itisnowbeingconsideredasthebestpumpingsolutionforhandlinghighly
volatileliquid;suchasIsoprene,Isobutylene,Isoprene,LPG,Butadiene,Propylene,Methyl
Chlorideetc.,whicharehighlyvolatile,flammableandexplosive.

Thesepumpsareremarkablefortankfarm,truckloadingandunloadingapplicationsinthe
petrochemicalindustrywhichinvolvehighlyvolatileliquid.ByreplacingVS6,verticalmulti
stage,caissonpumpsintankfarmapplicationtoreduceinstallationandequipmentcosts,
simplifyinstallationandeaseofmaintenance.

Plantownerscannowrealizetheoperationalreliability,safety,andenormousfinancial
benefitgainedbyspecifyingMPumps;heavyduty,magneticallydrivenseallessCombination
SideChannelPumpsfortheabovementionedapplications.

M Pumps Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

No.42 Mactaggart Road, #02-2 Mactaggart Building

Singapore 368086
Tel:(65) 6316 1339
Fax: (65) 6287 1406

Email: dpee@mpumps.it

WorkingPrinciple

BelowisthebriefexplanationoftheworkingprincipleofSideChannelPumps.

ThePumpedliquidorliquid/GasmixtureentersthesuctionstagethroughPortB1asthe
starimpellerCrotates.Asthecentrifugalforcebuildsup,causesthepumpedliquidto
movebackandforwardmanytimesinthestarwheelCcreatinganintensetransferof
energywhichcangenerate10timesthepumpheadcomparetoastandardcentrifugal
pumpsrotatingatthesamespeed.

TheCentrifugaleffectofthestarimpellerseparatesthegasfromtheliquid.Thegasbeing
havingalighterdensityisbeingforcetotherootoftheStarimpellerbytheliquid.Asboth
liquid/Gasmixtureapproachtheinterrupter,theliquidwillpassthroughportA1intonext
stageorintothedischargeandthegaswillpassthroughportA3intonextstageorinto
thedischargeduringnormalpumpingprocess.ForselfPrimingoperation,moreandmore
gasisevacuatedfromtheintakeuntiltheliquidfullyfloodedthepumpandfullpumpingis
nowstarted.Theuniquestellarshapedesignedoftheinterstageimpellersenablesthe
pumptoresistcavitationincomparisontonormalcentrifugalimpellerwhichfacessevere
cavitationandvibrationissuewithjust5%entrainedgas.

TheuniquefeatureofthesidechannelpumpenablesthePumptoemptyorventintakeline
providedthereissufficientliquidretainsinthepumpchamber.Theremainingliquidretains
inthepumpschamberplayanimportantroleforthepumptocarryoutcontinuousself
primingcycle.

END
Jan2015

M Pumps Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

No.42 Mactaggart Road, #02-2 Mactaggart Building

Singapore 368086
Tel:(65) 6316 1339
Fax: (65) 6287 1406

Email: dpee@mpumps.it

Incriticalfluidhandlingapplicationswherepumpsfailureisnotanoption,safetyand
environmentcannotbecompromised,youcantrustonMPumpstodelivertheapplication
andengineeringexpertise,productportfolioandreliableperformancethatcomewiththe
strengthsandresourcesoftheworldleadingmanufacturerinmagneticallydrivenPumps
technologies.

ThisarticleiswrittenbyDavidPee.,GeneralManagerofMPumpsAsiaPacificPte.Ltd.He
canbereachedatdpee@mpumps.it.

FormoreinformationaboutMPumps,KindlyvisitourCorporateWebSite:
http://www.mpumps.it