Global leader Grundfos notches up another win with its new ranges of wastewater pumps.
True leaders stand apart. And that statement applies perfectly to Grundfos. With an annual production of approximately 10 million pumps, the Grundfos Group, founded in 1945 by Poul Due Jensen, is represented by 58 companies in 43 countries. The pumps are manufactured by group production companies in 12 countries.
And the company shows no signs of slowing down. A good example: Grundfos has announced its new ranges of cast-iron wastewater and sewage pumps.
What's new
Check out the four new types of wastewater pumps from Grundfos. These new cast-iron pumps called SEP (Small Effluent Pumps) are designed for easy installation and heavy-duty performance. Each of the four new pump types targets a specific media: drainage, effluent, grey wastewater, or wastewater with toilet waste. Their versatility makes them suitable for private homes, farms, public buildings, and small industries alike.
With this addition to its product range, Grundfos takes yet another leap forward with regard to production of a full range of wastewater pumps. The new range is based on an existing design from the quality-conscious pump manufacturer: the highly successful grinder range (SEG pumps).
"We have taken our well-proven technology and used it in new ways to target all types of wastewater applications within building services," says Poul Erik Christensen, Product Business Manager, Grundfos. "The compact motor used in our grinder pumps has a short rotor shaft, and this greatly reduces stress on the bearings. The built-in thermal protection in the motor windings also helps ensure a very long operating life. Our customers have been so pleased with this design that we decided to expand the product family by using the motor concept with four different hydraulics."
The dedicated hydraulics ensure that each new pump type - known as the DP, EF, SE1, and SEV, respectively - is tailored to meet specific needs. The DP is specially designed for drainage, the EF is a superior effluent pump, the SE1 very efficiently handles bigger amounts of surface water, grey wastewater, and sludge, and the SEV is ideal for wastewater with high contents of solids or fibres due to the patented SuperVortex impeller.
SE1 and SEV at work
The product of years of research, design work, and testing, the SE1 and SEV pump ranges are two series of sophisticated pumps designed to handle wastewater, process water, and unscreened raw sewage in demanding applications. With motor sizes from 1.1 kw up to 11 kw, the SE pumps are excellent for utilities and industries everywhere.
"Even in a year with as many exciting new product releases as 2004, this new heavy-duty sewage pump stands out," says Christensen. "The SE pumps were designed with maximum reliability and efficiency in mind. We wanted to create a hard-wearing pump for demanding wastewater applications to supplement our existing product range. Now, we have a great solution for tasks with capacity requirements in the medium-sized range, and we look forward to bringing it to customers worldwide."
Practical technology
The range incorporates many remarkable technical features, all aimed at providing real benefits for end-users. The SE pumps are available with two different types of impeller, both very efficient. Customers can choose between the energy-efficient single-channel impeller and the patented SuperVortex impeller for applications where large quantities of solids, sludge containing gasses, abrasive materials or fibres are anticipated. Known as the SE1 and SEV pumps, respectively, both versions can provide free passage of solids from 50 mm up to 100 mm. This greatly reduces the risk of clogging, thereby minimising downtime and operating costs.
True to Grundfos' dedication to innovation, the SE range takes a new approach to motor cooling, eliminating the need for cooling liquid. A solid-block stator housing transfers excess heat to the pumped liquid in the pump housing. This means that continuous operation can be maintained in partly submerged and dry-installation systems.
There's much more. A polyurethane-filled stainless steel plug hermetically seals the cable entry point. This eliminates any risk of water entering the motor through the cable. A unique single-unit cartridge seal combining the primary and secondary mechanical shaft seals provides a seal solution that is very durable and easy to replace. And a special clamp assembly system enables quick and easy access for service and inspection - without any need for special tools.
Tested to excel
According to Christensen, Grundfos regards the test process as crucial to the success of the final result. And field tests of the SE pumps have elicited very positive responses. "Our excellent relationship with customers means that we develop our products in cooperation with test audiences," he says. "So everything has proven its worth in real-life situations. The SE series has been very well received: many have said that they will replace their other pumps with SE solutions as soon as they become commercially available - and you can't ask for higher praise than that!" Indeed.
© Construction World 2004
