The Humble Water Pump: Helping to Expand Victoria’s Water Grid

While we usually use this blog to provide information about our products and manufacturers, we also like to provide some general or technical information from time to time. Today, we would like to talk about how water pumps are being used to expand Victoria’s water grid. More specifically, we would like to give you an idea of the scope and complexity of the water pump network being used.

Recently, Daniel Andrews, the Victorian Premier, joined forces with Jaala Pulford, the Wedderburn district Agriculture Minister and Lisa Neville, the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water for a groundbreaking announcement. Victoria is going to build 1,300 km of water pipelines to connect the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline with the West Waranga Channel.

Water Pump on Expanding Victoria Water Grid

In South West Loddon Shire, rural communities have obtained most of their water from rainfall. Due to three years of drought conditions, many of their residents have been forced to bring in water from outside sources for their basic and agricultural needs.

This project, called the “South West Loddon Rural Water Supply Project,” more than 370 rural properties and 260 businesses will be connected to this water grid. Not only will the water be welcome, but 134 jobs will be created during construction and beyond.

The pipelines will pump as many as 780 million litres of water to the area for hydrants, standpipes and direct lines to local landholders.

This project is on a budget of approximately $80 million, with $40 million coming from the Labour Government, $20 million from the Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and landholders. Other contributions will come from the Commonwealth Government.

That is a lot of pumps, a lot of money and a lot of water.

At Pump Solutions Australasia, we have provided pumps for numerous systems, from one water pump to a veritable maze of various kinds of pumps. Whatever your purpose, we import the finest pumps from around the world because we know that downtime can cost you thousands of dollars. To learn more, call us today: 1300 793 418.

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Know Your Pump Manufacturers: Fluid-o-Tech

Gear Pumps - Quality Pumps in AustraliaIf you have ever bought a gear water pump, an oscillating piston pump, or a rotary vane pump, there is a very good chance that you are familiar with Fluid-o-Tech. They were founded in Italy in 1948 and concentrated on the automotive, textile, aeronautic and computing industries. In 1976, they started producing rotary vane pumps and oscillating piston pumps.

In 1991, Fluid-o-Tech would establish a base in the US and would follow up by creating a branch in Japan in 1997. In 2006, they would have a division in China and expand their US operation in 2009 by establishing Fluid-o-Tech Engineering North America Inc. In the meantime, they would also expand operations in Italy and Spain.

Fluid-o-Tech prides themselves on a strong commitment to research, innovation and all-around excellence. They work hard to stay “ahead of the curve” and are proponents of lean production and full implementation of the Six Sigma business philosophy. Fluid-o-Tech is also committed to maintaining and protecting the environment, but the real proof of Fluid-o-Tech’s high quality as a company is their wide range of pumps in Australia and all over the world.

Fluid-o-Tech Rotary Vane Pumps

A rotary vane pump is a quality pump that utilises positive displacement to transport fluids. The pump consists of a rotor with vanes mounted to it. The simplest example is one circular rotor that rotates inside a circular cavity that is slightly larger.

The centres of the two circles are offset from each other, creating two eccentric circles. The vanes slide in and out of the rotor, maintaining contact with the inner edges of the pump and transport fluids from the intake opening to the discharge opening. When fluids are moved out of the discharge chamber, it creates lower pressure on the intake side of the pump and fluids flow in, where they start another circuit by being transported to the discharge area.

Fluid-o-Tech stainless steel rotary vane pumps are designed for use to circulate soda in post-mix drink machines, cooling systems, ultra-filtration, reverse osmosis and booster systems. The housing and rotor are AISI 303 stainless steel, with vanes made of graphitic carbon, with 3/8” NPT or GAS threaded outlet and inlet ports. These pumps range in capacity from 70 litres/hr up to 400 litres/hr.

Fluid-o-Tech brass rotary vane pumps, which are branded as Rotoflow, are devised for pumping liquids at high pressure with lesser flow. The pump is made of brass and has an AISI 303 stainless steel rotor. The vanes and pumping chamber are made of carbon graphite. They are designed for post-mix drink machines, beverage vending machines, espresso machines, reverse osmosis, cooling systems, water dispensers and ultra-filtration. These are also designed to pump 70-400 litres/hr.

The high volume Fluid-o-Tech rotary vane pumps are also sold under the Rotoflow brand with a pumping range of 500-1000 litres/hr. They have bodies of stainless steel or brass, with an AISI 303 stainless steel rotor, with vanes and pumping chamber made of graphitic carbon. They are designed for cooling and booster systems, post-mix drink dispensers, fuel injection systems, ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis applications. For the highest volume, the 4000 Series offers seven different displacements ranging from 1200-2200 litres/hr.

The Compact and Compact Plus series are the smallest of the Fluid-o-Tech rotary vane pumps under the Rotoflow label. They are the same as the larger pumps, but are for use when there isn’t enough space for a larger one and lower flow rates of 30-200 litres/hr are required.

From small, lower volume, to large, high-volume, Fluid-o-Tech has the rotary vane pump for virtually any need.

Gear water pumps

Gear water pumps are used for hydraulic applications and are used mostly for hydraulic fluid and chemicals. They are positive displacement pumps, which drive out the same amount of fluid with every revolution of the gear. The design, which is subtle and complicated, prevents fluid from moving backwards and allows the pumping of high-viscosity fluids. Fluid-o-Tech supplies two basic lines of gear pumps: the DGD09 and the DGM09.

The DGD09 series consists of direct drive gear pump-motor units that are based on the magnetic drive MG200 series. They are designed to handle relatively viscous fluids and clean water at low pressure. The DGD09 series runs with low pulsation and can move fluids up to 70 degrees centigrade. They are available with three motor speeds: 1550 rpm, 3200 rpm and 3900 rpm. All have 24 V brush type motors.

The DGM09 series of magnetic drive gear pumps are also based on the MG200 series. They are similar to the DGD09 series, designed for viscous fluids at low pressure and clean water, but can be used with fluids as hot as 95 degrees centigrade. They are available in one speed: 3000 rpm, with a 24 V DC brush type motor.

Bringing You the World’s Best Pumps

At Pump Solutions Australasia, we spare no expense and scour the world to find the finest pumps we can for residential and commercial use. Call 1300 922 973 for more information.

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Keeping Your Pool from Becoming a Microorganism Magnet

There are many people, possibly including you, who own a swimming pool but without the right kind of quality pump. However, it may simply be a breeding ground for all kinds of unwanted insects and microorganisms. When a pool is not in use or even when it is, when not treated properly, all kinds of pathogens can fester in the water.

Pumps for your Pool

When a pool is left in neglect, many different kinds of bugs can be attracted to it. Creatures like mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water and an unused swimming pool makes the perfect place for them to do this in.

Insects, in addition to their own offspring, are often carriers of harmful bacteria, which are transferred into the water when the insects make contact. More natural factors can also bring bacteria into a pool, such as fallen leaves or algae growth.

However they get there, bacteria can be harmful to people who decide to return to their pools when the weather turns nicer because they can cause many different diseases ranging from unpleasant to potentially fatal.

How do you keep your pool healthy and pure then? One essential way is to treat the pool with a normal dose of chemicals like chlorine that kill unwanted pathogens. These chemicals need to be added regularly to make sure that they are working effectively.

The best way to keep your pool looking great year round though is to invest in a high-grade pool or water pump. Most kinds contain filters that cycle through all of the water in the pool, removing the harmful bacteria and insect larvae, while keeping the chemicals kill the rest.

We carry a variety of pool pumps that are specifically designed to work with your pool to make it the best it can be, both during season and when not in use. They are built to last for a long time and work under harsher conditions.

They do take a certain level of maintenance however, such as cleaning out the filter every once in a while. But as long as you put the time in, the pump will take care of the rest.

For more information about pool pumps and about ordering one, please call us today on 1300 922 973.

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Is the Grundfos S-tube the Wastewater Pump of the Future?

Waste Water PlantWe have seen a lot of water pumps over the years, and most of them fall into distinct categories. Grundfos, however, now offers a pump that is in its own category. It is called the S-tube. The S-Tube is designed for wastewater processing, and combines the designs of a few different types of pump to create a unique product.

Grundfos created the S-tube as a response to a typical and prevalent wastewater industry problem. Most pumps in the industry either sacrifice free passage or high efficiency. This means that they sacrifice either efficiency or reliable operation.

The S-tube is designed to provide both efficiency and reliable operation in one design solution. In today’s era of water shortages, it is essential that communities process their wastewater both efficiently and reliably. The S-tube provides both options. This allows water companies to provide enough water for their communities without increasing operating costs.

Without getting too technical, the S-tube has a closed impeller and unique design that allows high efficiency and free passage. In addition, the S-tube employs the Grundfos blueflux motor design, which is very energy-efficient. Grundfos has been able to get an advance look of what they project to be future efficiency requirements for water treatment plants, and the S-tube meets or exceeds all projected requirements.

The S-tube is also very easy to service. Thanks to AUTOADAPT, which is an “intelligent” module that adjusts operation to whatever condition it encounters, wastewater treatment plant personnel don’t even have to make any adjustments when conditions change. All they have to do is turn it on once, and operation is on autopilot for the life of the pump.

Grundfos has designed the S-tube to adapt to a variety of wastewater treatment applications, and fully intends for their product to, indeed, be the wastewater pump of the future.

In Perth, WA, and across Australia, years of hot, dry weather, have produced water shortages and watering restrictions. As in other parts of the world, processing rainwater and wastewater are becoming more essential to Australian life with each passing year.

We’re proud to carry Grundfos’ line of innovative products. Call 1300 922 973 to learn more.

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How to Make the Best Coffee in the World

Coffee MachineWater pumps come in all shapes and sizes, but Fluid-o-Tech has come up with a way to make your coffee infinitely better.

It is called the F-Caffe, and it is a nanofiltration system that you can install on your coffee machine. The F-Caffe is technically a reverse osmosis pump.

Your water affects the way your coffee tastes. If you can remove all impurities from water before it goes through your coffee grounds, you are eliminating a lot of particles and chemicals that keep your coffee from tasting as pure as it could. Not only does removing impurities from water make your coffee taste better, but it keeps the impurities from crystallising inside of your coffee machine.

Water is known as the “universal solvent,” and for good reason. Rainwater goes through the ground into underground pools where it is called “groundwater.” By the time it comes back up from underground, it has absorbed a lot of organic substances. These are both good and bad; the good news is that your water has plenty of minerals. The bad news is that it also has heavy metals and bacteria.

Even some of the minerals which would normally be good can make coffee taste terrible. In the case of magnesium and calcium salts, they make the water “hard.” This makes it more difficult for the water to help release many subtle flavour enhancers present within coffee. However, removing these impurities allows your coffee to fully release its flavour.

The F-Caffe removes these impurities by their nanofiltration process, which is a highly effective form of reverse osmosis. The short version of how reverse osmosis works is that when you push water through a semipermeable membrane, the water gets through but the impurities don’t.

By the time the F-Caffe’s filtering process is finished, the water has become softened, and is free of all impurities that can foul the taste of coffee. The water’s salinity has been reduced, contaminants are gone, and the pH is still the same.

No matter what application you are using this for, from espresso to a large, industrial coffee-maker, the F-Caffe will remove impurities and improve your coffee. The F-Caffe is compatible with any coffee machine. For more information, call 1300 922 973.

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