Page 114 - Industrial Plants 2014

Seepex Pumps Help to Salvage Costa Concordia

Seepex progressive cavity pumps have played a role in pump issues such as grout settlement in the pump.
the salvage operation to recover the cruise ship “Costa Seepex pumps have a shorter suction casing and this,
Concordia”. The shipwreck made the news in January together with a short coupling rod ? tted with paddles to
2012 when it struck rocks near Isola del Giglio and has agitate the product, solved the original problem. Further
subsequently been declared a total write off. The salvage pumping improvements were suggested by Seepex after an
operation, the biggest of all time, has involved several in-depth discussion with the customer.
steps, the ? rst of which involved securing the ship and The high pressure application is carried out from offshore
building an underwater platform to prevent her from sinking barges where space is at a premium. Seepex suggested
further. an alternative high pressure joint and even walled stator.
It was in this stabilisation phase that Seepex pumps were This combination shortened the pump and provides
used to pump the grout from a ? oating platform to a series FoundOcean with a compact design which solves all
of “specially designed bags” which formed the underwater previous problems. Pneumatic motors have been provided
platform. depending on the speci? c needs of the pump units.
Seepex is a long standing supplier of pumps to In addition to solving the problems associated with
FoundOcean for grout pumping on offshore platforms and excessive downtime Seepex was also able to supply
wind farm installations. This supply relationship started accurate dosing pumps for additives and vertical pumps for
when FoundOcean was looking to make its grouting times polymer transfer from IBC, thus providing a complete pump
more ef? cient, with less downtime associated with grout system for grouting applications.

• shorter suction casing with paddle mixers;
• high pressure joint and even walled stator;
• compact design for offshore use;
• improved reliability as settlement issues
solved.

The benefits:
• the Seepex design of shorter suction
casing and paddle mixers on the coupling
rod overcomes all of the operational
issues formerly associated with
progressive cavity pumps, leading to less
downtime, lower spares usage and
reduced operating costs;
• the shorter pump coupling rod together with
the advanced joint and stator design provides
a compact pump for offshore use, perhaps as
important is the technical expertise of Seepex
Seepex N range pump requirement. The package to FoundOcean is engineers who understand the process needs
with evenwalled stator completed with dosing pumps for additives and of FoundOcean.
vertically mounted pumps for dispensing out of IBC.
Cost savings:
Keyfacts: • lower capital costs;
• problem solving approach by seepex design • reduced downtime;
engineers; • reduced maintenance costs.

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