Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH

The coronavirus pandemic is under control, the environment is not. It is time for the upcoming IFAT 2022 exhibition in Munich/Germany. Heavily improved top-of-the-line models in several series will be on display by pump manufacturer Tsurumi at stand B1.444 (Figure 1).

The new LSC2.75S residue dewatering pump is a 36 % more powerful version of the popular LSC1.4S. Now with 750 W of motor output, the shallow suction pump, which is only 37 cm high, moves water with 228 l/min or up to a height of 15 m. From level ground (buildings, containers, etc.) the pump extracts water down to a residual height of 1 mm. It is not necessary to monitor the pumping process. No water runs back when the pump is lifted. Thanks to the narrow housing, the new LSC even fits through a 200 mm pipe.

With the HS3.75SL, the manufacturer is launching a new multipurpose pump for heavy dewatering tasks. Its spiral watercourse is known from the “ultra-hard” concrete pumps. Even chunky lumps can be channelled through without immediately grinding down the internal components. With only 750 W of motor output, it achieves 580 l/min or 11 m delivery head. The pump is the new top model in the HS series, one of Tsurumi’s best-selling pump lines.

The GPN837 has been designed with a lot of attention to detail. It helps removing water with a lot of sand or mud. Compared to its predecessor, the throughput has been doubled to 9,000 l/min. An agitator mixes the pumping medium to make it more flowable. Even massive elements with a grain diameter of 30 mm cannot harm the new top-of-the-range unit. The maximum pumping height is 24 m.

Tsurumi also comes up with a novelty in the submersible aerators. The TRN-FL was developed for use in dissolved air flotation applications (DAF). For this purpose, the manufacturer has improved its basic design with regard to the gas bubble spectrum. Tsurumi achieved a higher air saturation through smaller bubble diameters.

On display at the stand will be numerous pumps from the 500-plus model range, which capacities up to 30 m³/min or 216 m head. The Japanese manufacturer is considered the world’s largest in its field. Technical achievements such as the maintenance-friendly modular design, individually encapsulated conductors and position-independent lubrication stand for long service lives. Cutaway models and live pump operation in the large test basin allow visitors to see how everything works. The options for control and monitoring in the network are manifold, for which a complete system has been set up with “Tsurumi Connect”.

Further information:
Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH
www.tsurumi.eu

The pump manufacturer Tsurumi Europe GmbH, Düsseldorf/Germany, now offers an impact cover that protects the build-in water level sensor even in the event of massive force (Figure 1). The installation is very simple: loosen the two screws of the sensor, put on the protective cover and fasten the screws. From now on, the sensor is protected from external damage. After all, impact destruction is always possible, even with careful handling or during unattended pump operation.

The sensor on Tsurumi pumps, e. g., on the KTVE and KTZE series, comes by no means unprotected. Its flexible rubber bend absorbs shocks quite effectively – but only to a certain extent. In order to guarantee protection even in the event of violent impact, Tsurumi has developed the conical ram protection cover made of solid sheet steel. This practically rules out mechanical damage to the sensor, according to the manufacturer.

Sensor pumps are popular because they allow the device to control itself. If the water rises to a certain level, the unit starts up – and switches off again when the level drops. This also saves operating costs. The ram protection safeguards this function.

By the way, unlike other suppliers, Tsurumi relies on electrodes to measure the water level. This approach is potentially much more fail-safe because it does not require mechanics. Electrodes also react faster and are usually more accurate.

Of course, every measuring instrument is vulnerable. In this respect, the recommendation to pump operators is to install the low-cost ram protection. The manufacturer has not yet stated whether this cover will become standard for new pumps.

Further information:
Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH
www.tsurumi.eu

When the decision for a new dewatering pump is pending, the models are often meticulously compared. However, users quickly overlook the fact that the success of the drainage system depends to a large extent on the cable used.

What many people do not know, but repair statistics prove: a defective power cable is the most frequent cause of pump failure.

The pump manufacturer Tsurumi points this out. The company is considered the world’s largest manufacturer of dewatering pumps for the construction industry. It regularly evaluates user experiences. After all, the cable is the first link in the failure chain and therefore the most important element to consider first.

Mining quality instead of hose line

A closer look reveals various causes of failure. Improper use is a major factor. Probably everywhere in business there are occasional time bottlenecks. But when things have to be done quickly, the manufacturer’s specifications are not always followed. “The pump is sometimes pulled out of the sump just by the cable,” Stefan Himmelsbach reports. The expert at Tsurumi´s EU headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany, knows all the damage patterns. He points to handle and eyebolts, which are on the pumps for a good reason – only here point loads are permitted.

“Another cause is crushing damage”.  However, this can always happen unintentionally, he says. Usually heavy vehicles run over the cable lying on stony ground, or the cable is overlooked when unloading building materials and equipment.

That is why the grade and quality of the cable is so relevant. Rubber hose cables, for example according to the specification H07RN-F, are common on the market. These are allowed, but only fulfil the basic requirements, says Himmelsbach.

In a direct comparison, technical aspects such as the structure of the stranded wire, the material of the core insulation, the outer sheath and (if available) the inner sheath, the maximum voltages and current carrying capacities, the bending radius and the temperature range in which the cable can maintain the assured properties are relevant.

10 years ahead

For its own 400V pumps, Tsurumi uses higher quality cables. “We switched to NSSHÖU cables 10 years ago,” says Himmelsbach. And for single-phase pumps, they use cables of the (better) specification H07RN8-F. “Since then, pump failures due to cable damage have drastically decreased”. They are no longer an issue today.

The NSSHÖU cable is a mechanically robust rubber cable that is actually intended for the heavy use in mines and quarries. But experience shows that the limits of physics are quickly reached even in “normal” civil engineering projects.

The manufacturer has therefore made these cables the standard for many pumps in its huge range. Tsurumi delivers – mostly immediately from stock – more than 500 models with maximum flow rates of up to 30m3/min or 216 m maximum head.

Technically, the Tsurumi cable differs in many aspects from the other variant. Above all, it is more robust, more abrasion-resistant and offers greater notch and tensile strength. The cables are also considerably more resistant to higher temperatures – important because shear and pressure generate heat.

But quite independently of the cable, there is another potentially weak point on every pump: the cable entry into the housing. Here the Japanese have come up with a clever solution. They encapsulate every single electrical conductor in synthetic resin, which hermetically seals the inlet. Pump failures due to penetrating creeping moisture are thus ruled out.

The pump manufacturer sees the easily doubled purchase price for its cables as well spent: No customer should ever be injured by a Tsurumi pump.

Further information:
Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH
www.tsurumi.eu

For dewatering and wastewater pumps to last a long time, every part of them must run nicely. If users suspect a defect in the oil chamber: Tsurumi has developed a test tool that provides information about the tightness of the pump (Figure 1). The tool is still only in use at Tsurumi’s service facilities. When rental pumps, e. g., are returned and checked. However, the manufacturer is considering offering it on the market if there is sufficient customer interest. Those who maintain a well-stocked workshop can also produce it themselves.

The tool is screwed into the thread of the oil drain and pressurized with compressed air. Two bar are sufficient to check the tightness of the oil chamber. If the needle of the manometer drops, a leak is to be suspected. Then the pump should be serviced. This also helps to prevent severe environmental damage.

Sometimes a critical look at the oil is enough. If water or dirt is visible in it, this indicates a leak. The mechanical seal on the shaft is often involved. It shields the water-bearing components from the rest of the unit. Enormous forces are at work here. Tsurumi therefore manufactures the component from silicon carbide, the second hardest material after diamond. To further increase safety, the seal is designed with a double inner layer. The manufacturer also takes a special approach to the lubrication system. Thanks to its centrifugal oil distributor, an in-house development, it achieves permanent lubrication of all relevant areas – regardless of whether the pump is lying down or standing still.

A regular check of the pump is always advisable. When it comes to the electrical system, Tsurumi customers can lean back and relax completely. Thanks to individually isolated conductors, even wicking water damage is virtually eliminated.

Further information:
Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH
www.tsurumi.eu

Customer training in Corona times? No difficult task for Tsurumi. On his website, the manufacturer has published numerous videos demonstrating the maintenance of dewatering and sewage pumps. They not only show how things are done technically, but also provide valuable insights into the design of the pumps.

Once again, the Japanese are breaking new ground in order to maintain their traditionally close contact with customers even during the crisis. After all, companies and construction sites do not stand still and the pumps have to run.

Especially when water with high solid content is pumped, components such as the impeller and the inlet opening are exposed to high mechanical stress. At some point, a replacement is simply due. To ensure that everything can continue running, it is best for the operator to help himself – instead of waiting for the technician from the dealer or the manufacturer.

In professional films, Tsurumi shows how to proceed. Some maintenance jobs are done in no time, others take a little longer. The running time of the films reflects this – they last from about 1 min to over an hour. It is remarkable that Tsurumi shows in detail which steps are to be carried out and what tools are needed. No previous knowledge is required, the didactics are exemplary. The new video library at Tsurumi.eu is therefore a must for plant managers and pump operators (Figure 1).

It supplements the operating handbook that comes with the pump. Various other videos are already being planned.

By the way, the manufacturer is testing even more ways to get closer to the customer with training sessions that are broadcast live on the internet. They are interactive, so viewers can even ask questions simultaneously. Via Zoom, the stream can be accessed on any computer, tablet or mobile phone. Or simply viewed directly in the browser without any app. Tsurumi publishes the link to the next session on Facebook. Registration is not necessary.

Further information:
Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH
www.tsurumi.eu

Ambitious civil engineering projects and distant raw material deposits: When the job is to go really deep, it is not only sheer pump performance that matters. Often more important is the pH value of the water. This is where the actual selection of the pump model is essential, so that the dewatering does not collapse suddenly. If the value falls well below neutral, there is a risk of serious corrosion damage to the machinery.

The pH value provides information as to whether an aqueous solution is acidic or alkaline. A value of about seven is considered neutral (in fresh water without CO₂). Many dewatering water pumps can still be operated relatively well in alkaline environments, with high pH values. However, in acidic environments, things become tough. Only a few manufacturers can still supply suitable pumps for pH values down to two.

The Japanese supplier Tsurumi, with its European headquarters in Düsseldorf/Germany, goes particularly far in this sector. The range includes not only pumps with all common housing materials. As a special feature they offer a dedicated range of pumps that have been developed explicitly for pumping water in deep mines and chemically acidic environments (Figure 1). Tsurumi is one of a few manufacturers with this range of products.

The LH and LH-W series are the nonplus ultra-here, with the LH6110 leading the way. This pump with 110 kW motor power is considered one of the most powerful units in the EU delivery programme. It can pump water up to 177 m vertically upwards and can achieve up to 3.000 l/min. As a submersible motor pump, it is also pressure-resistant to an immersion depth of 30 m. This means that theoretically a single unit is sufficient for dewatering even the deepest pits.

If numerous mineral substances are found at the extraction site, e. g., because pyrite, chalcopyrite and similar sulphides oxidise there, the water quickly takes on an acidic character. For this reason, Tsurumi builds models in the above-mentioned series from austenitic stainless chrome-nickel steel with molybdenum addition and uses the material DIN 1.4401, also known as AISI 316. This gives the manufacturer a higher resistance in the aggressive operating environment compared to other grades.

Tsurumi covers different performance configurations in this area. A closer look at the data sheets is worthwhile here. If a conveying depth of about 107 m is sufficient, the sister model LH8110 already achieves a maximum flow rate of 6.500 l/min.

Further information:
Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH
www.tsurumi.eu

Get the dirty job done: this seems to be the motto at Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH, Düsseldorf/Germany, once again when it comes to pumping really heavy slurry water – because this is what the pump manufacturer has designed its new GPN 837 for (Figure 1). The unit is the new top model in the series. Compared to the strongest model to date, the GPN 622, Tsurumi has been able to almost double the water output, to 9,000 l/min.

However, “water” can hardly be taken literally. Declared as a “heavy sand pump”, the GPN 837 is intended for use wherever considerable amounts of solid matter are involved, e. g., in gravel pits or where sand, sludge, slurry and preferably also bentonite are involved. For this purpose, the engineers have designed the pump with a solid construction. At 150 l/s, hard rocks up to 30 mm in size can pass through the pump with ease. The agitator at the suction opening mixes mud and water so that it becomes more fluid.

The pump with a dry weight of 815 kg and a height of roughly 1 m, is driven by an electric motor with 37 kW (400 V). The GPN 837 pumps vertically up to 24 m. When submerged, it is pressure-resistant to a depth of 30 m. The water is diverted in a spiral around the pump: a trick to counter the high abrasive effect of the pumped medium. The impeller and suction plate are also made of chrome cast iron, the housing of grey cast iron GG 20. For critical elements such as the double inside mechanical seal, the manufacturer uses even silicon carbide – a material nearly as hard as diamond. Tsurumi’s innovative oil lifter, which lubricates the pump shaft in any position reliably by centrifugal force, is also installed.

Like everything else in the Japanese manufacturer’s product range, the new GPN is available from stock in Düsseldorf or Antwerp and is shipped to the customer within 24 h. The model can also be rented for temporary needs.

Further information:
Tsurumi (Europe) GmbH
www.tsurumi.eu