We at Roto Pumps started our journey by supplying our very first pumps to the mining industry. As a user-turned manufacturer, we have always understood the major challenges faced by the mining industry. This led us to carefully design and develop advanced helical rotor pumping technology to meet the challenging demands of the industry.
Roto has provided helical rotor pumps to all types of mines i.e. underground, open surface, placer and in-situ mines for the last 53+ years. In modern times, the major challenges that are faced by mining companies are:
- High wear and tear in elastomeric stators and rotors
- Reduced pump performance due to the use of rechromed rotors
- Low lifecycle of pumps and spares
- Reducing recurring pump, spare and operation costs
- Need for prompt service and support
- Regular requirement of readily available pumps and spares
Since it has been associated with mining from its early days, Roto has evolved and invested in its manufacturing practices to stay ahead of the competition while meeting the global mining industry demands. Roto Pumps has developed a complete range of helical rotor pumps for the mining industry, solving critical media pumping challenges and successfully handling all the major applications in mining and explosive industry such as:
- Cement grout/grout mix
- Clay and mineral slurries
- Coal water mixtures
- Dirty water
- Explosive mix transfer and filling
- High pressure wash
- Gland service
- Mine dewatering
- Mineral processing
- Mortar with fine oily water
- Oily water transfer
- Rock dust slurry
- Water spray for dust suppression
- Gace dewatering and high head dewatering
Built for a long lifecycle
Roto has an advanced manufacturing plant for developing a wide range of helical rotor pumps and spares. It has six strategic overseas establishments with large assembly and warehouse infrastructures. These establishments are backed by strong localised sales teams to provide readily available pumps and spares, and prompt service support.
Roto has developed a unique rotorstator geometry that ensures low rubbing velocities between rotor and stator; eventually leading to an increased rotor and stator lifecycle. This also helps in providing consistent flow at varying pressures.
Roto’s specially designed two-pin joint (Cardan universal joint) provides flexibility in operating the pump in both directions. These joints are designed to have more angular movement which reduces the overall footprint of the pump; thus making it more compact.
Also, these two pin joints can easily withstand loads caused by pumping at high discharge pressures. Roto ensures strict in-house process control and stringent quality checks for designing and manufacturing of the high-quality energy efficient pumps and spares (including spares for other brands) having a long lifecycle and less operational costs.
Stators to withstand harsh mining operations
Over the years, Roto has mastered the art of providing highly efficient elastomeric stators in a wide range of materials having high dimensional accuracies. These stators remain highly abrasion-resistant for a longer period of life compared to other stators available in the market.
This is achieved by continuously focusing on in-house compound formulation and preparation, and mould design and manufacturing of elastomeric stators. We also have an in-house polymer test lab where it runs various tests on stators.
The rotor is the lifeline of helical rotor pumps. In mining, rotors are subjected to very high abrasion; thus most mining companies prefer hard chrome plated metallic rotors for longer life. Over a period, the high abrasion leads to faster wear out of the rotor, thus affecting the life of the pump.
Presently, many mining companies send these worn out rotors to local hard chrome plate companies to remove the chrome, rebuild and re chrome the rotor. If they fail to ensure the correct dimensional accuracies (on major and minor diameters) between rotor and stator as per the original design, this eventually results in faster wear turnout of both parts, and finally damaging the whole pump and reducing the overall pump lifecycle.
So in many cases it is better advised to order a new hard chrome plated rotor knowing it will be to correct dimensional tolerances. Roto can provide rotors in a varied range of materials, including exotic materials, to ensure optimal life of the component.
Mining is one industry Roto knows well and it will continue to strive to develop technically superior products resulting in smooth and reliable pumping operation in order to provide peace of mind to our mining customers.
This Sponsored Content is brought to you by Roto Pumps. For more information, visit https://rotopumps.com.au/.