A range of industries rely on a powerhouse duo for their pumping needs, and these companies are only getting more innovative and ambitious.
Since forging ties in June 2020, Sterling Pumps and United Pumps have become a force in the water, mining and oil and gas industries.
Founded in 1984, United Pumps has contributed not only a significant footprint in the oil and gas industry but also a large testing facility and extensive technical and manufacturing capabilities.
This is backed by sought-after American Petroleum Institute (API) standard API 610 for centrifugal pumps – a rating the company has held for over 30 years – meaning you’ll find United Pumps in many oil and gas operations around the world.
United’s API 610 centrifugal pumps thrive in handling flammable and toxic liquids or in high pressure and high temperature applications. They are used in oil refining, on offshore oil platforms, and in gas processing, chemical and petrochemical plants, with vertically suspended pumps, overhung pumps, and between-bearing pumps on offer.
Customers also turn to United Pumps for power generation and boiler feed water applications, among other end uses.
The value of API 610 construction
Three United DDHF eight-stage feed-charge pumps with an axially split inner-case design and Plan 53B seal skids were commissioned in an oil and gas application in 2003.
Running at 300m³ per hour with a 1100m differential head, 115 bar maximum working pressure and API 610 S-5 materials, the pumps still operate 24–7, 365 days per year aside from planned shutdowns every 3–5 years. Two of the three pumps are always running.
“These pumps have experienced no failures other than those related to associated equipment such as seals and seal skids,” United senior engineer Ron Astall said.
“In 2014, a pump held together even after a catastrophic motor DE (drive-end) bearing failure which bent the pump shaft. Despite this, the pump didn’t leak or have other significant damage, and it returned to service shortly after.”
United’s proven engineering expertise is fuelling Sterling’s growth in other industries.
By integrating premium materials and by using automated CNC (computer numerical control) machinery for maximum precision, Sterling manufactures a range of pumping products and solutions for municipal water and agriculture sectors.
This includes vertical line shaft turbine pumps, submersible turbine pumps and split case pumps in cast iron, bronze and stainless-steel options, and fabricated stainless-steel pumps in 304SS and 316SS varieties.
As an original equipment manufacturer, Sterling can customise a solution to any application, with no requirement or specification out of reach.
In fact, Sterling has developed over 50 unique submersible pump hydraulics with bowl diameters between 100 and 915mm, with these pumps rigorously tested in the company’s 2500kW or 1000kW test rooms.
This includes a specific submersible pump and motor combination, where units are designed to perform as one unit. Furthermore, Sterling has redeveloped its range of six to 12-inch submersible pumps to include cast impellers and diffusers, improving the surface finish of these components and increasing pump efficiency.
Backed by two manufacturing and testing facilities in Melbourne, Sterling Pumps and United Pumps can provide full support locally without referring to offshore engineering teams. This enables customers to complete product inspections and pump and system testing in-person.
While the one-megawatt (MW) Pakenham facility is focused on deep-well submersible and vertical turbine pumps, featuring a 15-metre-deep test pit, the 2.5MW Sunshine plant includes two independent sealed test loops and a 400,000-litre underground tank.
Together, these facilities accommodate flow rates of up to 3000m³/h and heads of up to 1800m, providing unmatched testing capability for pump suppliers and end users.
To learn more, visit unitedpumps.com.au
This feature appeared in the Autumn edition of Pump Industry.
