35
PUMPS
IRN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2013
The product highlights for Xylem Inc this year
has been the relaunch of the Flygt BIBO range of
submersible pumps.
“A lot of customers asked us to bring back the
BIBO”, says Andrew Jones, Xylem Inc vice president
and dewatering business unit leader, speaking to
IRN
earlier this year, “It’s been an iconic pump since the
1960s – the de facto mining pump.”
If the brand is old, Xylem has updated the pump for
the 21st century, with the new range incorporating
the manufacturer’s DuraSpin hydraulic system to
help provide wear resistance. Other changes include
the use of a new plug-in seal, improved dry-running
and the use of a single impeller-adjustment screw.
Also back is the distinctive bell-shape of the
original BIBOs. “In some mines they like the
robustness of it; a heavy duty unit for handling by a
Netherlands based Eekels Pompen was called in at short
notice over the Whit Sunday weekend in May to replace a
broken lock pump at Péronnes-lez-Antoing in the Belgian
province of Henegouwen. Receiving the call on Friday
evening, Eekels was able to respond quickly and over the
weekend installed a temporary, 10000 m
3
/hr capacity
pumping system. The system pumped water over a length
of 100 m and at a pumping head of 13-16 m. The first of
several Hidrostal F10K pumps used for the project left Eekel’s
headquarters in Barendrecht on the Friday and the entire
installation was in place for four weeks.
Flygt BIBO makes a comeback
forklift”, says Mr Jones, “It has that ‘presence’ that
is important for mines.”
The new range will comprise four models, the 2830,
2840, 2860 and 2870, capable of handling flows of up
to 100 l/s (1600G/min), heads up to 80 m (300 ft) and
solids up to 12 mm in diameter. The pumps will be
available with power ranges from 3.7 to 18 kW.
The company also has its Godwin range of diesel
driven pumps and new here is a vacuum-primed
unit targeted at low cost, low head applications for
4 in and 6 in units. The pumps will be ideal for well
pointing systems on construction sites.
The pump will be made at Xylem’s Quenington
facility in the UK, where many of the Godwin wet
ends are produced. “That facility serves the world”,
says Mr Jones, “The US buys the canopy and engine
locally, but the engineering, the wet-ends, the know-
how, is there. It figures highly in our plans and we
are looking to expand.”
Xylem has plans to assemble the Godwin pumps
elsewhere, with China the target location in 2015.
“It’s not a low cost play”, says Mr Jones, “It’s
about market penetration. We’ve done some local
assembly in Brazil – last year – and some assembly
in Australia.” Acquisitions also remain a possibility -
in recent months, for example, it acquired Pollman
Pumpen in Germany.
¬
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Reputation
Solids, Drainer, High Head, Hydrosub,
Chopper & Positive Displacement, models
from 50mm to 300mm to suit
all applications
Superb Solids Handling
Selprime Auto Self-Priming
Super Silent From 58db(A)
Indefinite Dry Running
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Meet
The Team At
7-9 October
Stand 652
