Sykes Floats a New Idea in Mine Pump Installation


Australian pump builder Sykes devised this pontoon-mounted, diesel-electric-drive pump to operate
in an area of a Queensland surface mine that is subject to flooding and can become inaccessible.
The pump, when floating or on dry land, is fueled by a tank located on a nearby highwall.
Australia-based pump builder Sykes reported that it was recently approached by a mine in central Queensland, Australia, to supply a reliable pump setup for a duty of 200 l/s at a 90-m head in an area that is inaccessible in wet weather and subject to flooding.

The company proposed to use its model HH220i diesel/electric drive, auto-prime contractor pump, but pontoon mount it on dry land, with fuel supplied from a tank located on a high wall that is accessible in all weather. The pump was also fitted with automatic stop/start with a float switch suspended from the boom to control the water level in the dam during dry and wet weather.

According to the company, the benefit of that setup is that, should the area flood, the pump will float and continue pumping as it being refueled from the high wall location. The HH220i features oil lubed bearings and a mechanical seal system that is well-suited for this type of situation as it can run without maintenance required for long periods of time.

As featured in Womp 08 Vol 10 - www.womp-int.com