The risk of flooding can be avoided by having the right pumps and ancillary equipment in place, says dewatering specialist Integrated Pump Technology.  

Company key account manager Justin Bawden asserts that 90% of pump failures are as a result of the incorrect pump being used.

“Where dewatering activity is conducted, it is imperative that monitoring and forecasting of water inflows is done – whether on opencast or underground mines,” he says. “This will allow for the necessary planning and specification of the correct capacity of pumping equipment, as well as hose sizes and materials.”

During the rainy season, mine sites might need to add pump units in order to meet dewatering requirements.

“Another challenge is that mines will generally have multiple pumps located around their operations, and these are frequently moved from one location to another as needs change,” notes Bawden. “Personnel can lose track of which models and capacities are needed where – and the size and condition of the pipelines in place may not always suit the application.”

Integrated Pump Technology says that it endeavours to keep the right pumps and quantities in stock and it helps customers ensure that the existing pipeline is suited to the scale of the pumping solution.

The company notes that technological innovations such as  the smart unit on Grindex pumps protects against overheating, phase rotation and phase loss. The air release valve also ensures that Grindex pumps are capable of running dry for extended periods of time.

Regular performance testing of dewatering pumps is recommended to ensure that the units are still operating on their rated curve and with optimum energy efficiency. In addition, timeous maintenance interventions help ensure a longer product lifecycle. As the local distributor of Grindex pumps, Integrated Pump Technology can run specialised tests on a range of pumps and also keeps stock of critical parts and basic repair kits.