Multinational manufacturing company Atlas Copco has extended the WEDA electric submersible pumps series to include slurry, drainage and sludge units, which feature several enhancements in a bid to meet the fast growing demand for these high performing, compact, rugged, reliable and efficient units.

The WEDA L slurry pumps, WEDA D drainage pumps and WEDA S sludge pumps feature flow rates of up to 16 500 ℓ/min and power ratings up to 54 kW, meeting the dewatering solution requirements of a wide range of industrial market sectors such as construction, agriculture, emergency and maintenance.

The WEDA L slurry pumps are designed for the dewatering of abrasive media with a high solid content typically found in quarrying, mining or dredging applications. These pumps efficiently manage semiliquid slurry mixtures usually made of fine particles of manure, cement or coal, as well as water with specific gravity up to 1 700 kg/m3. This series features a bottom side discharge, large apertures to facilitate the handling of slurry containing solids of between 20 mm up to 60 mm in diameter and a high-efficiency high-chrome agitator for lifting settled solids.

Atlas Copco recommends the WEDA D drainage pumps for applications with water containing 4 mm to 12 mm in diameter abrasive solids. These drainage pumps are capable of handling water with specific gravity to 1 100 kg/m3. These flexible units feature a top discharge which can also be mounted vertically or sideways as required.

This series is ideal for applications such as ground and raw water removal, excavation and openpit dewatering as well as for stormwater and flood control.

The WEDA S sludge range is built to deal with the tough conditions commonly found in applications such as tank clean-outs, agricultural product wash-down pits and trench and pond cleaning. With a bottom side discharging function, these pumps are capable of pumping sludge, light slurry and muddy water containing abrasive and larger solids of 25 mm to 50 mm in diameter, as well as water with specific gravity to 1 400 kg/m3.

WEDA S sludge pumps are suited for the dewatering of liquid sludge; thick, soft, wet mud and other similar viscous mixtures of liquids, and solids that typically result from industrial or refining processes.

WEDA+ features, such as phase failure protection, rotation control and thermal switches, are standard on all WEDA D drainage and WEDA S sludge pumps and are available as an option on the WEDA L slurry range.

“In addition to optimising the performance of the WEDA series, we also turned our focus to lighter weight, increased electrical safety, improved the seal design and simplified installation and maintenance,” notes Atlas Copco Power Technique portable products business line manager David Stanford.

He points out that the pumps’ compact design, coupled with a 20% lower weight compared with similar products, thanks to the use of aluminium alloy, simplify handling and transportation.

“These features meet all the requirements of the rental market.”

Aluminium alloy is also strong and corrosion resistant, ensuring seamless and reliable operation in harsh environments across all applications. These robust pumps feature rugged components, Class F motors and Class H electric motor insulation.

The starter and motor protection systems are built in.

A double silicon carbide mechanical seal (to prevent the ingress of contaminants), adjustable wear-resistant rubber diffusors, hardened high-chrome (55HRC) impellers and heavy-duty bearings (that can withstand shocks and overloads) further enhance the durability of these pumps for extended life cycle, high productivity, and low operational costs.

Maintenance on these pumps is also quick and hassle-free, keeping uptime to the max. External oil inspection and grease-filling plugs are easy to access, and all pumps conveniently contain seal types appropriate to their size.

Atlas Copco’s strategic dealer network and team of skilled technicians support WEDA pumps customers across Southern Africa with readily available products, parts, spares and service delivery to optimise pump availability and promote productive and profitable operations.