Peristaltic pumps gain improved coverage in WIMES

Watson Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions (WMFTS) has helped with a revision of the Water Industry Mechanical & Electrical Specifications (WIMES), which opens up peristaltic pumps to more potential customers in the UK water industry. Peristaltic pumps, such as WMFTS’ range of Qdos chemical metering pumps for water and wastewater treatment applications, had previously not had the benefits of peristaltic technology understood in the guideline.

The revised WIMES now contains a comprehensive dosing pump specification, as opposed to the summary guidance notes in the previous version. A number of the benefits of peristaltic pumps compared to other pump types are now more apparent and explicitly covered in the latest version of WIMES.

WIMES is a collaborative project managed by the Pump Centre aimed at providing common mechanical and electrical specifications for the UK water industry. Seventeen of the UK’s largest water companies are involved in WIMES, which provides water companies with specifications that will enable them to procure equipment which is fit for purpose and provides the lowest life cycle costs at a competitive purchase price. The intention of WIMES is that the specifications should be unambiguous and allow individual suppliers to compete on an equal footing.

Dale Kavanagh, Industrial Sales & Business Development Manager at WMFTS UK, said, “The specification has been rewritten so there is more detail about peristaltic pumps and their benefits compared to other pump types. It’s a huge result for us and has helped us to develop the business this year.

“For the last two years we have been working hard to ensure that the latest version of the specifications would be a fairer balance showing the advantages of peristaltic pump technology. This means the customer can get smaller skids with lower maintenance and accuracy of ±1%. This on-going work has resulted in the 200+ Qdos pumps bound for Severn Trent Water amongst many other orders to other UK water companies including South West Water and Wessex Water.

“We were able to get a seat at the table and collaborated with water authorities, putting our case forward on why peristaltic pumps are beneficial for this application. We were successful and this was a result of a lot of hard work in particular from Sales Skills Training Manager Bruce Quilter and former UK Industrial Sales Engineer Eddie Smeaton (now retired).”​

Greater reliability

WMFTS’ Qdos range of peristaltic pumps can handle flow rates from 0.1 to 2,000 ml/minute at pressures up to 7 bar. The pumps offer repeatable chemical metering accuracy of ±1 per cent.

Unlike diaphragm pumps, with a Qdos pump the flow remains the same whatever the pressure, providing greater dosing control leading to measurable chemical and energy savings— a key difference to other equipment on the market. The low maintenance design also means process uptime is maximised with no-tools, quick and easy pumphead replacement in situ.

A reverse function enables the operator to drain the line before maintenance, and once in operation, there is an integral leak detector to eliminate the risk of exposure to chemicals. Integration of the Qdos

pump range is easier than traditional dosing pump types as they eliminate the need for foot valves, strainers, degassing valves and loading valves, along with all the relevant joints, simplifying maintenance and enabling dosing skid manufacturers to reduce the size of their skids.

Commenting on the more comprehensive dosing pump specification in the new WIMES and specifically on the clauses highlighting the benefits of peristaltic pumps compared to other PD (positive displacement) pump types, Roger Marlow, Principal Consultant at the Pump Centre said, “Water managers and engineers of large water infrastructure projects are looking to alternative pumping technologies for many reasons. The landscape of chemical metering pump manufacturing and innovation in the water industry is changing and it is important for WIMES documents to reflect that.

“It has been a very positive experience working with Watson-Marlow and we will continue the collaboration between all parties in the future.”

Reflecting on the current landscape of chemical dosing equipment, Kavanagh said, “The scale of the roll-out of new equipment makes now an ideal time for utilities to consider the whole-life benefit of the chemical dosing equipment they select. Qdos pumps need no ancillary equipment and provide accurate and repeatable metering in all conditions, making them an ideal solution to meet companies’ water management challenges.”

“It has been a very positive experience working with Watson-Marlow and we will continue the collaboration between all parties in the future.”

Roger Marlow, Principal Consultant at the Pump Centre