Pumped up for a dewatering mission: Cummins CustomPaks equipped with Weir Multiflo high-capacity dewatering pumps
Twenty-two 1000 hp Cummins Inc. CustomPaks, built in Australia and equipped with Weir Multiflo high-capacity dewatering pumps, have been delivered to one of the world’s largest coal mining contractors for dewatering operations in Indonesia.
The mining contractor is one of Weir’s key customers for dewatering in the Asia Pacific region. Weir’s dewatering equipment is manufactured and assembled for global markets at its facility at Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
There’s no glory in mine dewatering, with bulletproof diesel workhorses and pumps required for relentless 24/7 operation in deep pits, lifting thousands of litres of water a minute to the surface. It’s a critical business.
Trusted workhorse
The CustomPaks are designed around Cummins’ QST30 engine, a 30-litre V12 continuous duty-rated at 1000 hp, a tried and trusted workhorse in dewatering with its combination of power density, flexible rpm range and proven robustness.
While Cummins CustomPaks have earned a reputation for ruggedness, their ability to operate in intense heat is another feature. All CustomPak cooling systems provide for continuous operation in ambient temperatures of plus 50 deg. Celsius.
The CustomPaks for the Indonesian customer incorporate Weir’s Multiflo MF-420(EX) HV pump which is designed for high capacity, high head and heavy-duty mine dewatering due to its robust structure and materials of construction.
The pump delivers a maximum flow rate of 340 litres/second or 1,200m3/h (at 200 metres head).
Selling value
In a price-sensitive market, the ability of an OEM to sell the proven benefits of its dewatering systems becomes a critical factor.
“We sell value,” says Dean Little, Weir’s Asia Pacific sales manager for dewatering. “Up front price isn’t everything. Total cost of ownership is the most important thing for end users and that’s where product quality is the key.
“Weir has the most robust wet-end product for dewatering and that’s decisive for a market like Indonesia where you want 100 percent reliability, not on-going maintenance issues.”
He points out that Weir’s focus on materials development through its laboratory and foundry in Sydney is one of the keys to the high efficiency and wear life of its dewatering equipment.
Dewatering pumps are just one part of a wide range of premium equipment Weir engineers, manufactures, sells and services as a global player in the mining and aggregate industries.
Headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland, the company was founded in 1871 by two brothers who produced numerous groundbreaking innovations in pumping equipment, primarily for the Clyde shipyards and the steamships built there.
Decarbonisation
Today, as decarbonisation gathers momentum in the mining industry, Weir is actively implementing measures to reduce the environmental footprint of its equipment and operations.
“We’re discussing with our OEM partners like Cummins the technology options that are available to us for the energy transition,” says Dean Little.
“Whether the power source evolves from advanced internal combustion and alternative fuels to hydrogen fuel cells or another technology is a step-change we’ll need to be prepared for.”
Cummins Inc.
Cummins, a global power technology leader, is a corporation of complementary business segments that design, manufacture, distribute and service a broad portfolio of power solutions. The company’s products range from internal combustion, electric and hybrid integrated power solutions and components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, electric power generation systems, microgrid controls, batteries, electrolyzers and fuel cell products.
