Upwardly mobile with ATEX-approved pumps
If the first picture that pops into your head is that of a diesel-powered, generator-type unit, then fine; there will always be a need – but aside from diesel not striking the right environmental chords, what if your mobile pump has to meet the demands of ATEX?
Chalwyn valves and Spark Arrestors certainly do their job to meet health and safety requirements, but they do not, for example, control surface temperatures in the T4 range of 135°C.
Such are the rigorous and sometimes complicated demands of ATEX that it is not uncommon for pump users to position control panels away from the ATEX area in order to comply with the regulation. Not the end of the world, but hardly what you’d call convenient.
For an increasing number in industry though, that first picture of a mobile pump is beginning to change instead to that of one with an electric-drive.
“I think there’s still some lack of awareness that ATEX-approved electric-drive mobile pumps are available”, said David Brown, managing director of Borger.
“There must be,” he added, “because I’m quite shocked to see non-ATEX units still in use at some petrochemical sites.”
Chalwyn valves and Spark Arrestors certainly do their job to meet health and safety requirements, but they do not, for example, control surface temperatures in the T4 range of 135°C.
Such are the rigorous and sometimes complicated demands of ATEX that it is not uncommon for pump users to position control panels away from the ATEX area in order to comply with the regulation. Not the end of the world, but hardly what you’d call convenient.
For an increasing number in industry though, that first picture of a mobile pump is beginning to change instead to that of one with an electric-drive.
“I think there’s still some lack of awareness that ATEX-approved electric-drive mobile pumps are available”, said David Brown, managing director of Borger.
“There must be,” he added, “because I’m quite shocked to see non-ATEX units still in use at some petrochemical sites.”
