More intensely focus on the business field of maritime pump applications

New SERO test bench for high-pressure side channel pumps of the SHPmarine series enables tests and inspections according to DNV, Class NK, KR, ABS or BV including the corresponding documentation.

With the new business unit SHPmarine, SERO PumpSystems GmbH focuses more intensely on the business field of maritime pump applications. For this purpose, the business unit was recently equipped with a new customised test bench for high-pressure side channel pumps of the SHPmarine series. This test bench is designed to record and process measurement data in real time. SERO is responding organisationally and technologically to the steadily growing importance of seaworthy pumps for LPG delivery systems in the Secondary Fuel Supply Systems (SFSS) of hybrid ship propulsion units. The head of the new division is Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Markus Katzler.

The SHPmarine side channel pump has been developed in accordance with the IMO-IGC regulations and complies with the requirements of relevant regulations of international classification societies. In 2019, it was the first pump of its kind to be both accepted by Lloyds Register and to receive type approval from DNV for maritime dual-fuel propulsion. As efforts to decarbonise maritime shipping and avoid sulphur emissions, the demand of SERO’s high-pressure side channel pumps of the SHPmarine series is increasing. Especially as they are also suitable for other alternative fuels such as methanol, ammonia or e-fuels.

New test facility for high-pressure side channel pumps SHPmarine

The high-pressure side channel pumps SHPmarine from SERO PumpSystems provide many unique technical features and key advantages. A low suction head requirement, uninterrupted pressure- constant delivery of low- viscosity liquids and a resistance to shipboard vibrations ensuring high fuctional reliability and operational safety.

On  the new SHPmarine test bench, SERO’s high-pressure side channel pumps can be comprehensively tested in terms of function, performance and safety and are approved in accordance with the Det Norske Vertias (DNV), KR (Korean Register), Class NK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai), American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) or Bureau Veritas (BV) classifications. On an area of 400 m², the test facility offers two test benches for engine powers of up to 90 kW - suitable both for the current SHPmarine pump 110 and - from 2024 - for the new SHPmarine 220 series.

In speed-controlled, fully automatic test runs, vibrations and bearing temperatures are measured in real time, volume flows and pressures are recorded and evaluated, and limit values are monitored. All test cycles, including a four-hour endurance test run in accordance with API 610, are documented so that the measuring equipment used and its calibration data can be traced back if necessary.

The SHPmarine test bench simplifies FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) customer inspections - which, if required, can also be carried out in remote mode with video transmission of the test runs in image and sound to customers worldwide. Two cameras visualise all relevant test results. Even if the customer cannot be on site, he is still able to attend the acceptance test remotely.
 

Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Markus Katzler is head of the new SHPmarine business unit at SERO PumpSystems.

About SERO PumpSystems

SERO PumpSystems GmbH in Meckesheim, Germany, is a family-owned company. The company's history began more than 125 years ago as a machine factory in Berlin, and over the past decades it has successfully specialised in the development, manufacture and worldwide distribution of side channel pumps. This pump technology for solids-free liquids stands for pumping small quantities of fluids under high pressures, for self-priming, gas entrainment and low holding pressure heads (NPSH values). Acids, alkalis, solvents as well as chemical and petrochemical raw materials and products are pumped just as safely and efficiently as refrigerants, liquid gases, condensates, hydrocarbons or other low boilers.

SERO PumpSystems is the only manufacturer in the world to focus exclusively on side channel pump technology - the company is a recognised technology and market leader in this field. The pump manufacturer configures and manufactures more than 5,000 different variants in horizontal, vertical and compact design from more than 20 product families in up to six sizes and materials such as grey cast iron, nodular cast iron, stainless steel and special materials.

"Our size as a medium-sized mechanical engineering company, our specialized know-how as well as international and technological networking with research institutes and company partners provide us with the necessary flexibility and innovative strength to continue to make a mark in the niche market," says Beate Zientek-Strietz, Managing Director of SERO PumpSystems GmbH.

Together with the service company, SMW Service und Pumpentechnik GmbH in Neidenstein, Germany, and its two subsidiaries in Houston and Singapore, SERO PumpSystems stands for innovative and professional application and service solutions that offer customers decisive added value.

Source & Pictures: SERO PumpSystems

SERO presents side channel pumps for media temperatures down to -60 °C (-76 °F)

Reliable pumping of low flow rates at high differential heads is the core competence of SERO PumpSystems GmbH, the recognized technology leader of side channel pumps.
SERO’s low-temperature pump model SEMA-S…TT is a sealless, magnetically driven pump designed for the safe conveyance of volatile process fluids such as ammonia, LPG and CO2 at media temperatures down to -60 °C. The leak-proof “mag-drive” sealing arrangement guarantees a high level of reliability.

Pump users and operators also benefit from the pump’s extremely low NPSH requirements as well as high entrained gas capabilities to ensure consistent flow, without risk of interruptions.

Designed for low temperatures

The pump unit has been custom-designed to meet all requirements for handling low-temperature fluids. Thus, all pressurized components are made of high-impact stainless steel. Specially configured spring assemblies compensate for thermal expansion as well as a contraction of the hydraulics, which may occur while filling the pump or at standstill. Additional design features include thermal expansion inserts to avoid tensions in the pump body, optimized slide bearing providing reduced bearing fits and specific wear discs to ensure increased operational safety.

Wide range of applications

SERO’s magnetically coupled side channel pump SEMA-S...TT with additional NPSH suction impeller is available in single or multi-stage design, depending on the process-related requirements, for flow rates from 0.3 m³/h to 36 m³/h, a nominal pressure of up to 40 bar and a maximum delivery head of 430 m. Typical areas of use in which the low-temperature pump helps to achieve a significant increase in plant availability and productivity are: refrigeration plants, natural gas evaporation, regasification of LNG from ships in terminals, chemical and petrochemical industries, oil & gas industry and process engineering.

Source & Picture: SERO PumpSystems

Loading, Unloading & Transfer with SERO Side Channel Pumps

Tank farms are installed in many chemical facilities to stock either raw materials or finished products. Equally, independent storage facilities are also common for interim storage, as found in numerous seaport terminals. The wide variety of stored liquids ranges from solvents, which are usually kept in relatively small tanks, to fuels and liquefied gases in large containers with a capacity of several thousand cubic meters. In each of the following three applications, side channel pumps are the first choice for tank loading and unloading.

Application 1: Unloading

Unloading pumps are used for emptying road tank trucks, rail tanks or sea carriers and further transferring the liquid into tanks. The technical requirements placed on these pumps depend on the physical properties of the conveyed liquids e.g. acids, solvents or liquid gases. For this the pump series SVM, SEMA-S and SRZS of SERO can be used.
 

Benefits of the Side Channel Pump:

• Gas handling up to 50% without interruption of pump flow
• Depending on the unloading conditions: Extremely low inlet height / NPSH
• Self-priming capability of this pump design is vital, especially for "overhead" unloading from above

Application 2: Loading

The loading pumps are used to transfer the stored or produced liquids into road tank trucks, rail tanks or sea carriers for subsequent transport to any of the onward processing sites. Here too, the requirements placed on the pumps largely depend on the conveyed media and their physical properties. In particular, low-boiling liquids, such as liquefied gases, have special requirements with regard to the NPSHr value and the ability of the pump to handle gas or vapor bubbles.

The SERO side channel pumps of the series SRZ, SRZS and SVM can be used at this application for liquids like acids, solvents, liquid gases or lyes.
 

Benefits of the Side Channel Pump:

• Excellent self-priming capability
• Gas handling up to 50% without interruption of pump flow
• Quiet operation

Application 3: Transfer

Transfer pumps are in many cases identical to loading pumps. The main difference is that these pumps are used to transfer the liquids to a plant for further processing of the substances and compounds. The flow rates are also lower. Depending on the requirements or characteristics of the further production process, these pumps have to overcome a larger differential pressure. That is why we recommend to install multistage pumps.

The SEMA-S or SVM series from SERO are suitable at this application to tansfer e.g. hydrogen peroxid, ammonia, liquid gases or different types solvents.
 

Benefits of the Side Channel Pump:

• Self-priming capability
• Steep characteristic curve with high differential pressure and at low flow
• Gas handling up to 50% without interruption of pump flow

Source & Graphics: SERO PumpSystems

SERO PumpSystems LPG Pumps provide engineered solutions with their side channel pumps

SERO PumpSystems GmbH is a technology and market leader in the side channel pump sector. SERO offers unique and economical solutions for transporting liquefied petroleum gas with their models SRZS LPG and the model NHE LPG.  

The SRZS LPG is a side channel pump designed for flow rates up to 35m³/h. The side channel hydraulic is inherently self-priming and has suction lift ability of up to four meters. Pumping from underground storage tanks is a common application for a SERO side channel pump. The centrifugal pump design of the model NHE - LPG provides for much greater flow rates up to 170 m³/h with a maximum head of 290 meters. Both models cover a large operating range and allows customers to have “One Stop Supply” by SERO PumpSystems.

The SERO LPG pumps are used for various applications such as loading and unloading storage containers, tank trucks and bottle-filling facilities. They are also utilized to fuel steam boilers with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).

Side channel pumps can handle fluids with gas entrainment of up to 50%!

NGL (Natural Gas Liquids) are a mix of C2, C3, C4 light hydrocarbons and other liquids which occurs during oil and natural gas production.  The “LPG” term represents the specific refined products; propane, butane, isobutane, etc.  All of these liquids are volatile in nature and carry large amounts of entrained vapor.  Most pumps struggle with these gaseous conditions.  Performance wanes and vapor locks can occur.  SERO pumps have the ability to pump volatile liquids with high amounts of entrained vapor or gas. The model NHE can handle a maximum of 30 percent entrained gas.  The model SRZS can handle upwards of 50% entrained gas.  

SERO pumps are used in mission critical NGL and LPG services where continuous pump operation is required.  Vapor locked pumps cannot be tolerated causing a production halt.  SERO pumps assure a highly reliable means of transporting LPG and other volatile process liquids.

The side channel pump SRZS…LPG is used for the transportation of LPG with a flow rate up to 35 m³/h - thanks to its suction lift of four meters - even out of underground tanks.

Low NPSH Requirements throughout the Performance Range

The SRZS-LPG has very low NPSH requirements, starting at approximately 0,35 meters at 1450 RPM speed.  As noted previously, the SRZS can also provide a maximum suction lift of 4 meters.  Both capabilities are very important when considering an underground LPG storage tank service.  Due to the volatility of LPG, especially as it warms during the heat of the Summer, even simple transfer or loading services require the low NPSH requirements and gas handling capabilities of the side channel pump hydraulic.  These are all applications where SERO side channel pumps provide superior performance.

The liquid gas pump NHE…LPG is specified for flow rates up to 170 m³/h and a maximum pump head of 290 meters.

Source & Pictures: SERO PumpSystems

A look at the company history shows that flexibility and innovation strength were always in demand in order to develop products, open up markets and master difficult situations.
 
Today’s company has its origin in a machine factory founded by Max Brandenburg in 1894, which was converted into Berliner Pumpenfabrik AG in 1906. In 1927, the director, Georg Fabig, invented the SERO-side channel pump and successfully applied for a patent in 1929. Due to the world economic crisis in the same year, the focus of the product range was entirely on this one pump type. Georg Fabig also converted the company into a GmbH.

After the destruction of the Berliner Pumpenfabrik in the Second World War, a new company, the SERO Pumpenfabrik GmbH was founded in Düsseldorf in 1949.

When Albert Zientek joined the company as commercial manager – a consistent reorientation towards the chemical industry and process engineering began from water technology. At the same time, the marine and shipping market continued to be served.
 
In 1959, the SERO Pumpenfabrik moved from Düsseldorf to Meckesheim. The constantly growing number of renowned industrial customers, the successful development of new markets and numerous innovations characterize the following years and decades. In 2003, the SERO Pumpenfabrik GmbH was renamed as SERO Pumpsystems GmbH.
 

Together with the service company SMW Service und Pumpentechnik GmbH in Neidenstein and the two subsidiaries in Houston and Singapore, SERO Pumpsystems will continue to grow in the role of the innovative problem solver who offers its customers professionalism and added value.
 
For this reason, the company is also clearly focusing on the development and production of side channel pumps with a high level of vertical integration.    
 
Side channel pumps are used for pumping small quantities of media under medium to high pressures.  The hydraulic is self-priming in nature and has the ability to pump fluids with a high amount of entrained gas and low NSPH values. With the addition of the new SHP series, a side channel pump is now available that can produce a delivery pressure of up to 100 bar – about three times more than usual.
 

In short, SERO PumpSystems GmbH has many reasons to celebrate in 2019:

125th birthday celebration of SERO!  The 90 year anniversary of the initial patent grant for the self-priming side channel pump. The 60th year of operation at the Meckesheim location including the new construction and expansion of the site 10 years ago.

Graphics: SERO PumpSystems GmbH