Rotary lobe pump as cellular wheel sluice

An Australian mining company was looking for a solution for a controlled flow of thickened sludge containing fine pollutants from a sludge pool. Once the shut-off valve was open, the customer wanted to achieve a steady discharge of 1,000 liters per hour. They wanted to prevent too much sludge flowing out of the pool. 

To ensure the sludge could be discharged in doses, the mining company decided to use a Boerger Rotary Lobe Pump. The customer was impressed with the pump's resistance to solids and the adjustable speed and ease of maintenance of the Boerger Rotary Lobe Pump.  

A stainless steel hopper was fitted under the sludge pool on the suction side which leads to the Boerger Rotary Lobe Pump functioning as a cellular wheel sluice. The Rotary Lobe Pump operates at a speed of 46 rpm. The pump's mechanical seal can be  relieved of any sand particles or sediment with the seal flushing process. As the sludge is slightly alkaline, the pump and medium wetted parts of the valve are made of stainless steel.

Technical data