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H2020Doctoral network2015–2019

APESA · Advanced Pump Engineering for Severe Applications

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2015-06-01 → 2019-05-31
EU contribution
€1,366,439
Participants
2
Scheme
MSCA-ITN-EID

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Advanced Pump Engineering for Severe Applications

APESA, Advanced Pump Engineering for Severe Applications, is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions European Industrial Doctorate programme with beneficiaries Weir Minerals Netherlands (WMNL) and the University of Strathclyde (UofS), UK. WMNL design and manufacture large positive displacement diaphragm pumps for bulk transport of solid materials in slurry form in the global mining, minerals and energy industries. The pumps are designed for a 25 year working life, during which they experience continuous material damage due to the abrasive and corrosive nature of the slurry. Understanding how complex mechanisms involving corrosion, erosion and fatigue affect pump structural integrity and field-life is critical to safe and economic design. This is important to society in terms of environmental protection, energy cost, efficient use of materials, product competitiveness and global wealth generation. The specific objectives of the APESA project were: to investigate material damage mechanisms; develop predictive behaviour models; and engineer mitigation strategies to limit material damage. The project was structured through five independent but inter-related projects, in which five Early Stage Researchers (ESR) were recruited and trained to form a collaborative multidisciplinary research cohort. Marta Morgantini researched the effect of induced tensile stress (due to bolt loads, etc.) on corrosion-fatigue life; Volodymyr Okorokov researched the effect of induced compressive stress (due to material strengthening processes such as autofrettage, etc.) on corrosion fatigue life; Francesco Rizzuto researched Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling of flow cavitation in pumps for design application; Blazej Polakiewicz researched failure modes in valve components and valve material selection; and Evripidis Tsergas researched electrochemical corrosion protection systems for pump applications.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Weir Minerals Netherlands (WMNL), a subsidiary of The Weir Group PLC, is a manufacturer of industrial pumps for the mining, energy and minerals and waste processing sectors. WMNL, in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde (UStrath), is proposing an Advanced Pump Engineering for Severe Applications (APESA) EID to improve the total cost ownership of the GEHO slurry pump range. The GEHO range of positive displacement (PD) pumps for transportation of mineral concentrates and feeding of minerals slurries include the largest of this pump type in the world and represents a 65% share of the market.Amidst increased competition from low cost replicators, WMNL has recognised the requirement to extend its technological advantage to maintain its market lead. WMNL does not have the resource to undertake the research required and is proposing the APESA EID to address these challenges through recruitment, training and development of 5 ESRs. The APESA programme will consist of 5 ESR projects in the fields of damage mechanisms, predictive models and damage mitigation, which are largely unexplored areas of fundamental research for PD pumps. The ESR projects will address the challenges faced by WMNL at a level which will represent a sufficient programme to meet the requirements of an individual PhD thesis.The choice of UStrath as the EID Academic Beneficiary stems from an existing partnership between The Weir Group and UStrath. The Weir Advanced Research Centre was established at the UStrath in 2011 and works with Weir Group companies in fundamental research for pumping and flow technology. The centre has 9 ESRs, 2 Experienced Researchers and 10 supervisory UStrath Academic Staff.The aim of the APESA EID is to train ESRs in an industry-centred research environment that will equip them with a range of scientific, business and transferable skills while enhancing the research capability and competitiveness of WMNL to provide a clear, distinct advantage over competitors.

Original text from CORDIS.

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Data: CORDIS, © European Union