Vacuum products developer and manufacturer Edwards Vacuum has developed a range of new liquid ring pumps called the ELRi series.

Made for use in wet, humid as well as corrosive conditions, this product offers a range of features and benefits that will distinguish itself from other competitor pumps in the market, says Edwards Vacuum rough vacuum product manager Meghan Ajmal.

“From the ability to optimise processes to save energy, ELRi complements our range of solutions we offer for the industrial and rough vacuum markets.”

She adds that the technical features are of central importance in this new development. The stainless steel impeller, endplates, liquid reservoir and heat exchanger makes this pump highly resilient against corrosion and harsh process gases.

In addition, the internal injection channels reduce the risk of leakage, while the horizontal motor flange arrangement saves precious time on maintenance. Use of mechanical seals also ensures reliable operation by preventing leaks as well as extending service intervals.

All this high-quality technology is contained in a compact noise cancelling sturdy canopy protecting and extending lifetime of the electronic components, says Ajmal.

Additionally, the ELRi is equipped with two variable-speed drives (VSDs). While the main VSD matches the speed of the pump to vacuum level by adjusting its speed, the second VSD regulates the water flow through the centrifugal pump according to the operating conditions to avoid risk of cavitation.

Meanwhile, the integrated air logic controller not only enables the monitoring of important features and parameters of the pump but also offers the option of set-point control. This allows users to have a vacuum pump that matches the process demand saving energy.

While the ECOntrol box even allows the user to connect and control multiple ELRi pumps, the Icon Box enables smart monitoring and remote controlling ensures optimal servicing to get maximum uptime from the pumps. Along with this, water consumption is also reduced as the separator is only filled up when required.

The ELRi series comes in pumping capacities of 750 to 1 050 m3/h and covers a wide range of applications in central vacuum, pharmaceutical, plastics, conveying and food applications.

Ajmal points out that, while the standard range of pumps is a perfect solution for general industrial applications, the heavy-duty range is designed with all process wetted parts to be stainless steel.

All pumps are also fitted with spray nozzles as standard which are particularly useful for high steam load applications allowing them to pump increased capacity of gas load, she adds. Moreover, the manual and automatic modes of flushing allow operation in even the dirtiest applications with minimal downtime.