Peristaltic pumps ordered for cobalt purification05 May 2010

Peristaltic pump specialist Verderflex has exported 30 VF hose pumps to Morocco for work on a cobalt refining plant, handling abrasive and highly corrosive materials.

Cobalt, which is widely used in the production of pigment for the ceramics and glass industries, is extracted using an electrolysis process.

Principally, the pumps are being used to transfer sulphuric acid and ammonia solutions from storage and dilution tanks to reactors and baths.

Exact dosing of the sulphuric acid in relation to the mined cobalt pH is key to ensuring purity and concentration. So in this application, the pump capacity is automatically adjusted by a frequency controller, driven by a pH meter.

Verderflex says the VF pump is ideal for this kind of application because the absence of product slip in the hose gives a 100% volumetric efficiency.

Other Verderflex units are acting as feed pumps for centrifuges at the cobalt mines. Process water from the band filtration process results in a filter cake with residues. Meanwhile, the fluids, which are both acidic and abrasive, are captured in collection basins. The VF peristaltic hose pumps feed centrifuges that remove fine powder from the process waste water.

Brian Tinham

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Verder UK Ltd

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