Blue-White Industries’ ProSeries-M line of products has been meticulously designed and engineered to meet the specific and critical demands of municipal water and wastewater treatment.
Included in the ProSeries-M line is the hybrid Chem-Pro MD-3 multidiaphragm pump. Blue-White Industries engineers have succeeded in giving the MD-3 all the best features and capabilities of both peristaltic- and diaphragm-type pumps.
The smooth, near-continuous, pulsation-free chemical dosing of the MD-3 pump is a suitable choice when pumping harsh chemicals. The multidiaphragm pump experiences no loss of prime when dosing gaseous chemicals like peracetic acid or sodium hypochlorite.
Marine Corps case study
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the U.S. Marine Corps, located on the Southern California coast in San Diego County. The camp maintains a self-sustaining water supply and sewage treatment plant serving a population of 70,000.
Camp Pendleton had been using four diaphragm metering pumps to inject sodium hypochlorite into its finished potable water to pre- and post-chlorinate the drinking water for the base. The diaphragm pumping cycle consists of a suction and discharge phase.
During the suction phase of the cycle, gaseous chemicals like sodium hypochlorite can cause vapor lock and the pump may lose prime. Priming was a challenge for the previous diaphragm metering pumps because this application required intermittent pumping through duty and standby metering pumps.
Another problem with the diaphragm pumps that were in use was the repair costs and time. The repair kit is costly (averaging around $1,200 per kit), the pump takes a full day to repair, and the work is complicated and messy.
The solution
The diaphragm pumps in use at the facility were replaced with two of Blue-White Industries’ ProSeries-M MD-3 multidiaphragm metering pumps for beta testing. The dual diaphragm configuration means that when the first diaphragm is in the suction phase, the second diaphragm is in the discharge phase, resulting in near-continuous flow. This prevents gas buildup and loss of prime even when feeding sodium hypochlorite.
Sean Donegan is a water treatment specialist with ACEPEX, a contracting firm involved with the project. “The MD-3 pumps have a smooth, consistent flow like peristaltic pumps, especially at low feeds,” Donegan says. “The MD-3 pumps are less expensive than other pumps, especially when comparing spare parts cost and time to repair.”
The result
The MD-3 succeeded in pumping the gas-forming chemical in the high-pressure application and eliminated vapor lock. The pumps injected 12.5% to 16% of sodium hypochlorite at the rate of 5-7 gph at 80-120 psi while maintaining an accurate and continuous flow and smooth chemical dosing. No pulsation dampener is required.
The MD-3 is equipped with Blue-White Industries’ exclusive, single-layer DiaFlex polyvinylidene difluoride diaphragms. The patented, ultradurable diaphragm is designed to last the life of the pump.
The MD-3 features a drop-in-place design for ease of installation while operator-friendly built-in controls make setup fast and simple.
“The pumps have worked perfectly since installation and are accurate and consistent,” says Keith Regalado, Camp Pendleton’s shift operator.
Blue-White Industries is located in Huntington Beach, California, was founded by Ozzie King and was incorporated in 1957. What began as a small company with only four permanent employees now boasts a workforce of more than 100 individuals, as well as a worldwide network of representatives and service centers.
714-893-8529 | info@blue-white.com | www.blue-white.com