Components
8 BULKDISTRIBUTOR May / June 2017
Cleaning up on DEF
Components
Chemical distribution company Brenntag North America relies on Blackmer STX-DEF sliding vane pumps to deliver bulk quantities of DEF safely and efficiently
Who could have predicted when Philipp Mühsam founded a small egg wholesale business in 1874 in Berlin , Germany , the company would eventually grow to become a world leader in full-line chemical distribution ? But ever since Mühsam ’ s company changed its name to Brenntag and entered into the chemical distribution business , that ’ s exactly what has happened . After moving its headquarters in 1943 to the city of Mülheim an der Ruhr , near Germany ’ s border with The Netherlands , Brenntag went into expansion mode and successfully increased its warehousing network through acquisitions while adding to its product line , including the addition of inorganic and organic chemicals , solvents , plastics , resins and specialty chemicals . Expansion within Germany continued throughout the 1950s and 60s , with Brenntag eventually hitting the world stage as a multinational company with the acquisition of Belgium-based Balder in 1966 . Brenntag has continued to expand globally , and currently has a global network of more than 530 locations in 74 countries , offers more than 10,000 products , employs more than 14,000 people and serves more than 150,000 customers worldwide . The company achieved global sales of € 10.3 billion ( US $ 11.5 billion ) in 2015 . As part of the Brenntag Group , Brenntag North America , Inc , headquartered in Reading , PA , is responsible for providing businessto-business distribution as well as sales and marketing solutions for industrial and specialty chemicals throughout the US and Canada . This responsibility includes managing complex supply chains for both chemical manufacturers and consumers , and then streamlining processes to provide market access to thousands of products and services . Or to put it simply , the company connects chemical manufacturers to chemical users . One of the chemicals Brenntag North America is responsible for delivering to the market is diesel exhaust fluid ( DEF ). DEF is a nontoxic , high-purity solution comprised of 32.5 percent urea and 67.5 percent de-ionised water . Using this fluid in diesel-powered vehicles , such as trucks , buses and tractors , helps to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxides ( NOx ) emitted into the air by as much as 90 percent . “ We started delivering DEF in the US in 2009 ,” explained Alan Smith , DEF business director for Brenntag North America . “ Since then , we have made significant investments in DEF-dedicated terminals and delivery assets across the US and Canada . We have more than 25 dedicated DEF tankers and around 31 DEF rail locations in the US . These assets make us unique . We have a broad global network with outstanding local execution , allowing us to supply a wide variety of customers , including fleets , distributors , OEMs and truck stops .”
Keeping DEF clean
Delivering DEF can be challenging , and must be handled by equipment and transport designed specifically for hauling it . DEF is incompatible with materials such as copper and brass , and can lead to corrosion of these materials . This means that any transport used to haul DEF , as well as all of its wetted components , needs to be made of stainless steel or approved plastics such as high-density polyethylene ( HDPE ). This ensures fluid won ’ t become contaminated by trace quantities of metals during its handling and transfer .
By extension , the pumps needed during the DEF production process , or those that are required to load DEF onto the transport and off again into a storage vessel , must also be compatible with DEF ’ s unique characteristics . “ The main consideration when choosing a pump for a DEF application is the materials of construction ,” said Matthew Sparrow , a DEF mechanical engineer for Brenntag North America . “ All materials that come in direct contact with DEF must be compatible to avoid any contamination of the fluid . To ensure that all of our equipment is compatible we follow ISO 22241-3 standards , which describe best practice recommendations and requirements for the handling , transporting and storage of DEF .” While contamination can occur during the manufacturing and packaging process , it is more likely to occur during transfer or in storage . Therefore , companies responsible for transporting DEF must take extra precautions and safeguard themselves against these occurrences . If contaminated DEF is delivered , and is then used in a vehicle , the results can be very costly for all parties involved . Not only does contaminated DEF damage the reputation of the delivery company , but it also can significantly damage a vehicle ’ s SCR ( selective catalytic reduction ) system . “ It is essential to deliver clean , non-contaminated DEF fluid to customers ,” said Smith . “ Vehicles using contaminated DEF are in danger of suffering severe damage to their SCR system . A majority of issues encountered stem from material-of-construction issues ; either the wrong materials are selected or materials not on the recommended list were not properly tested by a third-party lab .” Another major issue is downtime and leakage . When DEF dries a white crust will appear . This residue can create havoc on the internal pump components , connectors , seals and anything else that comes in contact with the fluid . Improper design can cause the equipment to lock up or leak , resulting in costly downtime or a messy clean up .
DEF-initely the right solution
When it came to selecting a transport pump capable of interacting positively with DEF during the loading and unloading process , Brenntag North America turned to STX-DEF Series sliding vane pumps from Blackmer , of Grand Rapids , MI . “ We use STX-DEF pumps from Blackmer at our terminals to unload railcars , transfer product from one tank to another , and to load and unload tank trucks ,” explained Sparrow . “ With the addition of either a bypass line or VFD ( variable frequency drive ), the STX-DEF pump can also be used to fill drums and totes ( IBCs ). In addition , we use Blackmer pumps on our internal DEF tanker fleet to fill customers ’ drums , totes and mini-bulk tanks . These pumps are the ideal solution for applications with long runs of piping , when suction hoses and piping need to be stripped dry , or when precise flow rates are desired .” STX-DEF pumps from Blackmer feature 316 stainless-steel construction with external ball bearings , chemical-duty mechanical seals , PTFE elastomers and non-metallic vanes , making them the ideal choice to handle DEF . These features allow STX-DEF pumps to meet the ISO 22241-3 material standards and cleanliness specifications required for DEF-handling . Specifically , Brenntag North America uses Blackmer STX3-DEF , STX1220A-DEF and STX2ADEF pump models for its operation .
Brenntag North America has made significant investments in DEF-dedicated terminals across the US and Canada , with a total of 25 dedicated DEF tankers and 31 rail locations
It is critical for Brenntag to deliver clean , non-contaminated DEF fluid to its customers . Therefore , the company only uses equipment that is DEF compatible
STX3-DEF models offer high-capacity flow rates up to 250 gpm ( 946 L / min ), and pump speeds up to 800 rpm for delivering fast fluid offloading . In fact , a 6,000 gallon ( 22,700 litre ) tanker can be unloaded in about 24 minutes using the STX3-DEF pump . Designed for relatively high flow rates , STX1220A-DEF models feature flow rates from 42-92 gpm ( 159-348 L / min ), while the STX2A-DEF models are ideal for lower flow rates generally in the 15-60 gpm ( 57-227 L / min ) range . info @ pelicanworldwide . com t : 0031 186 656230 www . pelicanworldwide . com
VALVE AND SEALING MANUFACTURER
FROM ISO CONTAINERS TO TANK TRUCKS