Water, Sewage & Effluent March April 2019 | Page 36

normally relies on the supplier’s advice.
There was no specification in the case at
Midvaal, so the contractor decided to go
for the cheapest chemical fixing available
— polyester — which is not suitable for a
moist environment,” says Owen.
“These are relatively specialised
products, with different types of chemical
anchors available in various categories.
Therefore, it is vital that building
contractors and consulting engineers
Upat fischer technical manager, Kevin
Owen.
Different chemical anchors are available in various categories, depending on application.
are better educated about product
specification and proper installation
requirements,” Owen comments.
Using a chemical anchor, without
the appropriate knowledge of its
characteristics, invariably results in
the incorrect product being applied —
which can have a substantial impact on
the bottom line in terms of the remedial
work required, not to mention the health
and safety implications for workers on
site. “The supplier should pay regular
visits to consulting engineers to educate
themselves in the correct selection of
materials, and where the products are
used on site. We at Upat fischer ensure
that the contractor is properly trained
in best practice, thus minimising (if not
eliminating) the risk of structural failure,
additional remedial costs, and posing a
significant danger to workers on site,”
concludes Owen.
Complete solutions for water-treatment plants
In order for water-treatment plants to operate at maximum
efficiency and cost-effectiveness, it is critical that the motors,
gears, and chain products supplied are of a high quality and
specified correctly for the application.
The arduous operating conditions at
water-treatment plants mean that the
motors specified not only have to be
high-efficiency motors, but must be IP
65-rated for corrosion resistance, says
Bearings International (BI) electric
motors product manager, Lewis Hiepner.
This is where Bauer motors come
into their own, applied mainly to drive
pumps and aerating impellers. The
Bauer range for the water-treatment
industry features IE3 energy efficiency,
in addition to an IP 65-rating and Class H
insulation, with flange-mounted vertical
and horizontal options.
Apart from the motors themselves,
gearboxes also have to be IP 65-rated,
in addition to having a special corrosion-
resistance coating to protect the motor
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casings and shafts by ensuring adequate
lubrication of all internal components.
Chain products used in water-
treatment plants are mainly stainless
steel for added durability, apart from
the mild-steel sprockets themselves,
explains BI chains and gears product
manager, Frikkie Ras. “We are able to
supply a complete solution for water,
sewage and effluent plants, including
couplings, pulleys and belts, gearboxes,
and bearings, which ensures that such
plants operate optimally, with minimal
downtime.”
Highly engineered chain products
for water-treatment plants cater for
different pitch sizes and construction
materials, including grades 314 and 316
stainless steel. Here the most common
Water Sewage & Effluent March/April 2019
BI customer offer marketing manager,
Victor Strobel (top); Frikkie Ras, BI’s
newly appointed chain and gears product
manager (centre); and BI product
manager, Lewis Hiepner (bottom).
www.waterafrica.co.za