Watson Marlow: Bredel's newly expanded APEX hose pump range delivers improved process uptime and significantly reduces pump maintenence

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  • Seal-less, valve-less design of two new hose pump models lowers total cost of ownership
  • More reliable than air-operated diaphragm pumps and progressive cavity pumps in chemical or abrasive applications
  • Newly expanded flow range to 6,200 litres/hour at 8 bar

Bredel Hose Pumps (part of Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group) has added two new models to its APEX range of seal-less, valve-less hose pumps.  Widening the APEX performance envelope to 6,200 litres/hour at pressures of up to 8 bar, the new APEX28 and APEX35 pumps offer significant capex and opex savings compared to other pump technologies in chemically aggressive or abrasive applications.   

User feedback

Recent international product trials across a range of applications have put the new APEX models to the test in process-critical abrasive slurry transfer operations. User feedback has demonstrated that, when compared with existing pump technologies such as air-operated diaphragm pumps and progressive cavity pumps, the new APEX models can extend the time between scheduled maintenance intervals dramatically.

Proven savings

The most notable feedback relates to significant reductions in abrasive wear on the previous pumps. For example, one of the trials undertaken in the USA showed that, while the user’s existing air-operated diaphragm pumps need to be maintained every 7 or 10 days, the APEX35 ran continuously for over three months without maintenance. Additionally, there was no requirement for compressed air which equated to another significant saving.

The impressive results in the USA were not in isolation: a brine dosing application in Germany showed that during the first six months of the trial, the APEX35 required no maintenance whatsoever and the operator made huge savings over the downtime previously experienced each month with a progressive cavity pump.

Uptime and process continuity

In addition to the financial benefits associated with reduced maintenance, APEX pumps have been engineered to deliver additional cost savings through increased uptime and process continuity.

Precision machined hose elements and optimised hose compression, combined with medium pressure operation, enable the pumps to meter or transfer fluids reliably and accurately for long, uninterrupted periods of time.

The trials in Germany demonstrated that project payback periods for APEX are expected to be extremely short; as the only wear part in APEX pumps is the hose, which can be replaced quickly and easily, without removing it from the process line.

Reduced spares inventory

With no internal valves, Bredel APEX hose pump technology also helps users improve their processes by eliminating troublesome ancillary equipment such as anti-siphon valves, back-pressure valves, degassing valves or run-dry protection. Finally customers can simplify spares inventory and need to keep just a single part – the hose - in stock.