Sykes pumps for Shardlow
SYKES Pumps have supplied six super-silenced units to alleviate flooding at Hanson Aggregates’ Shardlow sand and gravel quarry in Derbyshire. Situated on a floodplain at the confluence of the rivers Derwent and Trent, Shardlow is subject to regular flooding during wet weather. At such times, Hanson require considerable pumping capacity to keep the quarry above water and maintain production.
‘In the past, Hanson have always hired pumps, either from us or from our competitors,’ explained Sykes’ area sales manager, Mick Trotter. ‘But the quarry floods on a regular basis and the client really needs pumping equipment to be available all the time. They’ve been spending a considerable amount every year on hiring pumps and decided it made financial sense to buy their own.’
To find the optimum solution, Hanson asked Sykes and two other pump suppliers to submit tenders for supplying suitable pumping equipment. Sykes submitted the winning bid, for six Super Wispaset 200 super-silenced diesel pumps plus associated hoses and ancillary equipment.
Housed within a special acoustic canopy which reduces the noise generated by the 62kW Iveco diesel engine to just 65dB(A) at 7m, the Super Wispaset 200 features 8in diameter suction and discharge pipe connections and is capable of pumping in excess of 160 litres/s, handling solids up to 75mm in size.
Two of the six pumps purchased for Shardlow Quarry are intended to run continuously to keep the quarry dry. The other four pumps are on standby, fitted with float controls which start the pumps automatically when water levels rise.
‘Because the quarry is in a fairly remote location, we’ve also fitted the pumps with telemetry equipment which feeds data to a central computer. This will alert us immediately in the event of any malfunction,’ said Mr Trotter. ‘Sykes are providing a pump maintenance service, while Hanson’s own mechanics are looking after the diesel engines.’
‘Sykes’ Super Wispaset pumps are often specified in locations close to residential or business districts where noise is an issue. But even in a remote quarry, keeping the noise down has obvious health and safety benefits,’ said Mr Trotter. ‘Another reason is that the Super Wispaset pumps are self-bunded, which means they are protected against accidental oil or fuel spills. This has saved Hanson the expense of sourcing additional protective bunds to prevent pollution of the watercourses.’
The order for Shardlow Quarry is the latest in a long relationship between Hanson and Sykes. Mr Trotter is also responsible for servicing ongoing hire agreements with two other Hanson quarries in the area – Mercaston Quarry, near Ashbourne, and Barton Quarry at Burton-upon-Trent.
