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TECHNOLOGY | QUANTUM MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA FOR AODD PUMPS
24/05/2018Quantum pumps were presented at MCE fair and selected as an innovative product of the 2018 Innovation & Efficiency Path.
Argal's Quantum pumps are the perfect match between creativity and competences, which has always inspired the Company. Established 45 years ago by Mr Omar Gabrieli. Argal Pumps always looked for technological improvement along the path of innovation instead of emulation, and as Mr Gabrieli explains, "What distinguishing us since the beginning is our ability to create something new, allowing us to be unique on the pump market.
I think that there is no need to invent a product from the basis, though I never shared the concept of "copying". It is for this matter that Argal products must always have what I call "the extra option" - in other words, an innovative, technical characteristic which makes the difference on the market comparing to many other products."
Argal's main goal is to offer the best engineering and technical characteristics to obtain higher performance and to meet the market's needs.
During the past decade, significant efforts were directed to research and development on the entire production, which resulted in renovated and utterly new pump ranges - on both mechanical and hydraulic systems. In a more particular way, Argal wanted to invest in the development and creation of centrifugal pumps made of different materials: thermosetting and thermoplastic resins.
PNEUMATIC PUMPS
Six years ago, Argal introduced a range of AODD pumps thanks to the precious collaboration of Mr Luigi Mariotti - a 30-year-old experienced technical expert in the pneumatic sector with high skills and high creativeness. These are the key features that Argal always rewarded along the story of the company. Mariotti's first patent dates back to 1983. Properly thanks to his intuitions and Argal's support, the idea of developing a new product has been conceived: the Quantum pumps.PUMPS MADE OF PURE THERMOPLASTIC POLYMERS
Quantum pumps are the result of long research as well as the representation of the creativity and competence that Argal supports.The idea of realising such innovative product within Italian scenario came out 3 years ago which required 6 months of realisation between reviewing and testing. The Quantum is an AODD pump that is to be used where other traditional AODD pumps can't because of the structural construction, as per examples, inside pharmaceutical and chemical plants.
The components are made from the solid-block construction which gives advantages regarding the mechanical strength and the precise execution.
The fact that components are made this way also gives the advantage of using pure materials: the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (highly resistant to chemical and abrasion) and PTFE (commonly named Teflon, the best fluoropolymer offering the highest chemical resistant known up to now).
NEW COMPACT STRUCTURE
The Quantum structure and functioning are utterly different from the traditional pumps. One of the main issues of the traditional pumps made of PTFE is that the material offers a low mechanical consistency (strength) and therefore does not support stress neither has flexibility - if compressed, it will remain as so. This issue explains why most of the traditional pumps are reinforced with stainless steel to support stressing operations.Quantum structure offers what the traditional pumps do not: our pump was studied to resolve this mechanical problem without metallic parts needed. "It is a significant characteristic required in some sector, as electronic utilities where semi-conductors production must be metal-free as it could damage the semi-conductors" explains Mr Mariotti. The parts in contact with the liquid are realised in Teflon, whereas the structural ones are located on the external side and offer an excellent mechanical strength. The structural weakness of Teflon material is nullified thanks to an "armoured" external structure made of synthetic materials.
EASY MAINTENANCE & INSTALLATION
Maintenance is one of the strong points for Quantum pumps. Their execution is straightforward, without removing the pump installed on-site. The component subjected to wear such as valves and diaphragms can be substituted safely and easily, only by taking the heads off.SMART ADVANCED AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
Quantum pumps guarantee a reduction of air consumption up to 50% which is a remarkable reduction of costs comparing to conventional AODD pumps. Simple, compact and highly efficient, the smart air distribution system is equipped with an air flow regulator (from 0% to 100%) without pressure variation which is for the command components. A fast-unloading valve helps in reducing the air consumption, and along with an added gasket, the ice formation in the distributor is entirely cancelled.FAST UNLOADING
One of the main issues the AODD pumps is dealing with is the ice formation in the distributor. Indeed, when making the pump functioning with compressed air, the exhausted air expands during the expulsion phase. Expansion lowers the air temperature, and the present humidity freezes up to 30°/40°C turning into ice. This phenomenon affects the distribution system, causing blocking and efficiency loss. However, that's not the case for Quantum pumps! We have resolved the issue by adding a gasket that allows the deviation of exhausted air at low temperature towards the discharge chamber - and no more towards the distribution system.Thanks to the non-return valve, the exhausted air, from diaphragms, does not go back to the distribution but to the discharge chamber, says Mr Mariotti.
Such peculiarity makes the Quantum pumps entirely insensitive to humidity and maintains the efficiency high.
SMART REGULATOR FLOW
Another interesting benefit is the addition of regulation system thanks to a smart tap which allows regulating the flow according to the requirements.Under an insufficient level of liquid to pump, a traditional AODD pump stops because it no longer has the force to make the distributor operating. This condition creates a waste of energy. However, the Quantum pump does not stop, even at 0% air flow. Moreover, Quantum is equipped with internal lines dedicated to the complete liquid removal from the pump bodies.
CERTIFICATIONS
Quantum AODD pumps are suitable to operate in explosive atmospheres classified as Zone 2 (Series II 3/3 GD IIB T4). For applications classified as Zone 1 (Series II 2/2 GD IIB T4), we manufacture pumps made of conductive parts for all versions. Our goal is to obtain certifications related to the nautical and pharmaceutical sectors to forge the path of the Quantum legacy.Mereu, Maria Bonaria "Quantum, la pompa a doppia membrana che segna il futuro". CMI. April 2018. P.9-10.
