Britannia Zinc refines its pumping processes

There can be few industrial environments as harsh on equipment as those found in metal refining. In the production of lead and zinc bullion, Britannia Zinc uses one of the largest blast furnaces of its kind to produce these valuable metals, and also produces more than 600 tonnes a day of sulphuric acid, as a consequence of the removal of sulphur from the metal ores during the sintering process.

A number of other caustic liquid wastes are produced at the site, many of which can be recycled, and that process calls for continuous pumping capability, which is one of the reasons why Britannia chose a Bredel SPX50 peristaltic pump.

Dealing with hot (+20°C to +30°C) lead sludge at a pH of anything between 8 and 10, the Bredel pump works continuously 24 hours a day to move this and other waste streams, including lime slurry and weak acidic liquors. Britannia found the maintenance costs to be minimal compared to most other types of pump. Duncan MacAulay, Engineering Superintendent said: "The Bredel pump exactly fitted the bill."