+49 (0)6181-424-7300 sales@blacoh.com

Job Stories

Click on a job story below to read more.
SUBMIT YOUR STORY
Modular, Skid Mounted Chemical Dosing System

Modular, Skid Mounted Chemical Dosing System

Problem: A treatment plant required modular, skid mounted chemical dosing systems to accurately and reliably inject coagulant, flocculant, and peroxide into the process. The client needed a solution that combined high dosing accuracy with built in safety, while minimizing operational risk, startup time, and field installation complexity.

Because multiple chemicals were being injected at different points in the process, the system also had to protect against pulsation, pipe blockages, and overpressure events while ensuring repeatable, consistent dosing performance.

Pulsation Control in Hi-Temp Coffee Extraction Towers

Pulsation Control in Hi-Temp Coffee Extraction Towers

Problem: The Coffee Manufacturer operates interconnected vertical extraction towers where hot water is circulated at extreme temperatures to produce coffee extract. During operation, the customer observed:

- Rapid water evaporation above 175°C resulting in air pockets inside pipelines
- Slow-reacting temperature instruments, allowing entrained air to persist
- Centrifugal pumps forced to move both air and liquid, leading to:
• Severe water hammer
• Excessive piping vibration
• Damage to plate evaporators and instrumentation
• Partially filled distribution lines on startup, requiring air displacement before flow could stabilize—intensifying water hammer

These issues disrupted extraction quality, compromised equipment life, and increased maintenance cost.

A review of the extraction tower circulation system revealed two primary contributors to the instability:

1. Air Entrapment Due to High-Temperature Evaporation
At 175°C, water rapidly vaporizes. Air and vapor bubbles accumulated in the recirculation lines and plate evaporators. Because the system’s temperature instrumentation responded slowly, air remained trapped far longer than expected—allowing pumps to ingest and compress air repeatedly.

2. Pumping System Not Designed to Handle Vapor Pockets
The 1½” centrifugal pumps recirculating extract between stages were forced to push air through evaporators and distribution lines. This caused major hydraulic consequences:

- Violent pressure spikes (water hammer)
- Resonant vibration in vertical and horizontal piping sections
- Structural stress on evaporators and associated equipment
- This unstable flow environment also threatened extract consistency and overall process quality.

Water Hammer in Wash-Water Header

Water Hammer in Wash-Water Header

Problem: A Midwest sugar processing operation needed a surge suppression solution that could:

- Absorb hydraulic shock from six 3/4" wash-water valves closing rapidly.
- Handle an estimated 300 GPM flow.
- Fit within tight piping constraints.
- Integrate with both old and new centrifugal configurations.
- Stay within the system's #150 flange / 275 PSIG pressure rating.

The team gathered detailed system information including flow estimates, pipe schedule, pressure limits, and isometric drawings. A surge control engineer reviewed the system and collaborated with the company to understand the transient conditions. A Teams call was held to walk through the piping schematic and confirm installation points.

Diesel Transfer Pump

Diesel Transfer Pump

Problem: The diesel transfer pumps on an offshore platform had never operated reliably or automatically since installation. This forced operators to transfer diesel to the electrical generators manually, resulting in significant delays and safety risks.

Chronic issues included:
• Recurring diaphragm ruptures
• Diesel leakage at the muffler
• Hose failures
• Excessive vibration in pump and piping
• Frequent instrument damage (pressure transmitters, PSVs, filter elements)
• Low and inconsistent transfer pressure
• Extremely long transfer times (6–8 hours for a 30% fill)

Root Causes Identified:
1. Pump suction pressure significantly exceeded recommended limits, producing severe water hammer effects and subjecting PTFE diaphragms to damaging pressure spikes.
2. Process air regulator pressure was set too high, further increasing pressure peaks and accelerating failures.
3. The original pump design lacked necessary stabilizing accessories to control pulsation and protect downstream components.

Transport of Copper Bearing Solution in Remote Mining

Transport of Copper Bearing Solution in Remote Mining

Problem: A mining facility in Chile required a reliable and flexible solution to recover and transport copper-bearing solution just over 2 miles (3.5 km), from the leach pad to the process ponds. The operation had to be performed in a harsh, remote environment with no fixed infrastructure, while minimizing pressure losses and allowing the system to be easily relocated based on operational needs.

Spill Prevention in Contact Lens Factory

Spill Prevention in Contact Lens Factory

Problem: A highly sterile production facility manufacturing liquid materials for contact lens production experienced a critical failure of an air operated diaphragm pump. The pump’s diaphragm ruptured, causing the expensive chemical product to spill across the floor. Beyond the immediate material loss, the incident created contamination risks in a controlled cleanroom environment and exposed the process to costly downtime.

View All Dosing Filling Water Hammer Spill Prevention Filter Metering Injecting Pulsation Dampening Spray Coating Transfer Inlet Stabilization
JOB STORIES
View All Modular, Skid Mounted Chemical Dosing System Pulsation Control in Hi-Temp Coffee Extraction Towers Water Hammer in Wash-Water Header Diesel Transfer Pump Transport of Copper Bearing Solution in Remote Mining Spill Prevention in Contact Lens Factory Label Adhesive Application Chronic Pulsation Issues at Power Plant in Central PA Chemical Process Leak in Boston Achieving Even Application of Screen Coating Reliable Rosin Size Dosing Chemical Compatibility Diaphragm Failure Pump Inlet Cavitation in Power Gen Facility Deionized Water Dosing in R&D Lab Pulsation in Sulfuric Acid Feed Deep Well Injection Aeration and Pulsation of Cleaning Products Filling Hose Failure due to Pulsation Filter Screen Damage from Pulsation Clogged Filters Causing False Gauge Readings Chemical Feed Injection Pulsation Low-Viscosity Injection Pulsation Oil and Gas Long Suction Vibration Diaphragm Pump Failures in Soup Can Manufacturing Diaphragm Failure Causes Repeated Spills in Paint Manufacturing Chemical Manufacturing Excessive Inlet Pressure Reciprocating Pump Pulsation in Power Plant Chemical Injection Pump Vibration Steel Manufacturing Descaling Pulsation Effect of Improper Dampener Application AODD Pump Pulled from Concrete Submarine Constrained Piping Acceleration Head Wastewater Transfer Pulsation Hazardous Waste AODD Containment Failure Paint Manufacturing Abrasive Slurry Diaphragm Failure Decontamination Facility Spray Pulsation Poultry Processing Diaphragm Pump Vibration Pharmaceutical Pump-Induced Pipe Vibration Aerospace Pump-Induced Pulsation Wastewater Sludge Transfer Pump Pulsation Wastewater Sludge Pump Pulsation Bottling Line Water Hammer Tool Manufacturing Manifold Startup Shock Commercial Restroom Flush Water Hammer Resin Plant Drum Filling Water Hammer Pharmaceutical Valve-Induced Water Hammer Hydraulic Transients in Pump Station Surge Causes Highway Shutdown Check Valve Backflow Water Hammer