Intelligent Xylem dewatering pump delivers 60 percent energy savings

Xylem calls its new Flygt Biboα (Flygt Biboalpha) a "breakthrough" dewatering pump that dramatically reduces energy, wear and tear, and maintenance costs. According to the company, Flygt Biboα kicks off the next generation of smart pumps by bringing built-in intelligence to industrial dewatering.

Applying Decision Intelligence, Flygt Biboα automatically adapts to its environment and only operates when needed, delivering energy savings of up to 60 percent when compared to traditional dewatering pumps. Operational wear and tear is also reduced by up to 70 percent as snoring and dry running is minimized, leading to as much as a 50 percent reduction in repair and maintenance costs. Xylem says that the Biboα has 30 percent fewer components, reducing the amount of spare parts inventory needed compared with Xylem's Flygt 2600 and 2800 series dewatering pumps.

Flygt Biboα has two different running modes which can be easily interchanged depending on the application and operating environment. Adaptive mode is typically used when there is a requirement to maintain a constant low water level in the sump – the pump will never stop running, though it will regulate its speed after inflow. If snoring is detected, the pump will slow down to reduce wear, but when water re-enters the sump, the pump will increase its speed until the water level is low again.

By letting the pump run continuously, there is no need for any additional sensor. The incoming water triggers the pump to run, so it will always be ready to respond to changeable conditions in the field.

Level mode consists of two pre-set levels, a start level that is controlled with a built-in-pressure sensor to detect water levels, and a stop level that is triggered when the pump detects snoring. As the pump only operates when needed, for example, when water is above the set level, it optimizes efficiency and reduces both energy consumption and operational wear.

Built on the same integrated power electronics and systems platform as Xylem's wastewater pump, Flygt Concertor, the new Flygt Biboα automatically adapts to the speed and performance in a field instead of a static curve, meaning that the compact 8kW pump can deliver QH-performance that spans the range of a 2kW standard pump, right up to a 10kW standard pump.

Field test of the Flygt Biboα pump

The launch of Flygt Biboα follows rigorous field testing at the Renström mine in Sweden, one of Europe's deepest mines. After three years of continuous collaboration and testing with mine operator New Boliden, Flygt Biboα has delivered product and repair savings of 40 percent, and New Boliden has reduced the cost of its dewatering processes by almost 30 percent.

Commenting on the partnership, Mats Isaksson, senior development engineer at New Boliden said, "Xylem's Flygt Biboα has provided New Boliden with access to a pumping system that can automatically adapt to its environment, accommodating in real-time as conditions change in the field. This new approach to dewatering has transformed our operations, allowing our mining processes to continue without interruption.

"Having worked with New Boliden for more than thirty years, I have watched the mining network evolve into one of the world's busiest mining operations. The move toward becoming fully autonomous is no mean feat, but with trusted partners like Xylem who bring innovative solutions to the table, we are well positioned to reach our goal of becoming the world's first autonomous mine."

The field test at Renström has been so successful that New Boliden has placed a sizable order for more Flygt Biboα pumps, to advance its goal of developing the world's first fully autonomous mine.

Flygt Biboα pump availability

Flygt Biboα is currently available in the Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Africa. The pump is expected to be available to customers globally later this year.