Dewatering is one of the most hazardous tasks when mining, quarrying, or tunnelling. Personnel such as drill operators are exposed to risk as they enter drilling and blasting areas to prime or move dewatering pumps, avoid trailing electrical cables in wet and obscured conditions, and navigate other hazards.
Dewatering pumps also need frequent attention. They must move often to avoid damage from rock falls or blast zones, and they incur heavy wear from ingesting large objects and shotcrete residue. All these factors add to frequent maintenance, component replacement, and manual interventions—especially for priming and snoring.
Safe, reliable, and efficient dewatering
Xylem has developed the Godwin Rig Pump to tackle these specific dewatering challenges. This self-priming pump system solves the toughest dewatering challenges in mining by seamlessly integrating with drilling rigs and using state-of-the-art technology. The pump sits at the back of a drilling rig and can be controlled directly from the rig’s cabin. The suction section and front pipe sit near the drilling face, removing the need for a submersible pump. The electric cables remain with the rig and away from the active drilling area or trailing behind the rig.
The Godwin Rig Pump can operate in intermittent flows, avoiding the high wear caused by snoring. It has the unique ability to run dry indefinitely, thanks to its liquid oil bath mechanical seal, solid silicon carbide rotating and stationary elements, and high-abrasion resistant faces. This pump is equipped with a hard-iron Flygt NC non-clog impeller, enabling it to handle troublesome shotcrete fibres, and the pipeline uses a pan strainer to manage large objects and other clogging hazards. It incorporates a non-return valve to protect the pump’s prime and avoid problems such as water hammer pressure surges.
Built to last under the harshest conditions, the Godwin Rig Pump sets the benchmark for mine, quarry, and tunnel dewatering:
- Suction connection: 100mm (4in) flange
- Delivery connection: 80mm (3in) flange
- Max capacity: 160 m³/hr (44l/s) (705 USGPM)
- Max impeller diameter: 214mm
- Max operating temperature: 80ºC (176ºF)
- Max pressure: 7 Bar (101 psi)
- Max suction pressure: 2.8 Bar (40 psi)
- Max casing pressure: 10.5 Bar (152 psi)
- Max operating speed: 3560 rpm
The next generation of dewatering pumps, now in Africa
Xylem’s Godwin Rig Pump has proven its strength in several major mining markets and is now available to African operators. Mines, quarries, and anyone with extreme dewatering requirements can integrate these new, easy-to-move compact pump systems that improve performance and reduce site risks.
“Underground and quarry dewatering is very hazardous work, and it’s also very hard on dewatering pumps. Our designers and engineers looked closely at the specific issues that hamper traditional pumps, and worked with our extensive field experience to develop a next-generation dewatering pump that addresses those issues. The Godwin Rig Pump is not simply a new dewatering solution. It’s superior in every way to previous options, improving safety, performance, efficiency, and lifetime value,” says Chetan Mistry, Strategy and Marketing Manager at Xylem Africa.
The Godwin Rig Pump provides faster and longer drilling without downtime while lowering costs, with anti-clogging features, dry-run protection, and a non-return valve to significantly reduce pump wear and damage. Compact and designed for rig operations, it reduces hazard risks from accessing the drill area or managing electrical trailing cables.
Contact Xylem or one of the many Xylem partners and ask about the Godwin Rig Pump, the new standard for safe, reliable, and efficient dewatering.
For more information, please visit https://www.xylem.com/en-za/campaigns/godwin-rig-pump/?utm_source=africa-marketing&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=2024-product-article.
