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Amarinth Feasibility Study
Pump manufacturer Amarinth has vast experience of designing and = delivering=20 high=E2=80=93performance customised pumps for industrial, chemical and = hydrocarbon=20 applications but there remained one particular unmet market need = =E2=80=93 the total=20 elimination of cavitation no matter what duty. Together with the = Integrated=20 Products Manufacturing KTN, Amarinth came up with a = state=E2=80=93of=E2=80=93the=E2=80=93art solution=20 that could dramatically improve pump performance. With the KTN = continuing to=20 support the company as it sources funding to take its idea forward, = Amarinth is=20 confident that its innovation could save industry significant sums of = money and=20 tonnes of CO2 and generate revenue of =C2=A39 million a year in the = future.
Cavitation has long been a recognised problem in centrifugal pumps = =E2=80=93 which=20 make up around 70 per cent of global sales. Caused when parts of a = pumped fluid=20 are flashed into vapour bubbles which forcefully collapse on the = rotating=20 impeller vanes causing pitting and vibration, cavitation results in = process=20 inefficiencies, increased energy use, pump downtime and maintenance = costs. "We=20 brought together a team of technology experts from across our innovation = network=20 to come up with a smart solution that would enable pumps to deal with = peaks and=20 troughs of pressure," explains Andy Dean of on behalf of the KTN.
![](3D"http://www.integratedproductsktn.org.uk/images/Amarinth_1.JPG")
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The study confirmed that optimising the design of impellers offered = the best=20 opportunity of enabling pumps to operate at their 'Best Efficiency = Point' (BEP).=20 A project plan was put together for the research and development of a=20 cost-effective rapid manufacturing process for high value BEP customised = impellers incorporating functionally graded structures for increased = wear and=20 corrosion resistance. The project will also create an intelligent = condition=20 monitoring and control system to maintain operation at the BEP using = tunable=20 diffuser vanes so that the pump can operate in the most energy efficient = manner.=20
![](3D"http://www.integratedproductsktn.org.uk/images/amarinth_2.jpg")
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Above, an image of a centrifugal pump
With the capabilities required for this research extending beyond = those of=20 Amarinth's in=E2=80=93house team, the KTN called on its extensive = knowledge of UK=20 companies' strengths to involve key innovators and build a consortium. = Interest=20 was high =E2=80=93 not least because of the platform technology's = diverse applications =E2=80=93=20 from chemicals to water to CO2 sequestration. "The KTN helped us = facilitate a=20 project that we would otherwise not have got off the ground," says = Oliver=20 Brigginshaw, Managing Director of Amarinth. "Day to day pressures = prevent us=20 focusing enough time on the big things that will shape our future. We = are very=20 excited about the global impact of this project and firmly believe it = will=20 deliver".
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