The Middle East and North Africa are home to one of the world's most sophisticated storage-terminal networks for refined petroleum products. The market is ripe for significant investment and expansion. Millions of cubic meters (m3 ) of independent tank storage will be made available in the region to support advanced recovery efforts among the region's maturing oil fields. For example, the UAE plans to double its tank capacity during the coming years. The Port of Fujairah recently expanded its storage capacity to 8.67 million m3 with plans to expand to about 12 million m3 by 2017. This expansion will give Fujairah the world's second-largest bunkering capacity behind Singapore's Jurong Island facility. This growth in terminal sites and overall storage capacity in the MENA region will increase demand for pumps. These pumps must be able to handle refined fuel products. At storage terminals, sliding vane pump technology provides the most efficient solution for optimizing throughput rates for refined petroleum products.
03/04/2015
Growth in the MENA region's overall storage capacity will increase demand for pumps at facilities. (Images courtesy of Blackmer)
In sliding vane pumps, the vanes form pumping chambers that transfer fluid as the rotor turns.
Storage terminal operators should consider positive displacement sliding vane pumps as a more efficient, cost-effective replacement for centrifugal pumps. These pumps allow operators to meet energy-saving initiatives while maintaining throughput rates. By integrating this technology with a systems approach to the pumping system, the storage terminal's overall efficiency and profitability will improve.
In sliding vane pumps, several vanes slide in and out of slots in the pump rotor. The vanes form pumping chambers as the vanes move outward and bear against the inner bore of the pump casing. Fluid flows into these chambers as the rotor turns, traveling around the pump casing until it reaches the discharge.
Positive displacement sliding vane pumps can handle a wide range of viscosities, from very thin liquids to liquids up to 50,000 centistokes. Flow rates are directly proportional to the pump's speed and can reach as high as 7,850 liters per minute. The pumps can also effectively generate high pressures when needed for low-flow applications.
The self-adjusting vanes eliminate slip, which robs the system of energy, and ensure high volumetric efficiency. The rotary design minimizes pulsation, while suction-lift and line-stripping capabilities help optimize product recovery. Hydrodynamic journal bearings reduce friction, heat and energy loss. The pumps can also run dry and self-prime.
An average storage terminal facility may spend US$1.4 million annually on energy to run their pumping systems. Sliding vane pumping systems can help produce energy savings averaging about US$350,000 per year.