Robert Brown Associates is pleased to announce that it’s SENCILLO ™ model of packaged variable speed booster pump systems have received the UL /cUL – Third Party Certification Stamp by Underwriters Laboratories as a Packaged Pumping System and can be identified with the Listed Mark.
According to the Certificate of Compliance:
“Only those products bearing the UL Listing Mark for the US and Canada should be considered as being covered by UL’s Listing and Follow-Up Service meeting the appropriate requirements for US and Canada.”
Robert Brown Associates’ president, Tom Halley stated, “We decided to pursue 3rd party certification, since it does provide a solid validation to our clients that our product is not just a cheap bit of junk, built in someone’s garage without a comprehensive plan. These systems are a very integral part of a building’s utilities, and our clients need to be assured that they are built with safety and quality in mind. They do operate 24/7, in providing water service to a building, and that’s a pretty important utility on anyone’s gauge.”
The certification program is a comprehensive program whereby UL engineers evaluate the product for compliance to industry standards for packaged pumping systems. To apply for the UL certification, the company prepares written procedures for all aspects of how the pump system is constructed. Drawings and system photographs are provided to complete the documentation.
After reviewing the application, a UL inspector inspected the entire system and components used in building the system. The inspector verifies that everything conforms to the UL requirements. This includes the components, welding procedures, and the devices that are used.
Sample UL Listed Component
Following the initial inspection, a UL inspector conducts regular unannounced visits to the facility to perform inspections. UL as a certifying agency are tasked with ensuring that the product continues to conform to the UL requirements. This is in part, a safety program, and verifies that the product is manufactured using UL approved components (motors, pumps, instrumentation, etc.). If a component is used that is not UL approved, the company can be fined or forfeit the certification.
Control panel fabrication
Samples of our systems have been investigated by UL in accordance with the following standards:
• UL 508 – Industrial Control Equipment
• UL 508A – Industrial Control Panels
• UL 778 – Motor-Operated Water Pumps
• CSA C22.2 No. 14 Industrial Control Equipment
• CSA C22.2 No. 108 – Liquid Pumps
Some purchasers of packaged pump systems require a third party certification label on the products supplied. The purpose of the label is to assure customers of a third party evaluation, inspection program, and a certain level of quality and safety compliance.
There is not a current national requirement for 3rd party certification for packaged booster pump systems. Local state and municipal authorities retain the rights to set their own requirements for what pumping products are acceptable.
UL is a global independent safety science company offering expertise across five key strategic businesses: Product Safety, Environment, Life & Health, Verification Services and Knowledge Services.
A Hot Oil Pump is a specifically designed piece of equipment used to pump heat transfer fluids at high temperatures. These fluids are usually oil based and good for use up to 650 degrees F. Hot oil is used in various industrial operations to heat a process or to maintain temperature in a product or on a piece of equipment.
In the past, the only way to accomplish this heat transfer process was by using hot water or steam on the process side. In today’s industrial environment, heat transfer oil can be used for the same process, but with lower pressure requirements. The use of hot oil also eliminates or reduces corrosion effects on the pipe, equipment and pumps. Finally, in practice, oil produces a much more consistent temperature and flow in the process.
Hot oil pumps are used in many applications, from pharmaceuticals to processing rubber compounds to making asphalt with many varieties in-between. Anything and everything that requires controlled heat can be done with hot oil.
In a typical hot oil heating system, the pump is in a closed circuit, just before the heat source (usually a gas fired boiler or oil heater). The pump is on the process side of the circuit, or the heating load. After leaving the heater, the oil passes through a heat exchanger, where the heat transfer takes place. Heat is removed from the oil by this step and the heat is transferred to the product side. The oil is then returned to the pump, to begin the cycle again.
The type of pump used for this process is typically a centrifugal or positive displacement pump, depending on the flow/pressure characteristics needed in the process.
MP PUMP Company, based in Frazer Michigan (www.mppumps.com) manufactures the HTO series of centrifugal pumps, specifically designed for this application. The HTO line is one of the few close -coupled pumps (where the pump impeller is directly attached to the motor shaft) that can handle the high temperatures of hot oil without special sealing or cooling jackets.
The HTO pump is ideal for use in small spaces because it does not use a long (Lovejoy type) coupling. The pump is designed with a heat sync-type bracket, such that the mechanical seal environment is protected from the heat of the process. This design eliminates the need for external cooling to the seal. The cooling is accomplished with the air around the pump. Most other manufacturers utilize a water cooling system.
Keeping the seal cool is important in a hot oil pump. The diagram below shows how the process temperature is reduced to less than 350 Degrees F as it passes through the bracket assembly to the area of the seal. Because of this design, a less expensive mechanical seal can be used. This keeps the cost of the equipment and the complications of keeping the seal cool down.
The small amount of liquid needed to lubricate the seal then arrives at the seal at a temperature that can be handled by the seal. A cooler seal means a reduced chance of oil distillation and oxidation. This extends seal life.
The key steps that will reduce pump failures?
Maintain oil quality by eliminating air/oil contact. This step reduces distillation and oxidation.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations in your system design for providing the correct expansion/contraction of oil using a nitrogen gas blanket to reduce distillation.
Use the proper oil heater calculations, so as not to “cook” the oil in the heating or heat transfer stages.
Advantages of an HTO Pump:
Pump is insulated
Use highly heat resistant materials
Restricted heat flow back to the seal cavity
Reducing the oil interaction from the pump side is very important
Hot oil in the process of heating can be a smart way to go. If you decide to use hot oil, check out the HTO series to see if it is right for your application.
With higher demand behind them, Robert Brown Associates industrial fluid pump repair & service company, outgrew their current surroundings and have relocated to a much larger facility. “After 28 years in the same location, we saw the growing need to expand the business and add more capacity to service the entire region,” states company president Tom Halley. “With this new facility, we are poised to provide a greater supply of much-needed repair parts, replacement pumps and entire systems for multiple applications.”
The previous facility was approximately 2,400 square feet of space in an industrial park complex. Now the organization is occupying 10,000 square foot facility with upgrades and process reconfigurations to accommodate more pump systems production and improve overall efficiencies.
Robert Brown Associates New Building
“We have added new equipment including new saws and a pipe racking system to process all the raw materials used in the fabrication process.” Halley comments. “Additionally the crane system has been extended to cover the entire shop area and gives us far more flexibility and usage of the production area. Now we have enough room to separate pump repair from fabrication; this is resulting in a cleaner, faster, and far more efficient approach to servicing our customers.”
The new repair center has been reconfigured and updated to include a new grinding station complete with dust collection. To add the finishing touches for repairs and system builds, a brand new paint booth was designed and constructed in the repair center.
To continue the “segment and focus” approach of the facility, a new control panel assembly shop was designed and implemented for further efficiencies and quality control. Halley elaborates, “We design and build our own Sencillo brand control panels. The new and upgraded assembly area allows us to do wiring from the control panel to the motors as well as complete panel testing.
The company is also a regional supplier for many pump manufacturers from around the country. To keep up with the growing demand the stocking inventory system has been completely upgraded. Halley explains, “We are a stocking distributor with over $100,000 of pump parts on-hand and another $100,000 of pumps in inventory. We have added an automated parts system with a racking numbering system for faster service and real-time inventory controls so we are properly stocked and ready for our customers.”
From the production facility, the new space continues into the office area. The layout features a large conference room designed to accommodate customer meetings and consultations. The employee offices and cubicles are strategically arranged to support each area of the business and foster better communication throughout the company. Halley adds, “In addition to streamlining the office space we have added new software and online technologies. A complete online catalog is available to showcase featured equipment and solutions. A brand new distribution management software system was integrated into the business that speeds up quotes, provides accurate inventory tracking and more fluid business operations.”
The new facility location was chosen for it’s proximity to servicing the Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia regions.
Robert Brown Associates new address: 6-C Mount Pleasant Road Aston PA 19014 1-800-777-6906
About Robert Brown Associates
Robert Brown Associates is a full service industrial fluid pump sales and pump systems package provider. The company has over 30 years of experience in pump installations and systems design. Robert Brown Associates was established in 1982 and utilizes facilities, engineered fluid pump staff, service personnel, service vehicles and an extensive inventory from major industrial fluid pump manufacturers. Learn more atwww.rbapump.com
Robert Brown Associates is pleased to offer a full line and large inventory of ANSI pump aftermarket parts manufactured by Aurora Pump. These parts are a direct replacement fit into the Goulds® Model 3196 family of ANSI pumps. The Aurora 3550 series product offers the same quality product as ANSI B73.1 OEM parts, but at a reduced cost to the end user.
Water is becoming a precious commodity for commercial buildings and factories. The cost of using potable water (water that is treated well enough to drink) to do non-potable tasks (flushing toilets, wash-down tasks, cooling tower makeup, irrigation) has become a large expense.
Build owners pay for water usage and the cost of clean drinking water continues to increase. In some cities, the storm drains and sanitary sewer lines are combined into a single stream, either at the building itself, or in the street. Thus, cities are charged with the task of treating rainwater and sanitary sewage as a single stream. Treatment facilities are being overwhelmed, and the cost to separate the lines is cost-prohibitive.
The quick way to relieve this reality is to look at alternative ways to capture and use rainwater.
Rain run-off from the roof and parking lot is free. The key is to capture rain water for non-potable use.
A rainwater collection system is comprised of a pump system, a series of piping and valves, a tank, a diverter valve and a filtration system for the first capture from the storm drains. The pump is then designed to pull water from the tank and deliver it under pressure to the intended use.One use of rainwater in facilities is for flushing toilets. In this case, the water is pressurized and delivered to a plumbing header dedicated to some or all toilets in the facility.
Another use that is a natural for rainwater is cooling tower makeup. Buildings that employ cooling towers as part of their air conditioning system have a regular demand for makeup water, as the water in the tower evaporates during the general course of the process. This can be a significant amount of water in larger commercial towers, and is a natural for rainwater.
Of course, rainwater is also a natural for irrigation – the watering of building plants, grasses and athletic fields.
Rainwater Harvesting Pump System
A rainwater collection system can also earn points towards earning LEEDS Certification, in that it reduces overall water usage and drainage off of a building site.
To get a rainwater collection system started in the facility, a professional from Robert Brown Associates consults with the engineer or the customer. Many factors are reviewed including where to put the tank(s), what type of material to use (plastic, steel, fiberglass, etc.), system pressure needs, and flow needs based on the usage assigned to the system.
Then the elements of the system are integrated into a single system design, with controls, and a system backup to serve the needs when rainwater supplies run low.
Existing buildings can be retrofitted using a series of tanks, where existing doorways prohibit entry of larger tanks into a building mechanical room. Tanks can be installed underground or in the basement of a building, depending on the facility.
Series of interconnected Rain Collection Tanks in Existing Building with limited doorway width
Screenshot of the Rainwater Control System
A control system including a flow meter tells how much rainwater the facility has used and it will even calculate the savings.Robert Brown Associates can supply all the equipment, write the specifications, and perform the startup and system maintenance on the system. A complete training is conducted with the customer for the system so that everyone understands the mechanics, controls and operations.
Rainwater collection systems have been installed in universities, hospitals food processing plants and many other facilities around the country.
Robert Brown Associates Rainwater Collection System Installations:
Drexel University
University of Miami
Broughal Middle School
Tasty Baking Company
Friends School in Philadelphia
Rainwater Collection System installed at the Friends School in Philadelphia
New ASME/ANSI Industrial Pump Breaks Into Local Market
King of Prussia, PA – October, 2010 – Fresh from extensive training in Aurora, Illinois, members of Robert Brown Associates are conducting a full-scale product introduction of the new 3500 Series ASME/ANSI pump from Aurora Pumps. “The Aurora 3550 product line is a unique product, in that is covers the majority of the ANSI size range and it has an interchangeable design with several industrial pump manufacturers.” states Robert Brown company president Tom Halley. “For the first time, we are able to use one line of equipment to address the replacement and repair needs of customers who have various pump applications.”
The new line has a broad range of engineered options and upgrades that will support a variety of process requirements and meet most any fluid processing application. The equipment is specifically designed for the tough applications, including abrasives and corrosives. Halley states, “We serve numerous industries and see many harsh environments. The new line will give our customers a more robust solution to handle their needs.”
The ASME/ANSI B73.1M Model 3550 boasts capacities up to 4,200 G.P.M. and heads to 725 feet while performing in temperatures up to 343° C and pressures to 375 PSIG. The 3550 comes in 24 sizes, classified by groupings, namely the 3550-S, 3550-M/L and 3550-XL.
These models were developed with standard features that withstand the most difficult applications and maximize the mean-time-between-failures (MTBF).
The heavy duty casing increases reliability, reduces maintenance effort and allows for maximum life from the ANSI pump. Heavy duty bearings on the 3550 were designed for maximum hydraulic loads with optional duplex (40°/40° angular contact) thrust bearings. Features that help prolong bearing life include an oversized shaft to reduce vibrations, labyrinth oil seals to prevent external contaminants, large capacity oil sump for cooler oil temperatures and better heat transfer and a magnetic drain plug to remove particles.
Robert Brown Associates now has the complete line of pumps in stock and ready for installation. The technicians and staff are fully trained and have the proper equipment, tools and technology for installations in the region.
Aurora (www.aurorapump.com) Founded in 1919, Aurora is a leading pump and system supplier devoted to designing and manufacturing a wide variety of pumps and systems used in an ever expanding variety of markets and applications throughout the world. Aurora is located in North Aurora, Illinois USA with distribution throughout North America and Canada. Aurora is a part of Pentair Pump Group, Inc., a division of Pentair, Inc.
Robert Brown Associates is a factory authorized sales, service and repair company for fluid pumps. The company services Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Founded in 1982, the company has grown to include a complete repair facility with trained and certified technicians available on a 24/7 basis. The company represents top manufactures from around the world and maintains a complete inventory of pumps, parts and support equipment. www.rbapump.com
Part of devastating damage to the city of New Orleans after Hurrican Katrina was caused by the failure of water infrastructure systems throughout the city. To protect the city during future hurricane seasons, the Army Corps of Engineers worked to reconstruct levees and install new pumps; however, things didn’t go as planned in 2006. That’s when the Army Corps of Engineers turned to Pentair’s Fairbanks Morse to provide eleven new pumps for the city’s 17th Street canal. Despite an extraordinarily compressed schedule, Fairbanks Morse delivered the new pumps in time for the start of hurricane season 2007.
Designed, Built and Delivered in Record Time
Fairbanks Morse was awarded a contract for 11 massive pumps to be installed in New Orlean’s 17th Street canal. Fairbanks’ ability to deliver on the contract in just six months, approximately one third of the time it would normally take under the best of conditions, was key. “Usually a project like this will take from 15 to 24 months from design to completion,” said Sam Wood, Director of Sales, Fairbanks Morse.
This timing is especially remarkable given the sheer size of the pumps, which required a high level of customization by Fairbanks Morse. “These pumps are extremely large and they are all custom-built,” said Wood. “We started with nothing. There were no parts available. All the castings had to be made and all the fabrication work had to be done. With eleven pumps, it was quite an effort.”
By July 1, 2007, Fairbanks Morse designed, built, and delivered eleven propeller pumps: each weighed 85,000 pounds and required its own semi-trailer truck for delivery, and each pump featured a 72’ discharge and is capable of pumping 156,800 gallons of water per minute. “It was a seven-day-a-week project for us but we delivered,” said Wood.
The new propeller pumps added needed capacity to the city’s existing water infrastructure, which drains storm run-off from the city. Previously, the 17th Street Canal had eighteen installed pumps which moved approximately 3,600 cubic feet per second (CFS) of water. The new Fairbanks pumps added an additional 3,850 CFS (or 1,724,800 gallons per minute) capacity. This added capacity will support the safety of New Orleans during future hurricane seasons.
About Fairbanks Morse
Fairbanks Morse offers a broad range of products serving the municipal, commercial and industrial markets including large split case, vertical turbine and vertical turbine solids-handling (VTSH®) pumps, and vortex and propeller pumps. Past Fairbanks projects include pumps with diameters as large as 140 inches and with capacities of up to one million gallons per minute.
Robert Brown Associates Local Distributor for Fairbanks Morse Pumps
Robert Brown Associates, based in King of Prussia PA, is the authorized distributor for Fairbanks Morse Pump in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. To discuss an application, call T 610-3540-0200.
Robert Brown Associates is pleased to offer a new Lunchtime Seminar called “Rainwater Collection/Management Pumping Systems”.
The seminar is focused on providing a continued learning experience for plumbing engineers, by teaching a detailed look at the design of new green building rainwater pumping system design, including the use/effects of:
v Gutter Diverter Valves
v Collection Tanks
v Pump Sequencing Schemes
v Variable Speed Pump Curves
v Overflow Piping
v Water Treatment Methods
v Backup City Water Piping Controls
The seminar is a PowerPoint® presentation with effective and thought-provoking visual graphics showing the relationship between each of the components of a system in operation, and is a terrific way to fully understand the dynamics of rainwater collection and pressure boosting in buildings. The seminar lasts 45 minutes, during lunch, compliments of our company. You simply schedule the day and time you would like the presentation, make arrangements for a local caterer to bring in lunch, and give us a list of the attendees that day. We pay for lunch and do the rest!
If you would like to schedule a seminar at your office, simply send us an email with potential dates, and we’ll call you to schedule the event.
Robert Brown Associates is pleased to offer a new Lunchtime Seminar called “Variable Speed Pump Systems Dynamics”.
The seminar is focused on providing a continued learning experience for plumbing and HVAC engineers, by teaching a detailed look at the design of constant speed and variable speed water booster pump design, including the effects of:
v Pressure Reducing Valvesv Centrifugal Pump Curves
v Duplex Pump Sequencing Schemes
v Variable Speed Pump Curves
v Bladder Tanks
v Pressure Transducers
v Pump Controller Design
The seminar is a PowerPoint® presentation with effective and thought-provoking visual graphics showing the relationship between each of the components of a system in operation, and is a terrific way to fully understand the dynamics of pressure boosting in buildings. The seminar lasts 45 minutes, during lunch, compliments of our company.
You simply schedule the day and time you would like the presentation, make arrangements for a local caterer to bring in lunch, and give us a list of the attendees that day.
We pay for lunch and do the rest!
If you would like to schedule a seminar at your office, simply send us an email with potential dates, and we’ll call you to schedule the event.
Robert Brown Associates is pleased to announce a new contract to represent RICHTER PUMPS, a major manufacturer of teflon-lined magnetic drive process pumps.
RICHTER is an IDEX company and is a well known name in the process valve and pump business, having over 50 years of experience in process applications. Richter is based in Kempen, Germany, with the product stocked in the USA in Texas.
Their primary product is a sealless magnetic drive ANSI centrifugal pump, lined with teflon, for corrosive and dangerous fluid applications, where leakage through mechanical seals is not acceptable. Applications include effective pumping of HCL, sulfuric and nitric acids, Caustics, High Purity solutions, sodium hydroxide, pharmaceutical fluids, and scrubber fluid applications.
The RMA product line can be applied to applications where a magnetic drive pump is preferred over sealed pumps. The RMA is built as a direct drive base mounted coupled unit (RMA) or as a close coupled unit (RMA-B).
King of Prussia, PA – October, 2010 – Fresh from extensive training in Aurora, Illinois, members of Robert Brown Associates are conducting a full-scale product introduction of the new 3500 Series ASME/ANSI pump from Aurora Pumps. “The 
