Pumping equipment

Our motorised pumps use a hydrostatic transmission to drive rotors at variable speed and remotely control power with high levels of performance. The system is essentially comprised of a hydraulic pump actuated by the rotor of a wind turbine and/or by an electric or thermoelectric motor, which sends a hydraulic fluid (high pressure oil) to a hydraulic motor which, in turn, activates the rotor of a pump submerged in water via two flexible conducts, forming a closed circuit.

The reliability and reduced size of the components (pumps and variable speed hydraulic motors) make these systems ideal for installation in small but critical areas such as deep wells.

Diagram showing an example of a reservoir pumping system

The special design of our motorised pumps eliminates the main mechanical problem faced by all submersible pumps:  axial load.

The axial load created when the pressure of the fluid acts on rotors of the pumps is transmitted along the pump shafts to the bearings, shortening the useful life of electric submersible pumps or restricting the depth at which pumps powered by long mechanical shafts can be installed.

ADES pumping equipment does not have this problem, since the axial load is balanced out by another load in the opposite direction created by the pressure of the hydraulic fluid, thus maintaining balanced loads in any operating conditions. This special feature allows ADES to design and manufacture long-lasting motorised pumps (20,000 hours) that require no maintenance and can be installed at depths of up to 350 metres. On ADES systems, the hydraulic fluid acts not only as a means of transmitting power, but also as a lubricant and a coolant.

Furthermore, the option to perform gradual start and stop phases reduces hammering, extending the useful life of the system.

Diagram showing an example of a system for pumping from a free-flowing watercourse

Matching the point of optimal performance with the required levels of flow rate and manometric head is now an easy task for the project designer.

For both centrifugal pumps (up to 200 l/s and 350 m in depth) and for axial flow pumps (up to 3,000 l/s and 6 m.c.w.), ADES can provide a list of head, flow rate, torque and absorbed power details for optimal performance points at different revolutions to help project designers to find the most suitable option for each case. For example, slow pumps for cases of sand abrasion or where there is a risk of cavitation (shallow watercourses, reservoirs, etc.) or fast pumps (5,000 r.p.m) for cases requiring high flow rates in wells with small diameter casings.

This flexibility means that our pumps can be adapted to variations in level (on drops, in aquifers or in areas affected by tides) and changing flow rates, whether due to varying pumping requirements or for any other reason.

By simply changing the speed of our equipment, they can easily be adapted to the new conditions without having to close valves which could lead to overloads and cause them to consume higher levels of specific energy.

Diagram showing an example of an online re-pumping unit

For shallower wells (<80 m) and those that are not continuously in use, our technology allows us to design portable units to be suspended from the tractor and powered by the tractor's power take-off, as though it was a farming implement.   A hydraulic capstan winch can lift and lower the suspended motorised pump by the hoses, to which the aluminium pipes are connected for the water discharge. The unit can be assembled and disassembled in less than an hour and can be used to pump in several wells, avoiding the need to purchase several pumps. Their economic and easy-to-assemble/disassemble design makes them ideal for use as pumping units on shallow wells.

Another of the many applications for underground water, and perhaps the most profitable, is its use as a vehicle for carrying solar heat and its industrial application in climate control systems (homes, farms, greenhouses, cold chambers, frost prevention systems, crop advancement, etc.) and systems for drying products using heat pumps. ADES can offer solutions that require 3 to 4 times less energy to provide the same results. It is important to clarify that this application does not require geothermal water, in fact with well-water temperatures of between 9 and 10° C we can obtain hot water for use at up to 50° C and cold water up to 4° C.

In cases where hot water is pumped from geothermal aquifers, our equipment can operate perfectly at temperatures close to boiling without the need for major modifications.

In cases where the water is pumped from flowing watercourses, our technology enables us to design mobile structures powered by hydraulic motors acting as cranes that carry the submersible motorised pump at the end. This solution prevents the need for costly water intake structures and facilitates priming and maintenance work.  These units can be installed on mobile platforms to be used for back-up or emergency pumps or on permanent concrete foundations.

For cases where water needs to be transported over long distances or up steep inclines, our online re-pumping systems accelerates the fluid to ensure in can be transported wherever necessary, operating in perfect synchronisation with the pumps listed above, as though functioning as a single system, thanks to its variable speed function.  This solution removes the need for intermediate reservoirs and reduces the required pressure rating of pipes.

In a wider sense, in cases where there are clean surface waters in basins with almost no regulation, this system can be used as an artificial aquifer replenishment system, taking advantage of the head to produce energy. The well which connects the surface and the underground aquifer serves as an element of a reversible system that is capable of extracting and receiving water, consuming and generating energy by means of well turbine pumps and integrated within one same concept.

In areas with significant wind energy potential, our pendular design wind turbines with axial thrust power regulation at variable speed can adapt to the most common wind regime, using the energy captured:

a) To hydraulically drive our motorised pumps

b) As a back-up for other types of motors (electric or diesel), reducing their levels of consumption

c) To power electric generators connected to the mains network

All the hydraulic machines described here can be used on sites with powers of up to 250 HP per unit.

At ADES, motorised pumps can be driven by any type of main motor (electric, diesel, tractor, wind turbine, turbine) either independently or as part of a group with their powers combined. These motors can be installed nearby or far away from the well, but always at surface level to facilitate inspection and maintenance.

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