Monthly Archives: June 2019

The Western Cape Province of South Africa has been afflicted with severe drought for three consecutive years starting in 2015, brought about by El Niño and very low rainfall ⁽¹⁾. Consequently, this drought resulted in water shortage in different areas of the province such as the Hessequa Municipality.

To alleviate the water shortage, the municipality of Hessequa together with the French Treasury, funded the construction of a reverse osmosis plant energized by solar power—prospected to be the first of its kind in South Africa ⁽²⁾. The solar desalination plant, which will collect water from the Breede River Estuary, is expected to produce 100,000 liters of water per day ⁽³⁾.

Starting its operation in December 2018, the Witsand Desalination Plant has since then produced more than 10 million liters of drinking water, providing consistent water supply to some 3,000 residents of  Hessequa ^{(4, 5)}. Apart from addressing water shortage, the solar desalination plant can contribute to reducing

Chemker 300 and Rocker 300C are among Sterlitech’s popular vacuum pumps offering excellent chemical resistance. Both pumps are resistant to acid, alkali, and organic solutions, which allows for a wide variety of microbiology testing applications.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) serves as their primary protection against harsh chemicals; however, there designs incorporate PTFE differently. The diaphragm and chamber of Rocker 300C are PTFE-coated, built with a valve made of a chemical resistant SS316 stainless steel. In contrast, all parts of Chemker 300 that can be exposed to chemicals are made of PTFE.

While the PTFE coating of Rocker 300C is made to be durable, it can wear off over time exposing the underlying material, especially if used with abrasive substances. Also, its stainless-steel valve does not offer the same level of resistance as PTFE, especially with halides, and strong acids and bases (1).

Chemker 300C avoids all these potential issues by having its parts completely made of

The Hydracell pump is a sealless positive displacement pump used to generate cross flow in our filtration systems equipped with cross flow test cells . The sealless design enables it to handle abrasives and particulates; the positive displacement design enables the pump to generate consistent flow rates regardless of the operating pressures up to 1100 psi (76 bar).

To ensure optimal performance of the pump over extended periods, observe the proper operation and conduct regular maintenance. Here are some of our tips for ensuring a reliable Hydracell pump.

Before Starting Up

Check the pump for the following items:

1. All pressure control valves in the system are open
2. Pump has adequate supply of fluid in the feed tank
3. All connections in the pump inlet and outlet are tight
4. Oil level is ¾ inch (20 mm) from the top of the fill port

Recommended Operating Condition

Maximum operating temperature: 160 °F (71 °C) (specified on the pump body)

NOTE: A few of our pump units can be operated up