Page 32 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec-Jan 2021

32 DEFENCE INDUSTRY
DECEMBER 2020 – JANUARY 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
AUSSIE PUMPS EXPORTS TO SOUTH KOREA
A Sydney base pump manufacturer and defence contractor, Aussie Pumps,
has won a prestigious contract to supply 3” engine drive salvage pumps for the Republic of Korea Navy. The pumps are unique and have applications not only in Korea, but in warships and support vessels through out the world.
"THE original requirement was for a light- weight portable diesel drive salvage pump, capable of handling saltwater,” Chief Engi- neer at Aussie Pumps, John Hales said to ADM. "We'd already developed high pres- sure firefighting pumps for seawater applica- tions in the form of both the Seamaster and Sea Skipper diesel drive machines,” he said.
Those pumps are already in use by the RAN, the Indian, French, Sri Lankan and Bangladesh navies as well.
“The Korean project was a challenge for us because the specification was different to anything that the Royal Australian Navy had asked us for in the past,” Hales said. "We found that we could configure as self priming salvage pump that would deliver in excess of 1,000 litres per minute and han- dle solids in suspension where required. The solid handling issue was a big one, as well as the ability to self prime through a vertical lift of seven metres or more.”
The contract awarded late last year, af- ter months of finessing of specification
and prototypes, is the first of 100 ma- chines destined for this application.
The pumps are powered by Yanmar air cooled 10hp diesel engines with electric start and/recoil backup. The complete pumps are fitted into a stainless steel frame with an 18 litre, 10 hour fuel tank.
Other great features include a huge non-clog style bronze impeller, working in a bronze volute. The body of the pump is made from marine grade aluminium, coated with epoxy paint for additional re- sistance to corrosion. Lastly, the company used all stainless steel fasteners and a sac- rificial anode to help protect the product from corrosion.
“We are pleased with the way the ROKN worked with us on development specifica- tion,” Hales said. “It’s a great thing to work with professionals who know what they want. Our agent in Korea did a superb job of liaison, explaining carefully, and in detail, exactly the customer need for this particular application.”
The pumps, which were Bureau Veri- tas certified before shipment to Korea, have recently passed testing in the Korean Navy base. The unique specification is al- ready attracting interest from other navies around the world.
“It’s a great thing for an Australian com- pany to be innovative and open-minded enough to develop products quickly and efficiently,” Hales said. “At the same time, we take care to listen to the customer to re- ally understand exactly what the require- ments are. There is no doubt the Austra- lian Navy will find similar applications on barges, patrol boats, workboats and maybe even in some larger vessels as well.”
Australian Pumps has had a long and successful relationship with defence ship- builders. The company admits that it owes a lot to the input from RAN personnel and from working on RAN vessels. ■
ABOVE: ROKN staff carry out test certificates at Pusan Naval Base in South Korea.
AUSSIE PUMPS