Sales engineers from T-T Pumps have recently worked with a client in the Maldives to specify a submersible slurry pump for use in the archipelago’s land reclamation efforts.
Land reclamation projects, which involve dredging sand and coral debris from the ocean floor in order to rebuild coastlines affected by rising sea levels, have been underway across some of the country’s islands since the 1990s.
While there have been discussions around the potential environmental impact of the method, the Maldives is a hugely popular tourist destination that is also home to one of the most densely populated capital cities on record. As an archipelago, consisting primarily of ocean that is dotted with hundreds of coral islands sitting less than a metre above sea level, securing more land to develop housing, hospitals and tourist destinations has been essential to ensuring the country’s economy continues to grow and that its residents have the necessary infrastructure and job opportunities to live.
With new land reclamation projects recently announced, T-T Pumps was asked to supply a submersible pump suitable for transferring ocean water heavily laden with sand, coral and other naturally occurring solids.
The team deployed a KTA submersible slurry pump from T-T’s KT Range of contractors pumps, a choice based on its hard-wearing construction and performance when handling troublesome fluids. It has been designed to pump muddy and sandy water in civil engineering. The pump’s high chrome impeller and cast-iron body provide corrosion resistance and longevity in the marine context, while a built-in agitator continuously mixes the incoming media to prevent sand sedimentation, reducing the risk of blockages and diminished pumping performance. The KTA was also chosen as it has a maximum submersion depth of 25 metres and a double mechanical seal that effectively protects the motor from water ingress, making the pump suitable for long term underwater operation.
The KTA submersible slurry pump from T-T Pumps is already in use in the Maldives, assisting in the transfer of sand from the ocean floor to be used as a building material on coastlines affected by rising sea levels.
