Air-Aqua FlowFriend junior ( 0-40 m³ ) 10430

Air-Aqua FlowFriend junior ( 0-40 m³ )

The FlowFriend Junior

The FlowFriend pumps are far ahead in the field of energy-efficient water pumping. The FlowFriend series complies with the highest industrial MEI class (above 0.7) and falls in the category “best available technology”. The MEI class, the Minimum Efficiency Index, is related to the efficiency of both the motor and the hydraulics of the pump and is a guideline, set up in 2012, to make energy savings on water pumps mandatory. As of 2015, the EU will require a minimum MEI of 0.4.
The FlowFriend program has now been further expanded with the FlowFriend Junior. The Junior has many similarities with the current FlowFriend models, but also several striking differences.
The FlowFriend Junior:

• motor with protection class IP67
• extremely energy efficient
• external controller - short-circuit proof and IP66
• 0-10V / 0-20mA / 4-24mA external control
• adjustable 2-40 m3 / hour / 20-370 Watt / 500-3000 rpm
• without fan - very quiet
• IE6: latest generation permanent magnet motor (EC / BLDC)
• 5.5 meter delivery head

The main difference in the construction of the pump is that the motor and the control electronics are separated from each other. Because the pump does not require a cooling fan, the motor complies with IP class 67. The electronics can be mounted in an easily accessible place and can be controlled remotely in several ways. The control box, pump and cable are fully EMC shielded.

The extremely efficient design of the pump has remained. In addition, losses are minimized in the hydraulics, the engine and the control electronics.
The maximum efficiency of the hydraulics at full load is above 85%, of the engine above 94% and of the steering above 98%. The motor meets the most recent, not yet officially released IE6 standard for energy efficiency.

The hydraulics of the Junior are, like the other FlowFriend pumps, made of stainless steel 316 and of the mixed-flow type. That means a delivery head of up to 5.5 meters and an adjustable flow rate of up to 40 m3 / h, so that the pump has a large application range for efficient use. The pump is fully adjustable (500-3000 rpm) by means of an external control.

The control electronics

The FlowFriend is supplied with short-circuit proof control electronics and is / has as standard:

• keypad
• short-circuit proof
• internal EMC filter
• Modbus RTU
• CANopen
• analog inputs (0-10V / 0-20mA / 4-20mA)
• digital inputs
• IP66

The absorbed power can also be read via this control. The Junior can be controlled remotely via the many analog and digital inputs.

The major advantage of permanent magnet motors compared to frequency-controlled asynchronous motors is the remarkably high efficiency at low speeds. However, they are also significantly more economical in the higher rev range.

Ingenious pump housings
The hydraulics of a pump consist of the pump impeller and the pump housing. The hydraulics of the FlowFriend are made entirely of cast SS316. Robust, smooth and perfectly shaped for minimal internal losses.
The hydraulics determine:
to a large extent the total efficiency of the pump
the suitability of the pump for a particular application.

Dry runner or wet runner
The FlowFriend is a dry installed pump with a shaft seal (gland). In terms of energy and safety, this technique is a superior choice compared to so-called wet runners (where the anchor of the pump rotates in the water). That is why in industrial applications almost only pumps with a shaft seal are used. Because the armature and the stator are placed extremely close to each other in dry runners, they have significantly less energy loss during operation compared to wet runners. So there is always a compromise with wet runners. If the distance between stator and armature is very small, the risk of damage due to dirt trapped between armature and stator is very high. However, if the distance increases, the energy losses of the pump increase by the square.
If the stator side is damaged in a wet runner, direct contact between the core (with voltages above 300V) and the water is possible. A wet runner is therefore not recommended for applications where people touch or swim in the water.