The Spanish KSB Group company KSB ITUR was awarded a contract to supply of 57 cooling pumps for a particle accelerator known as “Synchrotron Alba,” which is currently under construction. The process pumps are designed for flow rates of up to 646 cu meters and a maximum discharge head of 134 meters. The pump motors have a total power of 1,600 kW. The pump sets primarily transport treated water for cooling electric components.
The particle accelerator, which is 20 kilometers from Barcelona, Spain, is a major medical, scientific and industrial research facility in Southern Europe. Underneath the impressive exterior, electrons race at speeds approaching the speed of light in a circular tunnel with a circumference of 270 meters. Scientists view “Synchrotron Alba” as a means with which to investigate the internal molecular structures of certain materials. In the last few years, particle accelerators helped provide the information that was needed to develop better medicines for fighting diseases such as AIDS and to engineer more effective filters for reducing the CO2 emissions of motor vehicles.
Although the project was settled back in 1994, actual construction work did not begin until 2003. The facility will operate at full capacity from mid-2011. The €200 million investment required for construction was financed in equal shares by the governments of Catalonia and Spain. The CELLS consortium operates the facility.
Source: KSB Group
