A Verder Autoclude MO45 mini peristaltic pump kept working when a fire engulfed it at the Pfisterer testing chamber in South Africa.
The mini pump was supplied to form part of a rig for testing resistance to tracking and erosion on powerline transmission insulator material.
The pump simulates a wet, polluted environment by dosing ammonium chloride, a wetting agent and deionised water, across the rubber surface.
The compact MO45 peristaltic pump is suitable for industrial applications such as chemical dosing, sampling and analysis.
The standard pump has a polycarbonate/ABS housing for durability and a clear polycarbonate cover and rotor.
It can handle flow rates up to 40 ml/min and in the Pfisterer application doses at 0.6ml/min at 1rpm through a 3.2mm diameter tube.
The ignition of poor insulation material in the test chamber was responsible for the fire that damaged the Pfisterer MO45 pump, but chemical engineer Shaun Aitken was impressed with its resilience.
He said: 'Because the MO45 is so small and not pressure-dependent, it is ideal for achieving the exact flow rate required for the test.
'The pump remains accurate for the six-hour test every day.' This Verder Autoclude pump was supplied to Pfisterer by South African distributor VPSA.
Pfisterer develops and manufactures contact elements for power supply networks in four operating divisions - cable systems, components, overhead lines and railway catenary systems.
