Dewatering in mines and quarries requires a pump that can take a beating and still keep going. After its launch in the early 1960s, Flygt BIBO became the industry standard for dewatering projects in the toughest environments. Xylem has now taken the classic Flygt BIBO design and added innovative technology that increases uptime, improves wear resistance and simplifies servicing.
When Flygt BIBO dewatering pumps were launched in the early 1960s, they quickly gained a reputation for their reliability and durability. In mines, quarries and tunnels, and at construction sites, workers knew they could count on submersible Flygt BIBOs in the harshest conditions. This led to decades of success and over one million Flygt BIBO pumps sold worldwide.
“What was so revolutionary about the original BIBO pump was its design and the high durability and quality of the pump,” says Fredrik Holm, Communication Manager for Xylem’s global dewatering business. “These pumps lasted forever, and some of them are still in use.”
Over the years, Xylem has expanded the range and capability of its pumps, which eventually led to the phasing out of the legendary Flygt BIBO pumps. The message from customers has been clear though: they want the BIBO back.
“We recognize the iconic status of BIBO, so we are bringing back its classic robust design that ensures stability,” says Holm. “But we’re not just bringing the old BIBO back, we’re making a superior version with a number of improvements.”
Wear-resistant hydraulics
When redesigning the Flygt BIBO, Xylem focused on the particular needs of the mining and tunneling industries.
“Our research showed that customers want high uptime, which is connected to how wear-resistant the pumps are, and easy serviceability,” says Daniel Westin, Product Manager at Xylem, Business Unit Dewatering. “In harsh environments pumps can wear out quite fast, or get run over by huge mining vehicles, so fast service and reduced downtime is very important.”
To handle wear resistance, the new Flygt BIBO incorporates Xylem’s Dura-Spin™ technology. With Dura-Spin, the unique closed impeller and suction cover work together to sweep abrasive particles away from the impeller neck. This makes the hydraulics at least three times more wear resistant than pumps with traditional hydraulic designs.
“We have been using Dura-Spin in our 2600 series, and it is well proven for wear resistance,” says Westin. “These hydraulic features in the Flygt BIBO, combined with its durable design, make it tough and increase uptime.”
Easy serviceability
Several features make the new Flygt BIBO easier to service and increase the life of the pump. One such feature is its single impeller-adjustment screw.
“When any pump has been running in hard conditions, the hydraulic system can get worn down, which leads to a loss in performance and the need for servicing,” says Westin. “The Flygt BIBO has a single impeller-adjustment screw, so it is easy to adjust the impeller and restore the performance to near-new conditions, prolonging the service life of the pump.”
Flygt BIBO also has a one-piece Plug-in seal, so that it can be quickly and easily replaced. “Some seals can be tricky to replace,” Westin says. “With the Flygt BIBO’s seal, which is standard on all models, you simply take it out and replace it.”
To read more about other new features on the Flygt BIBO, click here.