Adding Convenience to Environmental Field Filtration
It is a challenge for companies in the environmental sector, but also for water treatment plants, field researchers and anyone who needs a practical source of suction in remote areas: filtration of field water samples is not that easy.
In outdoor use, of course, conditions differ from those in the laboratory. Experts only had some options, none of which were ideal: They could use a manual vacuum pump. However, manual pumps can be weak and therefore very slow. And, they can wear the user out if he has a lot of samples or ones with moderate to heavy particulate matter. They might use a generator to power a standard lab bench vacuum pump, but this option requires transporting a heavy generator to the field water site. The other option is to transport samples back to the lab, but this requires the extra step of packaging the unfiltered samples and means a delay in getting results and possible degradation of the sample.
These unique circumstances were the reason why our engineers considered developing a mobile pump solution.
Finding a solution as powerful as in a stationary laboratory
The idea was to build a lightweight oil-free vacuum source for situations where constraints in weight, portability, space, and availability existed. Based on proven laboratory pump technology, the team defined the criteria of a new system designed to meet the requirements of field scientists working where vehicle access was possible, and a 12 V DC car outlet available as a power supply.
Our team was successful and created the portable pump to meet the needs of a small market segment; demonstrating the unique approach to customization: collaboration with end-users and technical departments.
The result was a pump with the following specifications:
Laboport® Mini
- Flowrate: 11 L/min flow at atmospheric pressure
- End vacuum: 75 torr (100 mbar)
- Fittings: Fittings for tubing with an inner diameter of 6mm
- Weight: 3.74 lbs. (1.7 kg)
- Dimensions: 8″ L x 3.6″ W x 6.8″ H (20,32 cm L x 8,13 cm W x 17,27 cm H)
- Material: Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) head, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) diaphragm, Chloroprene Rubber (CR) valves
- Power supply: 3-meter long 12V DC power cord
Based on La solution KNF de filtration sur le terrain, l´aktu, 2017 and Adding Convenience to Field Filtration, The Pump Post, 2013
