DescriptionFeaturesPump RangesHow It WorksDocumentation

Alfa Laval LKH Series Centrifugal Pump 

Alfa Laval has designed its centrifugal pumps to meet the hygienic requirements of the dairy, food and beverage, and personal care industries. Alfa Laval’s LKH Centrifugal Pumps increase process productivity while providing high efficiency and gentle product handling.

Some of the related industries that the Alfa Laval’s LKH Series Centrifugal Pumps function in;

  • Processed Foods
  • High-Acid Foods
  • Dairy
  • Beverage
  • Brewery
  • Home & Personal Care
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Biotech
  • Chemical

Features 

High efficiency 

A precision-engineered pump and motor provide high energy efficiency and gentle product treatment. The robust design and tight tolerances, together with the advanced impeller design, minimizes the recirculation and ensures efficient energy transfer.

Lower energy consumption 

Alfa Laval’s LKH Centrifugal Pumps generally delivers greater energy efficiency than similar premium pumps and up to 50% compared to similar mid-range pumps.

Hygienic design

Controlled compression gaskets, crevice-free interior, external mechanical seal, and optimized impeller with balancing holes ensuring hygiene and cleanability. To further safeguard the hygienic standards, perfectly aligned components and joints with elastomers tightened to a predefined compression minimizing the elastomer product contact surface.

Easy maintenance 

Positioning the shaft seal outside the pump eases maintenance, ensuring difficult-to-clean components do not come into direct contact with the product. The front loading design enables quick, easy replacement, boosting uptime and reducing costs. Interchangeable single, single flushed and double seals simplify spare parts inventory.

Benefits

  • Energy efficiency; superior efficiency resulting in reduced energy consumption and CO2 footprint.
  • Hygienic; designed according to most stringent hygienic design standards and with verified, effective CIP cleanability.
  • Wide performance envelope; reduce need for parallel and serial pump installations and ensure pump operates with high efficiency.
  • Maximized uptime and reduced maintenance costs; robust mechanical design and ease of maintenance with modular front-loading seals.
Pump Type  Description
Alfa Laval LKH UltraPure made suitable for the pharmaceutical and biotech industry as it is certified to EHEDG and use a combination of optimized inlets and advanced impeller design to give unobstructed flow.
Alfa Laval LKHPF is designed to be a high pressure, high efficiency centrifugal pump ideally suited for high pressure filtration applications.
Alfa Laval LKH MultiStage is designed to increase process productivity while providing high efficiency and gentle product handling.
Alfa Laval LKHSP (Self Priming) is specially designed for pumping liquids containing air or gas without loosing its pumping ability.
Alfa Laval LKHex are an explosion proof application that has the capabilities to increase process productivity while providing high efficiency and gentle product handling.
Alfa Laval eVap is a low NPSHr, high efficiency centrifugal pump that is optimized for evaporation applications. It also features the ClearFlow impeller option for applications where the build up of solids may be an issue.

These special versions are also available for specific duties

LKH UltraPure for biotech and pharmaceutical applications 

Alfa Laval’s LKH Ultrapure centrifugal pump is the premier choice for biopharm applications that demands high efficiency, exceptional cleanability, contamination safety, robust design and low maintenance. For these reasons, it is also an excellent choice for some personal care processes.

LKHPF for high pressure applications 

With heavy duty pump casing and backplate, high pressure internal seals and multiple heavy-duty studs, these pumps are capable of handling high inlet pressures of up to 40 bar (600 psi). Tough under pressure, the LKHPF is an ideal choice for demanding nanofiltration and reverse osmosis filtrations installations.

LKH Multistage for high outlet pressures 

Suitable for high-pressure applications with low capacity requirements, this compact, efficient pump is ideal for use in reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration processes. One pump has the capability to replace up to three booster pumps on a production line, saving space.

LKHSP for self priming applications 

The LKHSP is a self priming pump that has been designed for use CIP return pump or for tank drainage since it is capable of transporting products with entrained gas.

LKHex for applications in explosive environments

Alfa Laval has engineered the LKHex for use in potentially explosive environments, the LKHex is available in nine sizes and conforms to the provisions of ATEX directive 94/9/EC Group II, Categories 2 and 3.

LKH Evap is a dedicated evaporator pump 

Based on the LKH range, the LKH Evap is a tailored evaporator pump supported by strong and extensive documentation, including a comprehensive vacuum curve package. It features a special scraper impeller ClearFlow that solves the product build-up problem in high solids applications, which considerable can prolong production time between cleaning.

Operating Principle

The impeller of the LKH centrifugal pump is mounted on a shaft and driven by an electric motor. The shaft turns, transferring the rotational energy to the fluid passing through the pump. The centrifugal force of the fluid increases the fluid’s kinetic energy and velocity as well as the pressure in the pump. The centrifugal force then directs the fluids towards the pump outlet.

Pump range 

The LKH Centrifugal Pump is available in 13 sizes to handle capacities up to 500 m³/hour and pressures up to 11 bar at 50 Hz. Options include different types of shafts seals and elastomer materials, casing drain, heating jacket, and various surface finishes.

Unique impeller design 

The semi-open impeller with a unique multi-vane design ensures particularly low NPSHr (Net Positive Suction Head required), which helps prevent cavitation and minimizes the risk of mechanical damage. It also features balancing holes that enhance circulation around the shaft seal and reduce axial forces. This maximizes cleanability while reducing wear on the shaft seal and motor bearings.

External shaft seal 

With the spring and washers mounted on the atmospheric side, the front-loading shaft seal contributes to fast, easy and inexpensive maintenance. It takes just a few minutes to replace the shaft seal. Its balanced design minimizes the risk of seal opening during unforeseen pressure shock.

Optimized shaft seal 

One shaft seal fits a wide pump range. The same LKH single shaft seal fits most LKH pump models and all SolidC pump models. Interchanging the seal with either an optional single or double flushed shaft seal takes minutes using a few extra components, thereby reducing inventory and making wear parts replacement quick and easy.

Compression coupling

The compression coupling securely attaches the stub shaft to the motor shaft with precision alignment. The setup is simple, its operations is secure, noise and vibration are minimized and the service life of both the shaft seal and motor prolonged.