Kirton Mechanical Equipment

John Wrathmall, Managing Director here at Kirton Mechanical Equipment  presents a full overview of K.M.E’s products, service offerings and company objectives.

Established in 1989, K.M.E, based in Umhlanga Rocks, Durban, has been dedicated to providing its clients with the best value, supplying high-quality products and services.

Mission Statement

Since the business began in 1989, we have been dedicated to providing the best service to our clients. We believe that quality and best value are crucial in the work we do, as it adds value to our services compared to our competitors.

We have a holistic approach to operation, maintenance and reconditioning of pumps and liquid ring vacuum pumps. This brings long term savings, due to extended pump life spans, which will far outweigh the short term price advantage that seems to prevail at present in other companies.

We have researched the “on site” performance testing of Liquid Ring Vacuum pumps and offer test kits for end users to carry out their own on site efficiency tests. Test data captured can then processed through our Pump Performance software and a scientific report is then generated.  Computer generated test curves form part of this report and are invaluable in terms of assessing which pumps should be earmarked for overhaul.

We hope that the information provided in this website proves to be helpful to you and we respectfully suggest that you contact us if you wish to further discuss any service needed.

For our company brochure click here.

Our Services

Maintenance, Repair Services and Quality Control

K.M.E  engineering works, suitable for reconditioning liquid ring vacuum pumps, roots blowers and slurry pumps, is situated in Umbogintwini, KZN.

We are therefore in a position to offer an excellent engineering service for these critical pieces of factory equipment. This is backed up by technical input, relating to destructive system conditions that are very often the root cause of pumps wearing out or breaking down in the first place.

We are in a position to ensure the best service and technical input for the following main product ranges:

• Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps
• Roots Blowers
• Slurry Pumps
• Peristaltic Pumps
• Rotary Vane Feeders
• Mascual (Sugar Pumps)

With over 28 years in the fluid and air handling industry, K.M.E has an abundance of experience in both reconditioning of rotating equipment and advising on interventions that are required to eliminate degradation and break downs. This level of service gives our customers piece of mind.

Reconditioning & Spares Specialists

We provide engineering and technical consultation services for rotating equipment, specialising in vacuum pumps for, among others, the sugar industry. We offer our expert advice on equipment and system diagnosis and consultation on all aspects of system conditions, operating specifications, and possible adverse effects from existing conditions.

 Service facility in Umbogintwini, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

 Superior technical input relating to vacuum pump operation & reconditioning procedures.

 On going research into systemic problems associated with vacuum pump stations in the Sugar & other industries.

 On going research into methods to improve Planned Maintenance Programs for vacuum pump stations.

Advice and support for those end users that wish to carry out on site performance tests on two stage liquid ring vacuum pumps. Test data Submitted to KME is processed through our software and a scientific report is generated. The content of the report allows the end user to fairly accurately assess which vacuum pumps require reconditioning.

Our Products

Due to the various industries in our country we apply our technical knowledge to a variety of applications and products, so we can offer assistance with most air and fluid handling equipment. Please feel free to contact us  should you require any spare parts or service and also if you need any technical input.  

Product Offering:

• Vacuum Pumps. New, spares & service.
• Vacuum systems for bottling plants, sugar factories and petrochemical.
• CO2 Compressors for Sugar Mill Applications.
• Compressors, New, Reconditioned, Spares & Service.
• RIX High Pressure Gas Compressors.
• Reciprocating Compressor spares.
• Wedge Wire Screens, baskets and filters.
• General pumps, New units, spares & service.
• Slurry Pumps. New units, Spares & Service.
• Turbines Reconditioned machines, new units and spares.
• Mascual / Massecuite Pumps.
• Molasses Pumps.
• Ceramic Fitted Slurry pumps to replace Warman.
• Holmes Blowers, Roots type and others.
• Fuel Oil Pumps.
• Lobe pumps Food grade.
• Sourcing of specialised products.
• Power Transmission Products – Dodge and SKF (Couplings, Vee belts, Pulleys, Sprockets and Chain).

For our Original Equipment Manufactured Compressor Parts brochure click here.

For our range of Sanitary and Food Grade Pumps brochure click here.

Partnerships with International Companies

Kirton Mechanical Equipment is pleased to introduce our partnership with Netherlands-based manufacturer, OPRA Turbines, as well as Swiss-based Enerproject Gas Solutions. 

Opra Gas Turbines

Opra Turbines manufactures the state-of-the-art packaged 1.8MW – OP16 Gas Turbine Generator set. The turbine has been designed to enable high fuel flexibility, a small footprint and long operating hours between major overhauls. It has a robust, industrial, all radial design and can deliver energy solutions using a variety of fuel sources. An interesting benefit, to users of the OP16 Turbo Gen Set, is the High temperature (573℃) exhaust gas which can be captured and used for process heating purposes.

OPRA Gas Turbines

The OP16 Gas Turbo Genset will therefor serve the interests of end users two fold.

1:  Generating 1.8mw of power to energize plant.

2:  Generating very valuable high temperature exhaust gas which can be used for a myriad of applications.

Typically, OPRA Turbines are used in the following sectors:

• Oil & Gas – Recuperation of associated gas; stand-by emergency units; thermal enhanced oil recovery systems, etc.

• Waste to Power – Combustion of syngas from different types of feedstock’s; combustion of pyrolysis oil from plastic wastes.

• Industrial & Commercial – Paper mills, Tobacco, Rubber plants, Ceramics, Gypsum, Breweries, etc.;

• Marine – VOC destruction from shuttle tanks; cold ironing application, stand-by emergency units, etc.

The OP16 Gas Turbine Genset is suitable for a large range of fuels with high and low calorific values, as well as liquid fuels. The OP16 is able to be operated on a dual fuel principle where it can do this simultaneously or switch while on full load. These include natural gas, flare gas, propane, LPG, syngas, biogas, industrial waste gas, diesel, pyrolysis oil, ethanol and condensate. It may be that end users have a problematic by-product that can be used as, or converted to, fuel for the Gas turbine. 

The high exhaust gas temperature has thermodynamic value for a number of applications such as heating for boilers, spray dryers, heating kilns, and general drying processes.” 

Please refer to the brochure for further details on the OPRA OP16 turbines.

Enerprojects Gas Compressor Solutions

To operate efficiently, the turbine requires inlet gas pressures of 11 to 16 bar which necessitates, where Low Pressure Gas is the fuel, the inclusion of a fuel gas booster compressor. We are there for pleased to introduce the Swiss based Gas Compressor manufacturer “Enerprojects Gas Compressor Solutions” whose partnership, as mentioned above, enhances our scope of supply and facilitates the inclusion, in any proposal submitted, of a suitably sized Oil Injected Rotary screw gas booster compressors or Reciprocating Packaged units where required.

Enerprojects Gas Compressor

Enerprojects Gas Solutions also offer skid mounted technology which can be used to capture flare gas and process it through Solid + Liquid scrubbers, a compression cycle, a drying cycle and a regenerative heating cycle, after which the gas can be compressed to fuel the OPRA OP16 Turbine Generator set, or for other applications.

Application of this Flare Gas process offers end users that flare gas to atmosphere, a partial, solution to problematic CO2 emissions during flaring.

Where flare gas is available we offer a solution which includes utilization of the flare gas, as fuel, Generation of power and high temperature exhaust gas for process. This scenario effectively closes the loop for in house power generation by end users in this category.

Please refer to the brochure for further details on the Enerproject range of gas-boosting oil-injected screw compressor sets.