The LKH family by Alfa Laval is a comprehensive line of sanitary centrifugal solutions. Each pump is designed to meet the hygienic requirements of the dairy, food and beverage, and personal care industries. LKH centrifugal pumps increase process productivity while providing high efficiency and gentle product handling.
LKH pumps are among the most efficient centrifugal pumps available today. Standard, Prime, and UltraPure feature a truly front-loading seal. And, since the LKH series spans many sizes, you always have the most efficient pump for your centrifugal needs.
Designed to meet the specific demands of the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, LKH UltraPure centrifugal pumps deliver maximum uptime and high efficiency plus the benefits of easy cleanability and thorough documentation.
Related Industries:
Processed Foods, High-Acid Foods, Dairy, Beverages, Brewery, Home & Personal Care, Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Chemical
Top of the line
The LKH UltraPure is the premier choice for biopharmaceutical processes that demand high efficiency, exceptional clean ability contamination safety, robust design and low maintenance. An external shaft seal, advanced impeller design and crevice-free internal surfaces are the special features, which make these pumps ideal for ultra-clean processes where low energy consumption is of concern.
LKH is also available in a wide range of other configurations for food, beverage, high-pressure applications etc.
Ultraclean
The LKH UltraPure has three design finesses that contribute to an ultraclean process environment.
Specially designed semi-open impeller with balance holes that optimize the flow on the back of the impeller and contribute to the high cleanability of the shaft seal as well as of the pump itself. Increased flow around the shaft seal also provides good cooling and circulation, which prolong the service life of the seal.
The number of product wetted parts is limited to a minimum. The few parts are perfectly matched and joints are sealed with o-rings that are tightened with a pre-defined compression, leaving no room for contaminants to hide and minimizing the elastomer surfaces in contact with the product.
External shaft seal provides maximum hygiene by placing difficult-to-clean parts on the outside of the pump. The external shaft seal ensures that the centrifugal forces in the pump contribute to the enhanced lubrication of the shaft seal and that wear particles are forced out of the pump and do not mix with the product.
Unmatched performance
High efficiency, optimized flow, low contamination risk and minimal wear are hallmarks of the LKH UltraPure.
High efficiency
A precision-engineered pump and motor provide optimal efficiency with gentle product treatment. The robust design and tight tolerances together with the advanced impeller design minimize slip and ensure that the energy is used to transport the liquid through the pump without diminishing cleanability.
Optimized flow
The advanced impeller design provides optimal fluid flow throughout the pump. High flow, especially behind the impeller where the shaft seal is located, contributes to easy cleanability and enhanced lubrication and cooling of the shaft seal. The specially designed inlet with the vanes on the impeller blades contributes energy to the flow of fluids prior to entering the pump casing. This minimizes the NPSHr (Net Positive Suction Head required) as well as the forces on the product itself.
Low contamination risk
The external shaft seal ensures that wear particles from the shaft seal are directed by centrifugal force to the outside and thus do not come into contact with the medicinal product. The low NPSHr minimizes the risk of cavitation, which can damage shaft seals and pump components and introduce contaminants into process fluids. Carefully selected materials and easy-to-clean design also reduce the risk of contamination.
Minimal wear
The semi-open impeller design together with the external shaft seal maximizes flow and helps cool and lubricate the shaft seal. This prolongs the service life of the seal.
Supply and delivery
The LKH UltraPure comes in five different standard sizes with capacities of up to 90 m3/hour. A smart alternative for pump duties that require continuous operation, the LKH UltraPure centrifugal pump delivers the highest possible efficiency and minimizes energy consumption. It is also available with a wide range of options for:
- Shaft seals
- Flushing arrangements
- Elastomers
- Surface finishes
- Drain options
- Passivation
- Hydrostatic testing
To shorten lead times, all standard pumps are in stock to ensure fast and efficient delivery within 10 working days. Delivery of standard pumps with any option is 20 working days from order receipt.
Total peace of mind with complete documentation for validation
All equipment and components in the Alfa Laval BioPharm portfolio are supplied with Alfa Laval Q-doc, a comprehensive documentation package that provides full transparency of the entire supply chain, from raw material to final equipment delivery. This smoothes purchasing and installation procedures as well as facilitates qualification, validation and change control procedures. Based on GDP (Good Documentation Practice), Alfa Laval Q-doc covers every aspect of BioPharm equipment supply and provides customers with transparent and well-documented quality assurance of the sourced equipment.
The Q-doc package for LKH UltraPure comprises equipment manuals, performance tests, quality and manufacturing procedures, material certificates, traceability of product wetted parts and the necessary parts and service information. This attention to detail maximizes uptime and minimizes risk.
LKH UltraPure construction
The pump consists of a motor, impeller, pump casing, back plate, mechanical seal, legs, pump shaft/connections and adaptor.
Operating principle
Inside the pump casing, the semi-open impeller rotates along with the pump shaft. The rotation of the impeller blades convey energy to the fluid causing it to move in a circular direction. The movement of the fluid increases in velocity; the velocity of the fluid is partly converted into pressure before it leaves the pump through the outlet.
1: Defined O-ring groove providing firm positioning of the O-ring on pump casing and metal to metal contact provides a predefined compression of the O-rings with no crevices for contaminants.
2: External shaft seal with few wear parts and spring mounted on the atmospheric side, meaning no wear of the spring or other internal parts going into your product.
Unique impeller design
LKH UltraPure centrifugal pumps feature a unique semi-open impeller with a special vane design that ensures particularly low NPSHr (Net Positive Suction Head required). This helps prevent the effects of cavitation and minimizes the risk of mechanical damage.
The semi-open impeller also features balance holes, which provide excellent circulation of process fluid in the shaft seal area and help reduce axial force on the impeller. This reduces wear on the shaft seal and the motor bearings.
The semi-open impeller design provides high flow all around the pump, especially behind the impeller near the shaft seal. This contributes to easy cleanability and enhanced lubrication and cooling of the shaft seal.
External shaft seal
With few wear parts, the front-loaded external shaft seal is designed for high performance and low maintenance. There is no need to disconnect or remove the pump casing for inspection or maintenance, which saves time and money and minimizes downtime. Only five minutes are required to replace the shaft seal.
Perfect sealing and lubrication largely depends on the flatness of the seal faces. All LKH UltraPure pumps have shaft seals that are machined according to stringent requirements and meet the flatness requirement of 3 light bands* or less. The stationary seal ring is solidly affixed to the back plate, providing perfectly aligned seal surfaces even after long periods of operation and potential pressure shocks or vibration in the system.
The balanced design and use of spring force contribute to pressure equalization within the shaft seal area. This minimizes the risk of opening during unforeseen events, such as pressure shock.
Alfa Laval uses the same shaft seal for all UltraPure centrifugal pumps, regardless of size or model. This standardization reduces inventory and makes wear parts replacement quick and easy.
*Measured at 20°C, one light band corresponds to 0.3 µm flatness over the entire sealing surface.
