Metso MRE Series: The enhanced slurry pumping solution

The Orion pump series has become one of the leading brands in slurry pumping and is found in the most demanding applications in the world’s largest mines and processing plants. As part of Metso's extensive product portfolio, the Orion series has consistently delivered high performance and customer satisfaction for over four decades.

While the Orion series has undergone many changes, design enhancements and additions to the range, its core mission remains unchanged. The Metso Heavy (HM, HR) and Mining (MR, MM) duty horizontal slurry pumps have established themselves as go-to solutions for abrasive pumping applications, offering both world class rubber-lined and hard metal options.

In response to evolving market demands, Metso embarked on a journey to enhance the capabilities of the MR series. With the aggregates market and light mining duties as a focus, Metso started looking into what improvements and features would benefit operations the most. And who better to turn to for insights and advice than the customers themselves?

“Continuously improving our products and building on a globally recognized product series was at the heart of the process, but we could not design a pump for the market without the customers input,” says Greg Dixon, Director, Pumps Sales, market area Europe. “They are the ones who use it after all, and it’s important to tailor the product to best fit their needs.”

Addressing customer challenges: The drive for efficiency and reliability

With our strong R&D and innovation power, Metso is continuously looking for new ways to introduce improvements for our customers’ benefit. In this case, the MRE Series is a culmination of collaborative efforts between Metso and the customers, aimed at developing a superior pumping solution tailored for the aggregate and light mining market.

“The E within the MRE states enhanced, so we were aiming to expand the capabilities and benefits,” says Dixon. “Customers advised what they needed, such as a drain plug or split casing. They spoke, we listened.”

One of the primary challenges faced by operators, particularly in colder climates, is the risk of freezing temperatures compromising equipment functionality. To tackle this issue, the MRE series introduces a crucial feature: a drain plug.

“Larger sand and aggregate plants are usually out in the open, and if it’s in a colder climate such as the Nordics for example, it gets very cold in the winter months,” says Dixon. “Since these plants usually run during the day, they manufacture what they need to and finish for the night. So, if they cannot drain the system and it drops below freezing, they’re in trouble.”

If everything which is in the system freezes, then the plant cannot start up again until it has thawed. Since it’s not possible to heat up the pumps without causing damage, which can mean a significant loss of both time and money.

“We’re keeping it nice and simple. With a drain plug in, operators can remove it before they leave site for the night and the system drains itself,” explains Dixon. “The next morning, you put the drain plug back in, and the site is ready to go.”

In addition to this challenge, operators were also looking for higher efficiency and reduced maintenance to reduce overall costs of ownership. With its split case design and suitability for a wide range of applications, the MRE series is emerging as a solution to mitigate customer challenges.

"Our customers voiced their needs, and we met them head-on," says Dixon. "After an initial six-week on-site trial period, the performance exceeded expectations. This data gave us assurance that the MRE Series was indeed the enhanced version we were looking for, perfectly suited for the task at hand."

Simple maintenance

At the heart of the Orion range design is its ease of maintenance. With features such as its modular design and back pull-out continued with the MRE Series as part of the Orion legacy. Mechanically fastened rubber liners into a split case design ensure robust and reliable operation from any system difficulties. This allows greater ease of inspection and maintenance without sacrificing performance.

An increased benefit of the split case design is the ability to make quick inspections. For example, if there are any suspected blockages, operators can open the case, giving operators the ability to look, confirm the equipment is working correctly, make any adjustments required, then refit the case.

The MRE is also backwards compatible with the original MR series pumps, allowing customers to upgrade their current pump to the new features. Also, as the MR is part of the Orion pump family, one bearing frame can fit various wet ends, thus resulting in many different builds to best suit the customer’s needs. This can give the ability to change the build to suit the duty and parameters.

At the core of the MRE series lies a commitment to efficiency. With its high-efficiency hydraulic design, this ensures optimal power utilization. The pumps are available in a range of different sizes to suit the customers duty. The MRE being available in inlet sizes of 100, 150, 200 and 250mm and larger sizes still available in the original MR design.

An economical and environmentally friendly solution

Metso’s focused product development combined with over 40 years of experience from thousands of applications and installations has led to continuous improvements in slurry pump solutions. Whilst the benefits to customers are numerous, the most significant from the MRE series is the lifetime cost saving that will be achieved.

“It's cost effective because of the energy savings due to the hydraulic efficiency, essentially the more efficient the pump is, the less energy you're going to use which reduces running costs,” says Dixon. “Also, the more efficient the pump is, the longer it should last, meaning reduced maintenance and costs there also.”

Empower industry transformation together

By building on the long history of the Orion series range of pumps, as well as leveraging insights directly from those who rely on these pumps day in and day out, this customer-centric innovation comes with extra benefits that ensure optimum performance.

While initially tailored for the aggregates market, the versatility of the MRE series extends to a wide range of application. The MRE is just as comfortable in lighter mining duties and processes that are suited for an elastomer lined pump.

The MRE series exemplifies Metso's core mission: to empower customers, address their challenges, drive efficiency and promote sustainability. Through joint collaboration, customers gain access to cutting-edge solutions that not only meet their immediate needs but also pave the way for long-term success. That’s why, together, we are the partner for positive change.