Introducing Aquafighter®, the newest and best weapon in the fight for water free diesel tanks. Water is harmful to both the storage system and to the engines that consume the fuel. Elimination of water is the best method to preserve your system and yours, or your customers, mobile equipment. Aquafighter® can help your tank in several ways:
• Ingress from atmosphere
• Free water fall-out
• Condensation in tank
• On delivery from supplier
• Leakage into tank
• Spill bucket drain ports
Developed in Norway in 2015, Aquafighter® is the first product ever to accomplish the 3 indispensable actions that are necessary to achieve complete fuel purity and tank protection at all times over time.
1. De-emulsifies and actively removes water from fuel to 65ppm with 100% efficiency. (Aquafighter® does this without chemically altering the fuel)
2. Captures all free water in the tank, and immediately captures water as soon as it causes de-emulsification.
3. Isolates water in a protective gel to permanently segregate the water from the tank environment as well as from the fuel & holds it until removal from the tank.
Don’t be mistaken,every fuel tank on Earthtakes in water from the air because of humidity that is naturally in the air (No, your tank is not an exception, even if you are in the desert). Atmospheric reality leaves no exceptions. Water can also come from the fuel delivery, but even with perfect fuel deliveries water accumulates in your tank daily that contaminates your fuel, damages your equipment, corrodes your tank and grows bacteria.
What’s Next?
If you are interested in the Aquafighter product and water free diesel tanks, Northwest Pump is now a distributor in all West Coast states. Contact us via email at sales@nwpump.com or call 1-800-452-PUMP. CLICK HERE for all our branch locations.
Whether someone owns a car, rides the bus, or walks, asphalt contributes to mobility. However, before the roads or sidewalks get paved, a facility needs to have the right equipment- mainly the correct mixer to get the job done. Here is a quick guide on everything you need to know about asphalt manufacturing mixers.
How it works
Asphalt is made with a combination of leftover residue from oil refineries and gravel or aggregate. After the crude oil is distilled, the heaver residue becomes heating oil or asphalt. Because of environmental concerns, some asphalt production facilities only work on recycling old asphalt for new roads.
Mixers
Making sure that a mixer has the right qualities is top priority in this business. So, what are these ‘right qualities,’ and why do they matter? First and foremost, these mixers should be durable enough to last even while working with aggregates and high temperatures. Next, a mixer should be easy to maintain. It should go without saying that every second a mixer is not working is costly for the facility, so a mixer that prioritizes speedy and efficient repairs is critical for the long-term use of a mixer- let alone an asphalt manufacturing mixer.
Our Solution
For an asphalt manufacturing mixer, Northwest Pump recommends our line of Sharpe V-series mixers. Not only does Sharpe design these mixers with ease-of-maintenance in mind, but they also pride themselves on their durable machines. The V-Series comes with several shapes, sizes, and other options to maximize this mixer’s efficiency for the job at hand.
Additionally, if a facility needs an asphalt pump, Northwest Pump offers Blackmer’s V Series pump specifically designed for the challenges that asphalt production provides. The V Series deals with rapid temperature changes with an increased jacketed surface area, which means less likelihood of pump & seal failures.
Next Steps
Need an asphalt manufacturing mixer or other mixing solutions? Reach out by emailing us at sales@nwpump.com, or by calling us at 1-800-452-PUMP for more information.
In 2016, the Department of Energy changed its standards guidelines of pumping equipment. Later, in January 2020, the Department of Energy finalized and published these standards and began requiring compliance. These measures are helpful for business owners and facility managers. They maximize the effectiveness of a pump and reduce needless energy waste, which helps save money and protect the environment. If you have not had to buy a pump in the last five years, Northwest Pump would like to offer a short guide on what these regulations mean and what to look for when purchasing a new pump.
With these rules implemented, the US expects to save 290 trillion BTUs over the next thirty years. For context, one BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the amount of energy it takes to boil one pound of water. With just half of that energy, we could boil Lake Erie and Lake Huron dry. This reduction in energy can save around three-hundred million dollars in utility bills over the course of this timeframe.
When Do These Pump Regulations Apply?
The standards in these regulations are for ‘clean water’ pumps, meaning pumps that deal with safe drinking water. These pumps will also have nominal speeds of either 1800 or 3600 RPM. Pumps that deal with slurry, fire safety, wastewater- or pumps designed with Military specifications, magnetic drive pumps, or 3-A Standard Sanitary pumps do not have to follow the listed regulations.
What are the Regulations?
The Department of Energy refined these energy standards into a PEI rating, which stands for Pump Energy Index. The industry can measure PEI in one of two ways, depending on the pump’s capabilities. A constant pump’s energy rating is divided by the standard energy rating. A variable load pump’s average energy rating is divided by the standard pump energy rating.
The Department of Energy set the scale with 1 as the baseline energy requirements allowed in the US. Anything above a 1 on that scale is too inefficient and non-compliant with the regulation. Anything below a 1 means that the pump uses even less energy and complies with the rules. On one hand, the lower the score, the more opportunities to have installation costs covered by subsidies from the county, state, or federal government. However, a pump with a PEI of .25 does not make it the end-all solution pump for a facility’s needs. While a pump may use more power, it can be more beneficial for the process of the entire facility. Understanding both the needs of your facility and the benefits afforded by PEI will give you the knowledge you need to make the best possible choice.
Next Steps
Want to understand more about what goes into pump efficiency? Check out Hydraulic Institute’s video on their energy rating system in relation to PEI. Similarly, if you need to look for a new energy-efficient pump, contact our team here or at sales@nwpump.com to find out how to save more energy and money today!
It can be overwhelming to find the right products for your facilities. From knowing the capabilities of each pump or compressor to learning how to keep it in its best-performing condition, it can be challenging to know what choices to make. Northwest Pump wants this process of understanding and fulfilling your needs as quickly as possible, so here is a simple guide to one of our popular brands of pumps and reciprocating air compressors: Blackmer.
Blackmer Products & What They Do
Blackmer specializes in pumps and reciprocating air compressors. Their pumps come in several types: sliding vane, screw, regenerative turbine, and centrifugal pumps. Sliding vane and screw pumps are both types of positive displacement pumps, which are best for maintaining a consistent flow and pumping a wider range of liquids such as oil, gas, and slurry– to name a few. Centrifugal and regenerative turbine pumps are different kinds of pumps that work when paired with the optimal pressure and thinner, non-volatile liquids.
Gas Compressors are like air compressors. However, the only difference is that air compressors take the surrounding air and compress it for later use. Gas compressors can compress a variety of gasses, not just air.
Blackmer offers all of its pumps and reciprocating air compressors in several types of materials. This means that your pumps and compressors are optimal for the specific work they will be performing. There are iron pumps for non-corrosive liquids and stainless steel pumps for corrosive liquids. There are pumps for high volume, heavy-duty use and are best for working with high temperatures that would damage regular equipment.
Blackmer Product Maintenance
Every piece of equipment needs regular upkeep to keep running at its best, and Blackmer is no exception. However, Blackmer offers support to its customers via Blackmer+. This app is for manufacturers who want to know what is happening inside their facilities. It allows the user to see what Blackmer equipment they have on the floor, datasheets for the specific parts, and schedule routine maintenance. Additionally, Blackmer & Northwest Pump customers in Oregon and Washington can be safe in the knowledge that our service teams are Blackmer certified. Finally, these Blackmer pumps are compatible with Chesterton’s Safe Certified Sensors, which means that when paired, you will not only have diagnostic data but also prevent emergencies before they happen.
Next Steps
Want to learn more about Blackmer products for yourself? Check out their Youtube here for videos on how their products work, tips and tricks, and more.
Want to see what Blackmer can do for your facilities? See it for yourself on our online store here, or reach out to our sales team here, or call 1-800-452-PUMP.
Something that Northwest Pump prides ourselves on is having top-notch vendors that ensure our customers longevity with their products and the best customer service for installation and questions. With the EMV compliant 700s Gilbarco dispensers, that mentality is the same. And that same mentality was instilled when approaching the Pacific Ave 76 gas station that needed our help on their ground up job site in Lakewood, WA.
The Seattle sales rep assigned to the project had just the products in mind when starting this job back in April of 2019. Gilbarco dispensers and passports, Xerxes tanks, LSI lighting, Veeder Root TLS-450, Franklin Fueling turbines and Flexpipe and OPW manholes were all installed at this site.
Xerxes by Shawcor fiberglass double-wall tanks are an excellent solution because they are corrosion-resistant, both inside and out. These tanks have a proven record of compatibility with traditional petroleum fuel as well as with new biofuels, which are increasing in use. Fiberglass tanks are not vulnerable to problems inherent in storing highly corrosive ethanol-blended fuels (E10, E15, E85), biodiesel fuels and ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). Nor are fiberglass tanks vulnerable to rust caused by corrosive soil environments.
XP pipe has a multi-layer construction with primary and secondary layers fitting tightly against each other to ensure additional environmental security. XP pipe rigid entry boots ensure a 90-degree, watertight entry into both round or flat fiberglass and polyethylene containment sumps. The XP pipework system features controlled flexibility, even in low temperatures, permitting fast, easy installation.
OPW Manholes have been designed for use in a wide variety of commercial, service station and industrial driveway applications. They provide access from grade level to underground equipment, including tank sumps, tank riser pipes, monitoring equipment, submersible pumps, valves and piping connections. Find the right manhole cover by browsing our Composite and Steel options below.
With an easy to understand navigation, streamlined inventory and compliance reporting, and powerful business analytics, the TLS-450PLUS Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG) is a powerful tool that allows you to run fueling operations at peak efficiency. And, with frequent releases of operating software for the TLS-450PLUS tank gauge you can be assured that data is secure and software features are routinely updated and enhanced.
LSI is a leading producer of lighting, graphics and technology solutions. The indoor and outdoor products and services are valued by architects, engineers, distributors and contractors for their quality, reliability and innovation. The company’s products are used extensively in automotive dealerships, petroleum stations, quick service restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies, retail establishments, sports complexes, parking lots and garages, and commercial and industrial buildings.
Gilbarco’s Passport Point of Sale System is the fuel and c-store industry’s fastest growing POS solution. Passport is designed to future-proof your business while giving you the lowest total cost of ownership. With industry-leading security and functionality, no POS system offers more runway to keep your business up and running longer.
The E700S is designed to have the ultimate flexibility and reliability to ensure your fuel dispensers fit your business for decades to come. The highly secure CRIND® provides enhanced, upgradeable security that supports emerging technologies and minimizes the need for future investments.
Need Help With Your Own Site?
Let us get you all the equipment you need for your own gas station. We supply not only ground ups but small orders as well. Please reach out to sales@nwpump.com for all questions and inquiries or call 1-800-452-PUMP.
Article Written By: Jim Moran, NWP Product Sales Manager
Navigating the exciting future market of EV charging solutions comes with the opportunity to blend current customer’s needs to better serve the market. The future needs of commercial and retail customers require a commitment from their equipment distributors to recognize the “mixed fuels” future when providing solutions for station remodels and tank systems installations, along with the time-consuming EMV upgrades that are taking place today. A transition from liquid fuels to electrons will require a new approach to this new market augmenting a traditional fueling solution.
Electric vehicle sales of 2% today are set to significantly expand in a few years, and commercial fleets and large trucks and buses are expected to transition at an even faster clip as leases mature and fleets turn over. Current Fleet manufacturers offering an EV solution include Arriva, Chanje, Daimler, Gillig, Kenworth, New Flyer, Nissan, Paccar Proterra, Rivian, Tesla, Volvo and Workhorse. This list is sure to grow.
ChargePoint
EV charging solutions is also evolving as battery technology improves to accept faster charging capabilities. This will help make DC Fast Chargers a more attractive option for the EV customer. Home chargers only serve a portion of the fueling needs, even though these needs are being met the majority of the time for current EV owners in the U.S. Some 88% of EV owners “often or always” charge their vehicles at home, according to a J.D. Power study. Owners with permanently mounted Level 2 home-charging stations were most satisfied with their home-charging experience. Parts and labor to install a Level 2 charger typically cost $1,200 to $2,000 (even more if major electrical upgrades are required).*
Most multi-family complexes don’t offer an EV charging station, which opens a big opportunity for convenience store operators to offer this service and create new sales opportunities inside their stores while the charging takes place.
This demand will be brought on by the influx of car manufacturers making EV a bigger part of their current offering. Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Landover, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Rivian, Stellantis, Subaru, Smart, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo have incorporated EV into their lineups.
Headlines from inside and outside our industry every week tell us the story of the future today.
Jaguar Land Rover’s Jaguar brand will be 100% electric by 2025, as the company works to become a net-zero carbon business by 2039.*
Ford Motor Co. will invest $22 billion on new electric vehicle models through 2025 and another $7 billion on autonomous vehicle technology.*
EV DEVELOPMENTS
2020 EV battery-pack prices fell 13%, from $156 to $137 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Ten years ago, the average was $1,100 per kWh. Analysts have long predicted that EVs will achieve purchase price parity with liquid fuel vehicles when battery prices reach $100 per kWh.**
The Biden Administration plans 500,000 new public EV charging stations by 2030 and immediate restoration of the full income tax credit for EV purchases, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Nominee Pete Buttigieg confirmed.**
Tesla hit its 2020 target of 500,000 vehicle deliveries, despite a government-mandated two-month shutdown of its Fremont, California factory.**
Massachusetts plans to end gasoline-powered new vehicle sales by 2035 and eliminate all passenger-vehicle greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by 2050, the state announced.**
As we monitor the progress with subsidies, grant money and tax credits that are required to make most of the EV equipment purchases happen, we are reminded that the plans will have to make sense and the demand will drive the market.
The day is coming when it will cost the same or less to manufacture an EV versus a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. The only question is when, and again, demand will dictate the outcome.
As the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus said, “The only thing that is constant is change.”
Jim Moran is the products sales manager for Portland, Oregon-based Northwest Pump, a 62-year-old petroleum and industrial equipment distributor. Its operations span Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Idaho and Montana. Their partnerships with state of the art, top of the line manufacturers allow NWP to provide customers quality and top notch customer service. NWP provides solutions ranging from an existing plant requiring an industrial solution to designing and building retail fueling stations. NWP has also recently launched their online sales platform that highlights petroleum products that you can now buy online and get shipped to your door. For more information on petroleum equipment or EV charging solutions, visit www.nwpump.com or call 1-800-452-PUMP.
Blackmer specializes in pumps and reciprocating air compressors. Their pumps come in several types: sliding vane, screw, regenerative turbine, and centrifugal pumps. Sliding vane and screw pumps are both types of 
Jim Moran is the products sales manager for Portland, Oregon-based Northwest Pump, a 62-year-old petroleum and industrial equipment distributor. Its operations span Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Idaho and Montana. Their partnerships with state of the art, top of the line manufacturers allow NWP to provide customers quality and top notch customer service. NWP provides solutions ranging from an existing plant requiring an industrial solution to designing and building retail fueling stations. NWP has also recently launched their