Established in 1984, Soliflo is a proven supplier of top brand international and local equipment to the Petrochemical, Oil and Gas sectors in particular.
With the significant equipment and technological synergies that exist between these, and the Mining sector where uptime and efficiency is critical, Soliflo’s fluid handling and loading systems and solutions are fast finding favour and gaining traction, says Philip Dawson, CEO.
Managing equipment costs is critical in every economic hub sector, including mining. Falling prey to the “penny wise, pound foolish” approach of prioritising the purchase of cheap equipment often impacts negatively driving up medium- to long-term costs.
“A Soliflo strength is our customer communication where we discuss upfront and at length, their requirements with respect to standard versus customised equipment, quality expectations and costs. In every industry sector we serve, we work in tandem to align our fluid handling and loading solutions with customers’ expectations, finding a balance between equipment standards, quality and cost-effectiveness,” he explains.
(X-Head) Equipment Overview
“We have built and sustained strong international supplier partnerships over the past 40 years. These trusted contractual associations are core to Soliflo’s supply of a diverse range of safe, efficient and environmentally friendly equipment that mining operations rely on daily.
“Soliflo provides on-site after-sales service, support and repairs to customers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa as well as at our in-house service facility located at our Laser Park, Johannesburg headquarters, adds Dawson. “Our technicians are highly qualified with years of proven expertise. No cost is spared on training and they have undergone extensive, high-level training at equipment suppliers in Europe and the USA. In fact, several international principals trust our service team to handle highly skilled assembly, installation and commissioning work on their behalf worldwide.
“Without getting bogged down in too much technical detail, here is an overview of our extensive selection of core fluid transfer and loading equipment.”
(X-head) Top and Bottom Loading Arms
Bottom Loading Arms: Designed to load products for applications where a vehicle cannot be accurately spotted, our Bottom Loading Arms are manufactured and assembled by Soliflo locally and in accordance with the API RP1004 (American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice) standard.
Top Loading Arms: The Top Loading Arms we supply are essential for the transfer and handling of bulk process fluids, reagents and heavy fuels via tank truck top manhole lids at demanding operational sites.
The API RP1004 standard applies for bulk fuel and petroleum supply chains and regulates the bottom-loading and vapour-recovery systems of tank trucks transporting diesel, heavy fuel oil and lubricants to mining sites.
(X-head) Fluid Transfer
Industrial Hoses: Soliflo offers an extensive and specialised range of EN-standard Industrial Hoses. Manufactured from high-quality rubber compounds including NR, SBR, NBR, EPDM and silicone, they are proven to withstand extreme wear, high pressure and abrasive materials in mining and other operations. We also distribute composite hoses, expansion joints and hose reels.
Couplings: We offer a comprehensive range of API couplings made to conform with the API RP1004 standard to ensure safe and efficient fuel handling. Approved worldwide and successfully operating in the most demanding environments, each incorporates a host of patented features ensuring a clean, spill-free loading rack.
Emco Wheaton is a leading manufacturer of API Couplings and its flagship model, the J0453, is primarily designed for fuel tank truck loading and unloading applications. Sister company, TODO, ranks as the world’s leading manufacturer of Dry-Break (dry-disconnect) Couplings. Its premium Todo-Matic Dry-Break Coupling are renowned for the safe transfer of the most hazardous or enviro- sensitive media with minimal residual loss and virtually zero spillage.
Metering Systems: Soliflo provides sales and technical service and support for numerous metering products including Batch Controllers, Digital Control Valves, Flow Meters and Gantry Controllers supplied by various of our principals.
Batch Controllers: The Multiload II we supply is an integrated flow controller designed to deliver precise measurements and dependable control for the loading and unloading of diesel and petroleum liquid products.
Digital Piston Control Valves: These provide precise flow rate control and batch delivery of fluid products when used with an electronic batch control device. They are controlled by the electronic preset for low flow start up, high flow rate control, low flow shutdown and final shut-off, which helps to achieve maximum flow meter accuracy by maintaining a constant flow rate regardless of varying line pressures.
Flow Meters: The Bi-Rotor Plus Positive Displacement (PD) Flow Meter is widely used in heavy industry sectors including mining, for accurate measurement of diesel, petroleum and viscous liquids. It affords high precision with exceptional linearity and repeatability for custody transfer and bulk transfer.
Pumps: The TP Series Rotary Vane Transfer Pump is designed for loading and unloading of tanks and tankers transferring liquid such as diesel, lubricants, petroleum and biofuels. With a flow range up to 60m³/hour and differential pressure up to 8 bar, and self-lubricating with internal bypass, its robust construction is suited to severe conditions.
The Air-Operated Double Diaphragm Pump we market is a type of positive displacement pump. Using compressed air instead of electricity, it is used in surface mining operations for dewatering, slurry transfer and chemical dosing.
(X-head) Tanker Grounding and Overfill Prevention
Soliflo supplies the EKX-4 Grounding Control and EUS-2 Overfill Prevention devices. Used for bulk liquid road transport, this equipment is top-of-the-line and provides essential and optimum safety for bottom loading tank trucks.
The EKX-4 is a monitored earthing system which ensures the safe, controlled discharge of electrostatics which occur during the filling processes of tank trucks or tank containers and prevents static-caused ignitions. By monitoring the level sensors of tanker compartments and the grounding and vapour recovery connection on bottom loading road tank trucks, the EUS-2 prevents hazardous spills, accumulation of electrostatic charges and evaporation of emissions.
(X-head) Filtration and Water Separation
Soliflo partners with a local company specialising in Filtration systems that extend the lifecycle of engines and equipment working with the often-harsh contamination levels challenging SA’s fuel sector.
(X-head) Additive Injection and Blending
We supply Additive Systems that are flexible in design with a wide range of component options, as well as complete turnkey systems for the automated process of dosing precise amounts of chemical additives into bulk fluids for diesel and petroleum flow streams.
(X-head) Diesel and Lubrication Equipment: Soliflo offers a variety of lubrication equipment suited to various industry sectors including mining. Diesel air-operated pumps, electric pumps, mechanical volumetric flow meters and hose reels are our current focus. Soliflo (Pty) Ltd is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/TS 29001:2020 Quality Management certified and B-BBEE Level 2 accredited.
