Challenges and Opportunities Brought by "Megatrends"

 

Currently, various "megatrends" are profoundly reshaping the world. These present significant social, economic, and cultural challenges, while also creating opportunities for sustainability and innovation.

 

With forward-thinking insights and cutting-edge product capabilities, KSB is providing efficient, reliable, and sustainable fluid solutions in critical scenarios.

 

 

From agricultural water security challenges and water supply and drainage safety in megacities to electric vehicle battery production, the circular economy and low-carbon manufacturing, and AI data center cooling, the following five examples demonstrate how KSB's products are empowering the future.

 

1. Electrification: Growing Demand for Batteries

 

 

Electrification, at its core, replaces fossil fuels with clean electricity. Consequently, demand for lithium-ion batteries will surge from approximately 750 GWh (gigawatt-hours) today to 4,700 GWh by 2040, as McKinsey predicts. The battery value chain spans mining, refining, material synthesis, battery cells, and recycling, and each link requires corrosion- and wear-resistant pumps and valves.

 

On the raw material side: KSB's LCC-M slurry pumps, with their highly wear-resistant structure, play a key role in handling solid-containing, highly abrasive, and corrosive media.

On the refining side: KSB's Magnochem standard chemical pumps, with their chemically resistant materials and a wide range of seal configurations, ensure safety and reliability when conveying high-temperature, highly corrosive, and hazardous chemical liquids.

 

KSB's products have higher efficiency and longer lifespan, helping battery factories using these products gain solid protection in controlling full lifecycle costs and improving system availability.

 

2. Urbanization: Deep Tunnel Water Management in Megacities

 

 

In 2023, 57% of the global population lived in cities. The United Nations predicts this figure will reach 68% by 2050. At the same time, the number of megacities with populations exceeding 10 million will increase to 40. Aging drainage systems, coupled with frequent extreme rainfall, increase the risk of urban flooding and overflows.

 

Deep drainage tunnels are an effective solution: large-diameter tunnels are built beneath cities to collect rainwater and sewage, which are then pumped to the surface for unified treatment.

 

KSB, leveraging its extensive hydraulic design experience, provides durable and efficient sewage pumping solutions, having successfully implemented deep tunnel projects in major cities such as London, Mexico City, and Auckland.

 

3. Water Scarcity: How to Safeguard Food and Water

 

 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, global food demand is projected to surge by 70% by 2050. As a result, we are depleting natural water resources, such as aquifers, faster than they can be replenished. This is not surprising, considering that 70% of the world's groundwater is used for irrigation.

 

Between 2000 and 2018, global per capita renewable water resources decreased by approximately 20%, particularly impacting arid regions such as North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Europe and the United States.

 

To conserve water resources, arid countries and regions require more sustainable irrigation methods, such as drip irrigation or the use of recycled water. However, to promote the adoption of such systems, the solutions' lifecycle costs must be attractive.

 

 

KSB prioritizes efficiency and has rapidly expanded its business in the irrigation industry over the past decade by offering a diverse range of high-efficiency products and services for various irrigation scenarios. KSB provides Amarex KRT submersible sewage pumps, Etanorm single-stage end-suction centrifugal pumps, Multitec multi-stage centrifugal pumps, Omega double-suction volute pumps, etc., covering the entire chain of agricultural water needs from water intake, pressurization to long-distance transportation.

 

4. Circular Economy: Rethinking "Raw Materials"

 

 

The "Circular Gap Report 2024," released in collaboration between the Circular Economy Foundation and Deloitte, shows that global annual raw material consumption has nearly quadrupled over the past 50 years, reaching 10.14 billion tons in 2021, yet the recycling rate is only approximately 7.2%. This waste not only negatively impacts the environment but also creates raw material shortages and supply chain issues, further impacting the economy.

 

Achieving a "circular economy" is an important step toward addressing this issue, minimizing resource use and reusing materials.

 

 

The KSB EtaLine Pro vertical inline pump was designed with recycling in mind from the outset: it uses over 60% recycled raw materials. Its weight is significantly reduced thanks to a new motor with concentrated windings, saving 73% copper and 49% gray cast iron. Intelligent adjustment options allow the pump to flexibly adapt to changing demand. This prevents waste: if operating conditions change, the entire pump does not need to be replaced.

 

The number of components has also been reduced from approximately 40 to 15, simplifying logistics and conserving resources. Combined with offsetting unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions, these measures have reduced the pump's carbon footprint to virtually zero.

 

5. The AI ​​Era: The Data Center Cooling War

 

 

Artificial intelligence (AI) enables computers and machines to mimic human learning, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. Discussions about AI often focus on its impact on productivity and employment.

 

However, one aspect often overlooked is the enormous energy consumption of AI.

 

By 2026, electricity consumption by data centers and AI computing power could reach 1050 TWh (terawatt-hours, representing one trillion watts of electricity consumed per hour), accounting for approximately 2% of global electricity consumption.

 

To meet the growing demands of AI, data centers must concentrate ultra-high power within limited space. Water, a common medium with a specific heat capacity approximately four times that of air, is becoming increasingly important as a coolant. Technologies such as rear-door cooling (RLC) and direct liquid cooling (DLC) use liquid directly to cool processors, reducing energy consumption and becoming the preferred choice for improving efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

 

 

KSB's Etanorm single-stage, end-suction centrifugal pumps, with optimized impellers and flow paths, ensure high efficiency, low noise, and wide operating range, providing a proven solution for water and water-glycol loops in data centers. Equipped with an IE5 motor, these pumps maintain excellent efficiency even under low-load conditions, helping to reduce system energy consumption and improve cooling reliability, laying a solid hydraulic foundation for sustainable computing power.

 

Using Sustainable Certainty Navigating Uncertain Times Solutions. Achieving a Better Life In the face of profound change, the true foundational capability lies in deeply integrating efficiency, reliability, low carbon emissions, and full lifecycle value. Whether in battery factories, deep tunnel drainage, agricultural irrigation, green manufacturing, or data center cooling, KSB provides customers with future-oriented certainty through proven products and engineering experience.

In the daily operations of chemical plants, mechanical seals are crucial components for ensuring proper equipment operation and preventing leaks. However, when mechanical seals fail and need to be replaced, chemical plants often choose to replace them directly rather than repair them. This seemingly wasteful decision is actually driven by a complex set of considerations.

 

 

First

 

Chemical plants often operate in extremely harsh environments, requiring mechanical seals to withstand extreme conditions such as high temperatures, high pressures, and severe corrosion. Long-term operation causes significant wear and aging of seal components, making it difficult to restore their performance and reliability to their original levels even after repairs. Furthermore, the risk of repaired mechanical seals failing again within a short period of time is high, creating significant uncertainty and potential safety hazards for the plant's continued operations.

 

Second

 

Chemical plants have extremely high requirements for production stability and safety. A mechanical seal failure could lead to the leakage of hazardous substances, resulting in serious consequences such as environmental pollution and casualties. To minimize this risk, chemical plants prefer to use new, rigorously quality-tested mechanical seals to ensure long-term stable equipment operation and safe and reliable production.

 

Furthermore

 

From the perspective of maintenance cost and efficiency, repairing mechanical seals often requires specialized technicians and complex repair equipment, resulting in a lengthy repair process. Furthermore, procurement of the necessary parts and materials can be time-consuming. In contrast, simply replacing a mechanical seal with a new one can quickly resolve the problem, reduce equipment downtime, and improve production efficiency. Furthermore, new mechanical seals typically offer better performance and a longer service life, reducing overall maintenance costs in the long term.

 

In addition

 

Chemical plants' production processes and equipment are constantly evolving. New mechanical seals often utilize more advanced technologies and materials, better adapting to new production requirements and improving equipment efficiency. However, even after repair, older mechanical seals may not meet these new demands.

 

 

In summary, chemical plants' decision to replace mechanical seals rather than repair them is not a blind or wasteful decision. Rather, it is based on a comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, including the demanding production environment, high demands for production stability and safety, maintenance costs and efficiency, and technological advancements. This decision is intended to ensure the long-term stability of the chemical plant's operations, guarantee production safety, improve production efficiency, and achieve sustainable development.

In the selection of a worm gear screw jack, the lead of the screw plays a critical role in determining the performance of the system. A larger lead means that the screw produces a longer linear displacement per revolution, which results in higher lifting speed and improved transmission efficiency. However, this also leads to weaker self-locking capability, making the system prone to back-driving and often requiring an additional braking device. Moreover, screw jacks with larger leads generally have lower load capacity and reduced positioning accuracy, making them more suitable for applications where high speed and efficiency are prioritized.
On the other hand, screw jacks with smaller leads operate at lower lifting speeds and lower transmission efficiency, but they provide stronger self-locking capability, higher positioning accuracy, and greater load capacity. They can reliably hold loads in place after stopping, which is particularly valuable in heavy-duty or precision applications. For this reason, small-lead screw jacks are commonly used in scenarios requiring heavy load handling, precise positioning, or self-locking, such as mold adjustment or clamping systems. In contrast, large-lead screw jacks are preferred in applications where fast lifting and high efficiency are needed, such as automated production lines or lifting platforms. Therefore, choosing the proper screw lead is a key factor in ensuring that the worm gear screw jack meets the specific requirements of an application.

Common linear motion devices, such as screw jacks and electric linear actuators, not only allow for vertical lifting but also multi-angle adjustment. Electric linear actuators are a good choice for angle adjustment of screw linear products. As an extension of the screw jacks, their design features a tail end cap with a pin holder and a pinhole head, making installation simple and convenient for multi-angle adjustment. The electric linear actuator's travelling nut is designed with a telescopic tube, which improves overall protection and stability. However, the overall height is also doubled, which limits its use in applications with limited installation space. Due to its anchor-mounted design, screw jacks require additional trunnions and footing to achieve angle adjustment.

The introduction and comparison of SWL series/SJA series/JWM series worm gear screw jack

SWL, SJA, and JWM are three widely used types of worm gear screw jacks, applied across machinery, automation, stage equipment, and heavy industries. While all three operate on the same worm gear and screw principle, they differ in structure, load capacity, precision, and typical applications.

The SWL series is a classic and cost-effective choice, suitable for general lifting, pushing, and adjustment tasks. Customers looking for reliable worm gear screw jack suppliers will find SWL to be a proven solution for moderate loads and standard industrial applications.

The SJA series offers a modular and compact design, providing higher precision and efficiency. With multiple configurations and optional accessories, it is ideal for automated production lines and multi-point synchronized systems. This series is often selected as a mini screw jack lifts for projects requiring smooth and controlled movement.

The JWM series is a reinforced heavy-duty model designed for low-speed, high-load, and highly stable operation. Compact variants are also available, making it suitable for applications needing screw jack actuator without compromising strength or reliability.

Below is a comparison of the three series:

Feature/Series	SWL Series	SJA Series	JWM Series
Product Type	Classic general-purpose	Modular precision type	Heavy-duty reinforced type
Structure	Mature,standard components	Compact, supports multi-jack use	Robust, durable, shock-resistant
Load Capacity	0.5T – 100T	1T – 50T	1T – 120T
Precision & Stability	Standard	Higher than SWL	High, long-lasting
Typical Applications	Mold adjustment, stage lifts, general equipment	Automated lines, precision adjustment, synchronized lifting	Metallurgy, energy, heavy machinery
Cost	Low	Medium	Medium–High

From above  we can see that SWL emphasizes versatility and cost-effectiveness, SJA focuses on precision and automation, and JWM provides durability and stability for heavy-duty applications. Understanding these differences helps you choose the most suitable series for their specific industrial requirements.