IPEV (French Polar Institute
Paul-Emile Victor) has been a
customer of pump
manufacturer, Sterling SIHI
since 1966. IPEV maintains
two observation stations
conducting various scientific
research studies.

One site, Dumont d’Urville,
is located on Petrel Island near
the Antarctic continent coast.

The 5000m2 facility includes
dormitories, kitchens,
canteens, laboratories, and
technical facilities. The
production of clean drinking
water is vital in these extreme
conditions and Sterling SIHI
pumps are at the heart of this
important lifeline.

Drinking water is produced
through an evaporator
operating under vacuum.

There are number of difficult
pumping applications
associated with this
equipment. Sterling SIHI Side
Channel and liquid ring
vacuum pumps offer a
solution. Pump model AKH
3604 feeds the seawater
circuit, a CEH 3602 evacuates
the brine and a stainless steel
DRVA recovers the produced
water. The fourth pump, a
LPHX 45008 liquid ring
vacuum pump, provides the
vacuum to enable the allimportant
evaporation.