LSM Pumper secures order for 12 hose pumps for Lithuanian biogas plant
Danish pump manufacturer LSM Pumper has secured an order for 12 hose pumps for a new biogas plant in Lithuania, following the installation of a number of its pumps by engineering company ViGo Engineering over the past two years.
The latest order comprises ten LSM-150 pumps and two smaller LSM-65 units, which will be installed at a new facility scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.
ViGo Engineering began working with LSM Pumper in 2024 and currently has nine LSM-150 pumps operating at biogas plants in Lithuania, each handling approximately 120m³/h. The company has also previously purchased two LSM-25 pumps and an LSM-65, bringing its total purchases to more than 20 units with the latest order.
The expansion comes as LSM Pumper reports growing international interest in its larger hose pumps for biogas applications, particularly in Lithuania, Germany, Poland and the USA.
Handling challenging biomass
Pumping biomass presents particular difficulties because the materials being transferred can vary considerably in consistency and composition. Feedstocks used in biogas production can include slurry, maize, yeast and other organic materials containing fibres and solid particles.
High viscosity and changes in the characteristics of the material can make pumping difficult, particularly where consistent flow is needed to maintain the process.
LSM Pumper specialises in hose pumps designed to handle these types of materials. The company says its technology is particularly suited to applications involving fibrous, viscous or solids-laden media, where blockages and interruptions to pumping can affect plant operation.
For ViGo Engineering, the decision to continue using LSM pumps follows its experience with the original installations.
“We began our collaboration with LSM because we needed a pumping solution capable of handling the demanding materials in the biogas plants. After working with the pumps in practice, we have experienced stable operations, and therefore it was natural for us to continue with LSM on the new projects,” said Maksim Lisovskij, Project Manager at ViGo Engineering.
According to ViGo Engineering, the pumps have experienced fewer motor stoppages in operation. The company also reports that the hoses are less prone to filling up or becoming blocked than those in other hose pumps it has compared them with.
These observations have been an important factor in the decision to specify LSM equipment for the latest project.
Maintenance and spare parts availability
Alongside the ability to handle difficult materials, ViGo Engineering identifies maintenance support and spare parts availability as important considerations when selecting pumps for biogas applications.
An interruption to pumping can have consequences for the wider process, making the time required to repair equipment and return it to service an important part of the purchasing decision.
LSM Pumper maintains stocks of replacement components, including pump hoses and gear units, which it says allows it to respond quickly to customers requiring maintenance or repairs.
“When working with biogas plants, it is important to be able to react quickly if a problem arises. We find that LSM is quick to respond and that they have spare parts available. That makes a difference for us, because long delivery times for spare parts can have major consequences for daily operations,” said Lisovskij.
The experience also reflects the importance of considering maintenance requirements alongside the initial pumping duty, particularly where equipment is handling materials that can cause blockages or place additional demands on components.
Leo Sørensen, CEO of LSM Pumper, said the company was seeing greater recognition of these issues among biogas operators.
“We are finding that several international customers in the biogas sector have become highly aware of how vital the pumping solution is to the overall operation. It is not just about moving a certain amount of material from A to B. It is also about operational stability, maintenance, and how quickly you can get a solution back into operation if a problem occurs,” he said.
Growing demand from biogas operators
LSM Pumper sees the repeat orders from ViGo Engineering as an example of increasing demand for hose pumps in biogas applications.
The manufacturer supplies pumps for a range of industrial duties, including agriculture, mining and processes involving materials with high solids content or other difficult handling characteristics.
According to Sørensen, the diversity of materials encountered in biogas production means that pumping requirements can differ substantially between installations.
“The interesting thing about biogas is that we meet customers who come to us with very different materials and process conditions. But common to them all is the desire for a robust and reliable pumping solution. We are experiencing increasing interest internationally, and ViGo Engineering is a great example of how a collaboration can develop from the first pumps to a larger series of installations,” he said.
The 12 pumps ordered for the latest Lithuanian project will add to ViGo Engineering’s existing installations as the company continues to develop its biogas activities.
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