Better Without: The Must–Know Facts About Sealless Pumps

Related Vendors

DÜPERTHAL Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co. KG

Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH

EDL Anlagenbau Gesellschaft mbH

DeanHouston Inc

While sealed pumps can perform admirably in the manufacture, transfer and handling of dangerous chemicals and other hazardous materials, the shortcomings that are inherent in their sealed design can make them insufficient for the job. Fortunately for the operators of chemical-manufacturing facilities, there is an alternative technology that can help eliminate some of the major concerns associated with achieving full containment: seal-less sliding vane, internal gear and eccentric disc pumps.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of a few specific seal-less technologies:

• Sliding Vane: Seal-less sliding vane pumps constructed of corrosion-resistant stainless steel generally feature a magnetic coupling of samarium-cobalt magnets and a unique bearing and head design that allows a small quantity of the pumpage to circulate through the containment can onto the bearings. This minimizes temperature rise during operation, which maximizes bearing life. Operationally, seal-less sliding vane pumps offer the same advantages as their sealed cousins: volumetric consistency, self-priming and limited dry-run capability, drain plugs that allow easy draining and easy replacement of worn vanes.

• Internal Gear: Technological advancements in internal gear pump design and operation now offer to the market models that have only one fluid chamber. This construction removes the adapter plate that is a staple of traditional two-chamber magnetically coupled internal gear pumps, which eliminates product entrapment concerns, especially when transferring high-viscosity liquids. One-chamber operation is achieved through a between-the-bearings design that places the magnets directly on the pump rotor, resulting in a simpler flow path and leak-free product containment. Some seal-less internal gear pump models are also constructed of as few as seven parts, which contributes to an estimated 50 % reduction in maintenance costs compared to sealed pumps.

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