Forewarned is Forearmed — How to Achieve Full Containment with Dangerous Chemicals

Related Vendors

DÜPERTHAL Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co. KG

Italvacuum, Srl

TRM Filter d.o.o.

ALMATEC Maschinenbau GmbH

Attempts have been made to circumvent the shortcomings of pumps that feature mechanical seals through the implementation of magnetic couplings or double barrier seals. While these methods of containment do outperform mechanical seals, there are other shortcomings that limit their effectiveness. The viscosity range of liquids that are transferred by pumps with magnetic couplings is limited by the amount of transferable torque that can be created. The use of pumps with double seals or barrier liquids can be impractical due to their high cost and the elevated level of maintenance required.

AODD Pumps

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Some common pump styles that have traditionally been used to handle dangerous chemicals include lobe, gear and centrifugal models. While they may be constructed of chemical-compatible materials, their design features mechanical seals, the performance of which can be compromised over time, raising the possibility that leaks will occur.

In terms of actual performance, these competitive pump styles also have shortcomings when it comes to the reliable, energy-efficient transfer of dangerous chemicals. Gear pumps, for instance, move liquids through the meshing of gears. Over time, however, as the gears wear, the pump’s volumetric consistency is adversely affected, resulting in unreliable flow rates and increased energy usage. The operation of both gear and centrifugal pumps can create turbulence in the pumped liquid, which can lead to shearing that can damage or alter the liquid’s chemical properties. Since they are not true PD pumps, lobe models can be subject to product slippage, which can make attaining a consistent flow problematic and result in compromised production rates.

The Solution

While other PD-pump technologies have shortcomings when handling dangerous chemicals, the AODD pump does not come with such concerns. Specifically, plastic solid-body AODD pumps are the preferred choice over their injection-molded cousins. In general, solid-body AODD pumps are stronger and have a longer life cycle with less required maintenance. Injection-molded plastic pumps, on the other hand, can have small cavities or crevices in the body where liquids can accumulate and potential leak paths can be created. During their operation, injection-molded pumps can also bounce more than solid-body models, which can loosen pipework and increase the chances for a product leak.

Plastic AODD pumps can also be constructed of materials that are specifically compatible with the chemicals that are being handled, which eliminates corrosion and leak concerns. The overall design and operation of AODD pumps gives them dry-run capability and good controllability, while they are seal-less. Their compressible drive medium permits gentle delivery with attenuated pressure peaks. Start-up is simple and the space required is considerably less than in the case of piston-actuated diaphragm pumps or eccentric screw pumps.

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