Spun Out: Is It Time for A Pump Revolution in the Chemical Industry?

Related Vendors

Lutz Pumpen GmbH

Italvacuum, Srl

ProMinent GmbH

DeanHouston Inc

Through Thick and Thin

The favorable reputation of AODD pumps is built on the technology’s ability to handle a wide range of liquids with varying characteristics. One of the most important is viscosity, since the pump’s true best operational efficiency is only achieved if the lowest possible amount of scfms of air are consumed while delivering the highest possible flow rate, no matter the viscosity.

In the operation of AODD pumps, slip is almost eliminated, regardless of the viscosity of the fluid, as it is controlled by the ball check valves in the pump. Other technologies such as gear, screw and lobe pumps have fixed tolerances to control slip, which makes them unable to adequately adjust to viscosity changes.

Taking Viscosity into Account

When working with a centrifugal pump, the fluid viscosity is a design factor in the pump equipment and its selection for a specific application. Impeller dimensions and styles are specifically tailored to be compatible with thick or thin fluids, making moving a pump from one application to the other not really workable. Gear pumps, on the other hand, may be a good choice for very thick oil or viscous liquids, but they are poor choices for thinner liquids like ethanol or water.

Pumps/Water Treatment

The Tough get Going: An Overview of Pumps for Sludge Drying and Thickening Applications

The AODD pump though is a jack-of-all-trades that doesn’t care if the fluid is thick, thin, particulate-free or laden with particulates; its design allows it to pull in the liquid, no matter its composition, and drive it downstream. Manufacturers do publish viscosity correction tables, but these are simply helpful in predicting pump performance. AODD pump manufacturers are also taking steps to improve the flow path of their pumps, which will make it even easier to efficiently transfer highly viscous or particulate-laden liquids.

In fact, some newer AODD pump models with redesigned and optimized wetted paths deliver flow rates up to 50% higher than legacy models. This enhanced flow capability may also allow the operator to use, for example, a 2-inch pump where a 3-inch model may have been the choice in the past.

(ID:44539566)