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

Related Vendors

Lutz Pumpen GmbH

Italvacuum, Srl

ProMinent GmbH

DeanHouston Inc

A caveat must be noted, though, that the AODD pump does have a few performance limitations, most commonly on the suction side of the pump, since the only pressure that is available to bring the liquid to the pump is atmospheric. In cases of extreme suction conditions, the physical location of the pump relative to the pumped media is a crucial factor, i.e. the pump should be moved as close to the source of the fluid as possible to reduce line friction.

Whenever possible, locate the pump below the supply tank — this will enable gravity to assist the “feeding” of the pump. Also, eliminate as many fittings and elbows on the suction side as possible. Operators and system designers may additionally consider over-sizing the plumbing leading to the pump to reduce friction on the suction side.

Chemically Speaking

What does all this mean for the chemical industry? This sector features some of the most intricate and complex industrial processes in the world. Because of the importance of the myriad transferring operations within the entire chemical-manufacturing process — raw materials to storage or blending tanks, finished products into fixed-weight containers, etc. — operators need to identify the best pumping technology for the job, one that possesses the versatility to perform reliably and efficiently at any number of points in the production hierarchy. It had almost become a rote choice among chemical manufacturers that centrifugal pumps were the best technology for transfer operations within the chemical plant, for several reasons:

• Centrifugal pumps work best with thin, water-like fluids, which have long been a staple in chemical manufacturing.

• An “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” attitude made the centrifugal pump an easy fallback option.

• There was an overriding perception that centrifugal pumps have a lower operating cost compared to AODD pumps, but this proved to not necessarily be the case.

A closer look shows that despite its reputation, the centrifugal pump doesn’t appear to be the all-conquering technology that is required for efficient and optimized chemical-processing applications.

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