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

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If a valve is restricted on the inlet side of a centrifugal pump, the pump can cavitate, leading to impeller and volute damage. If the inlet was closed completely, one can expect bearing and ring failure due to heat buildup.

If this condition occurs when operating an AODD pump, the pump will slow and if the inlet was closed completely, stop, waiting for the inlet line to be open once more, when it would resume its pumping operations. AODD pumps match the supposed advantages of centrifugal pumps while avoiding their troubling disadvantages.

Top Considerations for Process Prumps

All industrial pumps face the same demand: perform reliably and with a limited amount of downtime and repair or replacement costs. Thanks to its simple, yet innovative, design the AODD pump has become a go-to pumping technology where basic liquid-transfer capabilities are required.

Times change, however, and today it is not only enough to perform the required task, now the pump must do so in the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way possible, with the lowest affect on the bottom line and carbon footprint resulting.

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The Basic Facts

Connect Four: Reasons for Using AODD Pumps

AODD pumps are eminently appropriate for use with liquids with high viscosity and can easily move fluids that range from water-like liquids to medium and very viscous liquids.

AODD pumps are fool-proof and can run dry and strip discharge lines without getting damaged; if the pressures get to be too much, the pump will just stop running, but won’t break. On the other hand, centrifugal pumps can’t run dry and when extra pressure is created, their seals, bearings and piping can break, which leads to added downtime and repair costs, as well as increased safety risks for plant personnel.

AODD pumps are very simple devices and controlling accessories consist typically of solenoid operators, pump-cycle counters and surge-dampener assemblies.

Operating costs can be similar when all the maintenance, accessories and controllers are evaluated, and in many cases the total cost of ownership is lower over the operational lifespan of an AODD pump when compared to a centrifugal model.

Searching for New Ways

That creates a quandary for the chemical manufacturer who must perform a cost and environmentally sensitive juggling act while still creating products that are some of the most complex in the industrial-manufacturing universe.

Many have found that relying on previously tried-and-true technologies may not be enough anymore and have begun to look for alternatives. Ready to step into the chemical-processing breach is the AODD pump, which possesses a stable of enviable operational characteristics — dry-run capability, high suction lift, particulate-handling, to name a few — that can make it the ideal choice for chemical manufacturers who are searching for a technology that meshes cost-conscious energy consumption with streamlined flow rates.

Since its founding in 1970, Spanish Chimigraf, has grown into an internationally recognized producer of water-, solvent- and UV-based inks. Joining them on this journey have been Wilden AODD Pumps, which Chimigraf utilizes to maximize the cost and operational efficiencies of its global ink-manufacturing operations (Wilden)

* * E. Brito is the Global Sales Director, Diaphragm Equipment for Wilden and PSG, R. Jack is a Development Engineer IV.

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