Choosing the correct slurry pump for your application can be a difficult task. Slurry pumps can be found in almost all industries and play a crucial role in many processes. The 5 key aspects to look for in determining the proper slurry pump are slurry pump design, pump construction material, slurry pump deployment, and correct slurry pump power sizing.
1.) Slurry Pump Design
The design of a slurry pump is critical to making sure that the abrasive and often corrosive aspects of the slurry does not destroy the impeller. Additionally, slurry and sludge may contain large unforeseen solids that will inevitably clog many types of pumps. Since most centrifugal pumps have an impeller with a close tolerance to the volute, the abrasive and sometimes corrosive nature of the slurry will quickly wear the volute and ruin the tolerance. This, in turn, causes the pump to lose its suction capability. This causes massive downtime with slurry pumps along with costly maintenance and spare parts.
For this reason, the EDDY Pump is ideal for slurry pumping applications. The EDDY Pump does not have an impeller, but instead a rotor that does not have any critical tolerances. This allows it to pump slurry at rates of 300% and solids up to 12 inches. This is far more than what centrifugal pumps can handle without any failure or need to change wear parts.
This means you can pump MORE solids with LESS clogging.
For more information on EDDY Pump technology, click here.
2.) Slurry Pump Construction Material
Choosing the proper material for a slurry pump is another critical process for determining the correct pump to handle your slurry. If the slurry is highly abrasive with a neutral pH then the best construction material is a Hi-Chrome. This metallurgy has the highest Brinell hardness that can withstand the abrasive nature of the slurry. On the other hand, if the slurry is not only abrasive but also has a low pH, it is best to go with a duplex stainless steel construction. This material is the best for a slurry pump to withstand caustic material such as acid, while still having a high Brinell level.
3.) Slurry Pump Deployment Method
Determining the ideal deployment of a slurry pump is an important step in determining the ideal setup. The three main slurry pump deployment methods are submersible pumps, flooded suction pumps, and self-priming pumps.
Pump Deployment Options
Flooded Suction Deployment
With flooded suction pumps, the fluid to be pumped is positioned above the pump. With the pump positioned below, gravity can feed the fluid into the suction of the pump and keep the pump primed.
Submersible Deployment
Pumps that are completely submerged in the liquid are called submersible pumps. By being submerged in the fluid to be pumped, there is no need for priming.
Self-Priming Deployment
With a self-priming unit, the pump and power unit are not submerged. The suction house goes into the slurry and the unit acts like a super-sized wet dry vacuum. Can be trailer mounted for added mobility.
4.) Slurry Pump Seal
Based on the abrasive nature of slurry, it is important to choose the ideal seal. A slurry pump seal should have hardened faces made from either silicon carbide or tungsten carbide. Eddy Pump incorporates a patented seal technology that utilizes a dual mechanical seal setup with a self-contained seal-flushing system. This allows the seal faces to be cooled at all time to not cause the slurry to overheat the seal and crack the surfaces.
5.) Slurry Pump Power Sizing
Determining the proper slurry pump size and power requirements for your application is crucial. Based on the abrasive nature of slurries, it is important to choose a pump size that will allow for the pump to run at a slow enough speed in order to lengthen the duration of the slurry pump’s life. An ideal RPM to run a slurry pump at is between 900-1200 RPM. Once you begin to exceed this speed, the life of the pump significantly decreases because the wear points in the slurry pump essentially get sandblasted.
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Why EDDY Pumps Are Better – Highlights
This video shows how EDDY Pump transports high slurry and abrasive materials. Featured dredge pump equipment includes the Remote Operated Subdredge, Diver OperatedPump and a Excavator Attachment Dredge Pump.