Slurry pumps and water pumps are not one and the same, which rings true for other pumps as well. Each serves a different purpose, which helps to inform why they&#;re not interchangeable systems. But why, exactly, is a slurry pump necessary over a standard water pump in certain, specific applications? Read on for the full answer.
As mentioned, a slurry pump differs from a water pump in many key ways. First, slurry pumps and water pumps (as their names suggest) pump different materials. Slurry pumps pump mixtures of fluids not present when pumping hot water, hot oil, or thermanol, which can include or involve gravel, copper, sand, alcohols, acids, petroleum, abrasive mixtures, and more. Slurry pumps are specially made to handle these abrasive and/or caustic materials, having replaceable, durable, and robust pump parts.
On the other hand, hot water pumps are able to bear high temperature pressure, but don&#;t have the hydraulic capacity to pump solid or slurry particles effectively. Hot water pumps also lack the ability to stand up to the highly abrasive and corrosive nature of slurries.
What makes a slurry pump so effective at handling slurry? It has many wear-resistant properties, including a bigger impeller diameter, bearings, shafts, and internal system. It also typically boasts heavy-duty construction&#;much more so than standard water pumps possess.
Due to this, slurry pumps can transport solid and slurry materials more effectively and efficiently. The other core component to slurry pump success is the utilization of centrifugal force. Centrifugal force propels material(s) outward from the center of the pump. Centripetal force does the opposite: It propels material(s) toward the pump center. However, slurry pumps have to perform on a centrifugal basis. This is due to the way in which forces produce velocity to the slurry, which fast tracks material transportation. Operationally, a centripetal pump would render ineffective for slurry, causing the slurry and solids to conglomerate together rather than flow freely.
There are three main ways to pump slurry based on what the specific situation calls for. These are semi-dry, dry, and wet. Semi-dry installations are almost exclusively used for dredging applications that utilize horizontal pumping orientation. Dry installations are when pump drive and bearings stay out of slurry, and the &#;wet&#; end is free from liquid and stands on its own. Here, the wet end comprises the impeller, shell, suction liner or hub, and shaft sleeve. For wet installations, which Vulcan Pumps specializes in, the slurry pump and drive are wholly submersible. This is essential for a range of slurry pump applications, including those done underwater.
Vulcan Pumps&#; HDS submersible slurry pump is built for long-lasting use through quality assured, U.S.-made manufacturing. Contact us for more info on this product, and how our locally inventoried parts and fast lead-times can benefit your operation.
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Water pumps are the most common pump variety, with the capability to transport water that&#;s free of oils, large contaminants, and suspended solids. When you need to move slurries from wastewater or production sites, however, you&#;ll need a more robust tool.
Slurry pumps, also known as sludge pumps, are specially built to pump liquid with suspended solids or solvents of various compositions. Equipment that pumps slurry must have the power and proper components to handle viscous and abrasive media that water pumps cannot.
Slurry is a broad term for any liquid that contains suspended material, regardless of the substance amount or thickness. Some slurries are highly viscous, while others are thin and watery; other slurries have large, suspended solids. Even temperature and corrosiveness can differ from one slurry to another. From cement and wastewater to paint and even foods like soup, slurries require different handling processes and equipment based on slurry type. Some of the most common slurries include:
Soil slurry consists of dirt, mud, rock, sand, and other soil particulates mixed with water to facilitate their movement.
Produced following the burning of coal for energy production, this toxic slurry is commonly made up of removed water and waste byproducts like fly ash.
Paper and wood product manufacturers produce a slurry of water, solvents, and wood pulp.
A slurry of animal waste and other organic material ages within a slurry pit and, once concentrated, has agricultural applications as fertilizer.
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Wastewater is water that people have already used and therefore contains contaminants.
Wastewater treatment produces sewer sludge, a semisolid byproduct.
With applications in chemical mechanical planarization, this abrasive liquid has corrosive properties.
Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) in refineries generates a slurry oil byproduct that makes up a portion of the world&#;s supply of fuel oil.
This slurry is composed of varying solid foods in a liquified form.
Given the many different slurry varieties, a specialized pump is often necessary for successfully transporting this media.
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Water pumps are built to handle flowable streams of water with a consistent makeup. These components have the capacity to redistribute bodies of water on a massive scale but are very limited in the media they can successfully transport. While some pumps have the added capabilities of handling high-temperature water streams, they don&#;t have the ability to withstand damage from caustic and corrosive fluids nor the high-performance hydraulics for handling viscous slurries and liquids with suspended solids.
Slurry pumps come in a wide range of capabilities and designs to pump fluids with more varied consistencies than hot water and oil. While they&#;re extremely durable for their anticipated applications, slurry pump parts are easy to replace when necessary, and also powerful enough to generate the force needed for pumping. Some of the fluid materials they handle include alcohols and acids, sand and gravel, petroleum, and other abrasive liquids or solids that affect the thickness, composition, and corrosiveness of the stream.
As you select the right equipment for pumping slurries at your facility, it&#;s best to understand the composition and viscosity of the slurry the pump will need to transport. True liquids are simpler than abrasive media or those containing solids, and using the right slurry pump will enhance a device&#;s performance and efficiency while ensuring it can handle abrasive substances, unlike other pump products that would sustain damage from coarse media. Examples of common media and their respective optimal pumps include:
With low viscosity, water slurry is easy for both centrifugal and pneumatic pumps to transport.
Containing solid deposits, these media necessitate a heavy-duty slurry or peristaltic hose pump with the power to transport them and the durability to resist abrasion.
Whatever the slurry or liquid you need to move, GATOR Pump, Inc. can help. For 40 years, we&#;ve constructed and customized our steel-manufactured submersible slurry pumps and other pump products for superior performance, high solid-handling capabilities, longevity, and low operating costs. To learn more or request a quote, contact us today through our online form, by , or by at 1-800-735-.
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