One of the most challenging aspects of working with fluids is the transportation of slurries. In addition to having a high level of abrasiveness, it has a high concentration of solids, is extremely viscous, has the potential to be corrosive at times, and so on. There is no way to get around the undeniable fact that slurry is difficult on pumps. However, selecting the appropriate progressive cavity pump parts for these abrasive applications can make a significant impact on the performance of the progressive cavity pumps parts over the course of its entire lifetime.
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
Any mixture that consists of both liquid and very small solid particles can be considered to be a slurry. Slurries are typically thick and viscous. Mixtures that contain solid particles suspended in liquid are known as slurries. Examples of slurries include manure, cement, starch, and coal. Slurries are used in numerous industries, including the mining industry, the steel processing industry, foundries, the power generation industry, and more recently, the industry that mines frac sand, because they are a convenient way to handle solids.
Slurries often exhibit behaviors that are analogous to those of other types of fluids that are thick and viscous. Slurries are capable of moving as a result of the force of gravity, but they can also be pumped if that becomes necessary. Slurries can be broadly categorized into two primary categories: those that do not settle and those that do settle.
The presence of very fine particles in slurries that do not settle gives the appearance of a greater increase in apparent viscosity than would otherwise be the case. These slurries, in general, have low wearing properties; however, one must exercise extreme caution when selecting the appropriate progressive cavity pump parts because they do not behave in the same manner as a typical liquid does. Because of this, thoughtful consideration is required.
The coarse particles that make up slurries have a propensity to clump together and form an unstable substance when the slurry is allowed to settle. In the process of selecting a pump, you need to pay particular attention to the flow calculations in addition to the power calculations. Because the vast majority of slurry applications are made up of coarse particles, the wear properties of these applications are significantly higher.
SLURRY PUMP SELECTION
Slurry can be pumped with a number of different pumps, but the centrifugal pump is by far the most common type of slurry progressing cavity pump parts used today. Other types of slurry pumps include:The kinetic energy of the slurry is transferred to the slurry by the centrifugal slurry progressive cavity pumps parts through the use of the centrifugal force that is generated by a rotating impeller. This is comparable to the path that a liquid with similar properties to water would take through a conventional centrifugal progressive.
When slurry applications are involved, the expected wear life of progressiveing components is significantly shortened. It is absolutely necessary to start with the selection of progressives that have been developed expressly for the heavy-duty applications at hand. Consider the following when making your choice between the available alternatives:
BASIC progressive COMPONENTS
In order to make certain that the progressive will be resistant to abrasive wear, it is necessary to carefully select the appropriate impeller size and design, material of construction, and discharge configurations.
Open impellers are the type of impeller that are most commonly found on slurry progressives. This is due to the fact that open impellers are less likely to become clogged. Closed impellers, on the other hand, have the greatest potential for becoming clogged, and if they do become clogged, it is the most difficult to clean them.
Large and sturdy are typically the characteristics of the impellers that are used for slurries. Because of this, they are able to maintain their functionality for significantly longer periods of time in harsh slurry mixtures.
SLURRY progressive CONSTRUCTION
Slurry progressives are typically larger in size than pumps designed for low-viscosity liquids because of the higher viscosity of slurries. In addition, because of the lower efficiency of these machines, the amount of horsepower necessary for their operation is typically increased. In addition, the bearings and shafts ought to be fabricated from a substance that is both more durable and rigid.
The casings are selected to meet the requirements of the application in a manner that is appropriate for using them. Pumps such as those utilized in the production of cement, for instance, are able to process fine particles despite operating at pressures that are relatively low. As a consequence of this, a casing that is constructed in a lightweight manner is permissible. If the progressive cavity pump parts is going to be used to move rocks, then the casing and the impeller of the progressing cavity pump parts will need to be more robust and have a greater wall thickness.
