GUIDE TO PUMPING SLURRY
One of the most common questions our team of pump experts is asked is, "how do I pump slurry?"
With that in mind, our team of experts offer this useful guide to pumping slurry:
What is ‘Slurry’?
Slurry is a mixture of fluid, which consists of a water-like liquid and particles. Generally, the slurry acts in the same way as a thick, sticky fluid – moving with gravity but normally requiring pumping.
There are two types of slurries found in these industries:
Non-settling slurries consist of very fine particles and will not settle to the bottom of the pipe or could settle over a very long period of time (i.e. weeks).
Settling slurries are formed by coarse particles; forming from an unstable mixture. It is these settling slurries that have coarse particles.
Generally, slurries are:
Abrasive;
A thick consistency, and;
Include high number of solids or particles.
Selecting the right slurry pump
It’s important that the pump you select has components that won’t wear with an abrasive slurry.
For example:
What style of pump is suitable?
If centrifugal, is the design and material of the impeller appropriate?
What is the pump constructed of?
Are the discharge configurations appropriate for the abrasive slurry?
What is the best sealing arrangement for the application?
Traditionally, centrifugal pumps are used for pumping highly abrasive slurries. Centrifugal pumps use the force generated by a rotating impeller to impact kinetic energy to the slurry.
Considerations for your slurry pump
Pumping slurry can cause excessive wear and tear on pumps and their components as the slurry can clog suction and discharge lines.
Determine the perfect combination of slow pumping (to reduce the wear), but fast speed to keep the solids from settling and clogging;
Lower the pump’s discharge pressure to the lowest possible point, and;
Ensure you’re following the basic rules of pump piping.
Pumping slurry can be a challenging problem, but with the correct guidance, pump and maintenance plan, you’ll achieve operational success.
Understanding the Basics: What is a Slurry Pump
A slurry pump is an essential component in many industrial processes that involve the transfer of abrasive, viscous or high concentration fluids. Slurry pumps are designed to efficiently move liquids containing large amounts of solids in suspension without clogging or causing excessive wear to pump components.
In this article, we will provide an overview of slurry pumps, their key components, working principles, and applications across various industries. We will also discuss factors to consider when selecting a slurry pump for a particular application. By the end, you should have a basic yet comprehensive understanding of what a slurry pump is and how it works.
What is a Slurry Pump?
A slurry pump is a heavy-duty centrifugal pump capable of pumping abrasive, corrosive and high concentration fluids with particles in suspension. The key difference from clear liquid pumps is that slurry pumps use heavy-duty construction to prevent excessive erosion, corrosion, and wear of pump parts.
Slurry pumps consist of an impeller, casing, shaft seal assembly, and bearing housing. The pump casing is commonly lined with replaceable wear plates or rubber to minimize damage, while the impeller clearance is adjustable to maintain efficiency. High chrome iron, nickel alloys, or rubber are typical slurry pump construction materials.
Working Principle of a Slurry Pump
Slurry pumps work via the centrifugal pumping principle. As the rotating impeller spins at high speeds inside the casing, it generates velocity pressure which pushes the fluid outwards. The casing then converts this velocity pressure into flow pressure at the discharge nozzle. The fluid enters axially from the suction inlet towards the center of the rotating impeller vanes and exits radially at high velocity into the outer casing and out the discharge nozzle.
This continuous process allows large volumes of abrasive liquids and slurries to be pumped efficiently. The pump must generate sufficient pressure to overcome frictional resistances in suction and discharge pipelines as well as lifting or head pressures.
Key Components of a Slurry Pump
The major slurry pump components include:
Impeller: The rotating component with vanes that imparts energy to the fluid through centrifugal force. Various impeller types can be used depending on required discharge pressure and flow rates.
Cover plate liner
Throat bush
Casing: The outer housing that contains the impeller and guides the fluid flow. Cylindrical shape with suction and discharge nozzles.
Shaft: Transmits power from the motor to turn the impeller. Made from alloy steel for high strength and rigidity.
Shaft Seal: Prevents fluid leakage along the shaft. Different sealing arrangements are used such as gland packing and mechanical seals.
Bearings: Supports and facilitates rotation of the shaft and impeller. Bearing selection depends on pump operating conditions.
Baseplate: A rigid frame that absorbs pump loads and provides mounting provision.
Applications of Slurry Pumps
Slurry pumps have wide-ranging applications in various industries where large volumes of abrasive or high solids fluids need to be handled:
Mining: Slurry transportation in copper, gold, coal and other types of mines from the concentrator to processing plant. Also tailings disposal.
Dredging: Underwater sediment and sludge pumping required in dredging projects to create waterways or reclaim land.
Desalination: Transfer of thick slurries during the desalination process to extract freshwater from seawater.
Fracking: Handling water-based bentonite clay or drill cuttings slurry in upstream oil and gas fracking operations.
Wastewater treatment: Pumping sewage sludge between different process units at municipal wastewater plants.
Pulp and paper: Moving cellulose fiber slurries with consistencies over 10% concentration between processes.
Cement and minerals: Slurries encountered when processing ores, limestone and other minerals into final products.
Food processing: Viscous slurries that occur in processes like tomato concentrate production, beer brewing, sugar beet refining among others.
Factors to Consider When Selecting a Slurry Pump
When selecting a slurry pump, key factors to consider include:
Pump capacity and discharge head requirement
Slurry concentration, specific gravity, viscosity
Maximum particle size and abrasiveness
Flow rate and pattern (continuous or intermittent operation)
Suction and discharge conditions like lift, static head and pipeline configuration
Pumping liquid corrosivity, toxicity, explosiveness risks
Environmental factors like temperature, altitude
Pump installation location and portability needs
Commercial factors like capital and maintenance costs, availability of parts and service
Pump capacity should be sized according to desired flow rates and discharge heads by accounting for all system losses. Finding the optimal combination of metallurgy and hydraulic selection helps control wear in critical components while maintaining efficiency. Reputable slurry pump manufacturers can provide recommendations and custom engineering assistance tailored to each application.
By understanding slurry characteristics, intended service conditions and operating parameters, the appropriate pump type and construction can be specified for reliable, long-lasting performance.
Types of Slurry Pumps
There are three main slurry pump types – horizontal, vertical and submersible orientation. Within each category, various configurations and impeller designs confer specific performance advantages.
Horizontal Slurry Pumps
The horizontal slurry pump is always installed on the ground. It is the most common type of slurry pump in different applications. Suitable for electric motor or diesel engine drives
The vertical slurry pump is designed in some half-dry situations like sump and pool, its pump body is always underwater while the engine is above.
Submersible slurry pumps
The whole submersible slurry pump system work underwater, operating directly in the slurries, with no additional support superstructure Easy to install
By selecting from these and other slurry pump types, the model best suited for each application in terms of delivery pressure, flow rate, size of solids handling capability, ease of maintenance and capital cost outlay can be chosen.
Conclusion
Slurry pumps are a category of pumps engineered explicitly for reliable pumping of dense mixtures of liquids and coarse solids across various demanding industrial applications. Their heavy-duty construction counters the highly abrasive and corrosive nature of slurries.
We have covered the essential aspects of slurry pump types, components, operation, selection factors and usage across different industries. Correct slurry pump specification is critical for achieving optimal equipment life while reducing downtime and maintenance. Partnering with specialist slurry pump manufacturers ensures access to innovative products, custom engineering and life cycle support.
With this basic primer on understanding slurry pumps, you should now feel well-informed about specifying an appropriate slurry pumping solution tailored to your operational requirements. Reach out to application experts for any additional guidance specific to your installation.
Slurry Pump: What is it, and how does it work
Pumps designed for pumping slurries will be heavier duty than those designed for less viscous liquids since slurries are heavy and difficult to pump.
Slurry pumps are typically larger in size than standard pumps, with more horsepower, and built with more rugged bearings and shafts. The most common type of slurry pump is the centrifugal pump. These pumps use a rotating impeller to move the slurry, similar to how a water-like liquid would move through a standard centrifugal pump.
Centrifugal pumps optimized for slurry pumping will generally feature the following in comparison to standard centrifugal pumps:
Larger impellers made with more material. This is to compensate for wear caused by abrasive slurries.
Fewer, thicker vanes on the impeller. This allows the passage of solids more readily — typically 2-5 vanes, compared to 5-9 vanes on a standard centrifugal pump.
For pumping abrasive slurries, these types of pumps may also be made from specialized high wear alloys such as AL-6XN® or Hastelloy® C-22®. Hardening stainless steel is also a common option for abrasive slurries, with Expanite and Armoly being two hardening processes.
For certain types of slurry pumping conditions, positive displacement pumps may be a more appropriate choice than a centrifugal-style pump.
These conditions include:
A low slurry flow rate
A high head (i.e., the height to which the pump can move liquid)
A desire for greater efficiency than that afforded by centrifugal pumps
Improved flow control
Common types of positive displacement pumps used in slurry pumping applications include:
Rotary Lobe pumps
These pumps use two meshing lobes rotating within a pump's housing to move fluids from the pump's inlet to its outlet.
Twin-screw pumps
These pumps employ rotating screws to move liquids and solids from one end of the pump to another. The screws' turning action creates a spinning motion that pumps material.
Diaphragm pumps
These pumps use a flexible membrane that expands the volume of the pumping chamber, bringing in fluid from an inlet valve and then discharging it through an outlet valve.
Selecting and operating a slurry pump
Choosing the right pump for your slurry application can be a complex task due to the balance of many factors including flow, pressure, viscosity, abrasiveness, particle size, and particle type. An applications engineer, who knows how to take all of these factors into account, can be a great help in navigating the many pump options available.
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