Air driven liquid pumps are used widely in industries that pump different liquids that are both thin and viscous in nature including the slurries or liquid with entrained solids. One of the advantages of the air driven liquid pumps is that they do not require electricity to work which is very essential with flammable liquids like gas. The pumps also deliver constant flow with consistent high pressure all through the operations. However, when you are looking for the air driven liquid pumps make sure that you choose right since it is a critical component of your plant operations. This means that you need to focus on reliability, quality, pressure and horsepower capability.
Criteria in the selection of air driven liquid pumps
The air driven liquid pumps that you acquire should be compatible with the type of liquid being used. The pump must be designed according to the type of fluid in order to reduce any safety risks to operators as well as the overall operation of the plant. The key considerations will include:
- Acidity/alkalinity (pH) and chemical composition – corrosive and acidic fluids can degrade pumps. The material with which the pump is made off must be corrosion resistant to avoid complications during use.
- Operating temperature – when pump fluids are hotter than 200oF, it is important to consider the pump material, its expansion and mechanical seal components.
- Solids concentrations/particle sizes – when pumping abrasive fluids such as industrial slurries, it is essential to consider a pump that will not fail prematurely or clog due to particle size, hardness and the volumetric percentage of solids.
- Specific gravity – fluids specific gravity is the ratio of fluid density to that of water under specified conditions. Specific gravity will affect the amount of energy required to lift and move fluid which makes it an essential consideration in determining the power of air driven liquid pumps.
- Vapor pressure – this is the force per unit area that a fluid exerts in an effort to change from liquid to vapor which depends upon the fluid’s chemical and physical properties. Determining these properties will reduce the risks of cavitation which is the formation of vapor cavities in liquid. .
- Viscosity – since kinetic viscosity usually varies with temperature, it is important to know the viscosity of the fluid at the lowest anticipated pumping temperature. High viscosity fluids can result in reduced centrifugal pump performance and increased power requirements.
External considerations in the choice of air driven liquid pumps
The most obvious among the external considerations is temperature since pumps have to operate even in extreme temperature conditions. Pumps are available in both metal and plastic construction materials but metal pumps are the better choice when it comes to extreme hot and cold environments. Pumping water for example in below freezing point weather will likely require an insulated wrap to prevent it from freezing. In the hot sun or in environments with dust and sand, a structure can be built around the air driven liquid pumps for protection. If a proper pump is not chosen, efficiency and performance can be compromised.
