Drum Pumps

A drum pump has a moving element check valve, it is a moving element that will likely move more slowly or get stuck in a highly viscous fluid. Other suggestions that include no moving elements (other than the pump element) in the fluid path are more likely to be reliable.

i don’t understand the prohibition on electric motor drives, explosion proof induction motors are a mature technology.

A lot depends on the hazardous classification of the material.

There are pumps designed for hazardous locations,such as gasoline pumps,coal mines,etc. but they are very expensive.

A pneumatic PD pump could work also.

A peristaltic pump might also work.

The pneumatic screw pump sounds reasonable,and as previously stated,there are a lot of variables to consider:

How much flow is desired?

Can the vessel be pressurized?

Can the material be heated safely to reduce viscosity.

Here is a link to peristaltic pumps:

https://www.castlepumps.com/pump-type/peristaltic-pumps

The latest suggestion that has been made by asking for a possible agitation or heating for the viscosity to be reduced. Then again, if it is a drum pump, it has to be used horizontal because of the orientation of the tank (don't know if it can be used like that).

Now we are planning by hose on either siides so that the pump can be kept farther

Don't want to be too pedantic, but I have found 413 definitions for the acronym CSA - please tell me what it means in this context.

Cross-sectional area.

<...highly flammable...> and <...viscous wax...> are not usually characteristics of the same fluid.

Viscosity is highly dependent on temperature.

Electric-motor-driven pumps are used routinely for pumping <..highly flammable...> substances: read this. Correct design, installation and maintenance of electrical equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres requires special training. If in doubt, consult a specialist Electrical Engineer.

If the <...customer...> is asking for <...an air driven Screw pump...> then fine, though a progressive cavity lobe pump, a peristaltic pump or a gear pump might also be used, subject to the <...highly flammable...viscous wax...> and the wetted materials of the pump being compatible.

If in doubt, consult a qualified Process Engineer.

The actual fluid is hexane mixed with sludge and wax

That doesn't change anything.

The things that will are flowrates, pressures and temperatures. It is still recommended to consult a Process Engineer, who will come up with an operable and safe scheme during process design, and a specialised Electrical Engineer, who will come up with a way of safely making the thing operate.

This isn't something that can be clattered together with a few welding rods and a file after consuming a can of beer or two. Nor is it something a bit of to-ing and fro-ing on an anonymous global internet Engineering blog-site can gather together either.

Can you give some idea of the sizes we are talking about?

Is the tank the size of a house and is the container the size of a mouse (sorry I couldn't resist it).

Does the wax flow?

Best regards,

John

14m dia x 18m high tank. The hexane mixed with waxy sludge to be pumped out in safe tanks or similar.

Hi Adil,

Wow! that's a big difference in size.

What time scale do you want to do this over, it looks like a big job.

Does the liquid flow?

If it does, is there an outlet on the tank you could use to adapt to a drum sized container you could fit a pneumatic drum pump to.

That said, it sounds like you will be transferring to dozens or hundreds of smaller containers, the pump output and logistics of handling the product, from the big tank, sounds like a significant concern.

Keep us informed of your thoughts and progress.

Best regards,

John

If the tank were full and you used the average drum pump and you ran the pump for 8 hours a day, you would empty it in around a month and a half and yes it may work, but you give no indication of the viscosity or what the "sludge" might be.

You give no indication of the flow that you want to achieve, but whatever it is I would strongly suggest that you should be looking at a progressive cavity pump (Mono is one of many brands) in order to pump hexane/wax/sludge.

Electric motor drives are perfectly acceptable for use in hazardous areas, they are used all the time. You would need to consult an expert, but probably class1 division2 motor would be acceptable.

At what rate?

To what change in elevation?

These are the sorts of questions that need to be addressed.

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Is this an imaginary tank, or does it already exist?

If imaginary, consult a qualified process engineer as PWSlack suggested. Electric pumps can be used in a correct design.

If it really exists, how is the fluid transfer accomplished now?

Can your customer provide the forum with more detail?

I'm guessing that this plea for help is related to your first post,

Magnetic Driven Sealless Pumps

You should seek guidance from a known qualified professional, not an anonymous forum who has very little knowledge of this operation.

Hire a consultant!

As someone pointed out liberally applied heat works wonders for pumping viscous liquids -- I have worked on processes where we pumped a mixture of lead, zinc, silver , and gold and it tended to become very viscous when it cooled down.....as in we had big natural gas burners all along the pipelines and if the heat went out or the pump stopped it was not a bit fun...

But your mixture is not as much fun, if you heat it very much, or maybe at all the pentane, which sounds like it might be there for a solvent, will boil off then you will be in worse shape, not to mention the flammable vapors.

I would think about an air driven, (if it wants to be portable) or electrically driven , explosion proof, double diaphragm pump with a 2 to 4 inch suction.

They self prime, so cavitation does not matter, and they can be made of high temp and non sparking materials, I have used them to pump thickener concentrate which was 80 or 90% solids density and for pumping water out of holes doing pipeline repairs.

Hope this might help.

Expat007

Thanks for the reply,

I work in a company that sells pump and I was given the responsibility exclusively for plastic mag drive and Drum Pumps recently, hence the posts.

The customer here is a chemical cleaning/maintenance company and the said tank isn't something what they have done before. I was checking if this application suits my pumps and was up for suggestions. I wanted knowledgeable third person opinions before I suggest something. Of course, once I pass on, it will be carried out by professionals.

Given your apparent total lack of knowledge of pumps and processes, I'm surprised that you were given this assignment.

Good luck.

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<...plastic...> [which one(s)?] and <...hexane...> is of more relevance than the drive of the pump.

Consult a qualified Process Engineer before proceeding.

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I would recommend a pneumatic grease pump. It will move viscous material and will avoid air locking in use.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/04616330

A grease pump would take an awfully long time to empty a tank that size and they are not that fond of sludge.