Agrifood sector
Ease of cleaning and hygiene are aspects of fundamental importance for the pumps used in the agrifood sector in the various stages of pumping, dosing, and processing.
Whether it be a milk pump or a pump for the treatment of food liquids in general, stainless steel guarantees utmost hygiene and is resistant to products used for sanitization and cleaning.
Particular care is required when treating viscous liquids and liquids mixed with suspended parts; extreme care is also necessary when treating particularly delicate liquids that require soft pumping to avoid being damaged. For the treatment of such liquids it is advisable to use volumetric pumps with flexible impeller.
These pumps ensure gentle pumping due to the reduced speed of the motor and the design of the impeller, to guarantee a gentle thrust on the treated product.
In addition to gentle pumping, these pumps allow transferring viscous products and liquids with suspended parts that cannot be treated with normal centrifugal pumps.
Honey is a typical example of viscous liquid that should be pumped with extreme care. The same applies to processing of canning industry products (fruit pulp and juice, tomato sauce), dairy products (butter, yogurt), and confectionery products.
Wine industry – vegetable oil industry – beer and beverages
In the wine sector, delicate pumping of must and wine is essential.
In the “pump-over ” phase, the “mixing” phase, and the various handling operations, pumping flow rate must be steady, and movements should be smooth.
For vegetable oil processing, soft pumping is essential to avoid altering the organoleptic properties of the oil.
In all above cases, the use of volumetric pumps with flexible impeller is highly recommended. The specifically designed impeller makes this pump model an excellent solution for pumping wine and for wine industry in general; due to these specifications, this pump is also widely used in beverage industry in general, such as beer and syrups.
To make these pumps even more flexible, it is possible to vary the number of revolutions of the motor and consequently the flow rate of the pump, according to the different processing phases.
Moreover, the hygienic aspect should not be overlooked; in the case of self-priming centrifugal pumps and volumetric pumps used for the transfer of wine, oil, and beer, the use of stainless steel, with pump parts polished both internally and externally ensures maximum hygiene and resistance to sanitizing agents used in cleaning operations.
Cosmetics-pharmaceutical sector
The choice of pumps used in the cosmetics industry should take into account the peculiarity of the products involved.
In particular, the choice of pump for detergents, liquid soaps, shampoo and conditioners must take into account the tendency of these products to foam, if they are excessively emulsified. In this case, the solution is to use low-speed pumps.
The cosmetic sector also treats products such as creams, emulsions and lotions that have a medium-high viscosity, making it necessary to use suitable volumetric pumps for viscous liquids. For this reason, volumetric pumps with flexible impeller are used to allow treating viscous liquids where pumping with centrifugal pumps is not recommended.
When pumping perfumes or essences, it is required to consider the presence of alcohol to determine which type of pump is suitable; this also applies to the treatment of sanitizing gels, where one has to deal with the problem of viscosity of the product and presence of alcohol. In these cases, the self-priming side channel pump, made entirely of stainless steel, is an excellent solution.
The pump for pharmaceutical products must ensure high levels of hygiene, quick disassembly for sanitizing and cleaning operations, and adequate resistance to chemical aggression of treated products.
For this reason, the choice of 316 stainless steel is often the best solution.
In this sector, it is often necessary to use pumps for volatile liquids or flammable liquids or pumps specifically designed to operate in potentially explosive atmospheres. Therefore, having the certification required (Atex pump).
The liquid ring or the side channel pump is widely used to meet such needs.
These are self-priming centrifugal pumps designed to treat liquids with dissolved gases or which tend to evaporate or which have to work at high temperatures, where there is a risk of cavitation. Often the liquid ring pump is the only viable solution able to guarantee performance that cannot be guaranteed by the centrifugal pump.
Industry sector
The industrial sector has the most varied demand for pumps.
Self-priming centrifugal pumps, centrifugal pumps with open or closed impeller, side channel pumps, volumetric pumps.
The chemical sector requires pumps for acids, pumps for solvents, pumps for flammable products.
316 stainless steel is an excellent solution in terms of resistance to fatigue and for heavy-duty use as well as in terms of resistance to chemical corrosion. In these cases, it is necessary to evaluate the appropriate type of gaskets and mechanical seals to be used according to the treated product.
For flammable liquids or pumps that need to operate in potentially explosive atmosphere, it is necessary to use Atex certified explosion-proof pumps.
Often we have to deal with volatile liquids that tend to evaporate easily or we have to operate at high temperatures; in these conditions, traditional centrifugal pumps are not the best solution.
In such circumstances, side channel pumps able to treat liquids with dissolved gases are necessary. These pumps are also less prone to cavitation phenomena, making it easier to fit the pump and design the plant.
In other cases, self-priming pumps with great flow rates are required to speed up filling and emptying of tanks and cisterns; at the same time, these pumps must be small to be easily transported within the plant by means of special trolleys.
The textile sector needs pumps for dirty liquids with filaments in suspension. This sector requires open impeller pumps or propeller pumps to avoid blocking of the impeller.
Whether it is acid pumps, solvent pumps, or washing pumps for industrial plants, or pumps for viscous or volatile liquids, what industrial pumps have in common is usually the heavy-duty use, often in continuous cycle and in very difficult working conditions. In all these cases it is important, in addition to the sturdiness and the reliability of the pump, to offer a precise and quick after-sales service in order to minimize any downtime. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure continuity in the supply of spare parts; often the pumps have a very long service life if well maintained and, therefore, it is necessary to be able to rely on the correct and continuous availability of spare parts over time.
Water treatment and liquid waste disposal sector
The sector of purification, water treatment and industrial and civil liquid waste disposal is increasingly strategic and crucial in modern economies. Stainless steel pumps are increasingly used in this sector as well: in particular sewage pumps, pumps for dirty and soiled water, slurry pumps.
Often there is a liquid with suspended parts, particularly dirty and muddy, where traditional centrifugal pumps cannot be used.
In this case, volumetric pumps with flexible impeller able to pump muddy liquids are widely used; these pumps are very versatile, are dry self-priming and able to pump up to 6 meters, have small dimensions and are, therefore, easy to transport, while ensuring medium-high flow rates.
Often, in the bare shaft pump version, they are installed on the trucks that carry out the collection of liquid waste, ensuring a quick service. They are highly appreciated for the simplicity of dismantling for cleaning and maintenance operations.
Alternatively, if the liquid is not particularly muddy, centrifugal pumps can be offered with impellers designed to treat dirty liquids. Open impellers are used in this case, with very large pass-through suction inlets and outlets, to avoid clogging. In particular, the pumps with propeller made entirely of stainless steel are widely used.