Chemical Manufacturing Excessive Inlet Pressure
Industry Served: Chemical Process
Problem:
A major international chemical company in New Jersey uses 3” air operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps with PTFE diaphragms to pump a highly aggressive chemical through candle filters from an overhead tank. Part of the filtered chemical is recirculated at 30 psi back to the pump’s inlet. Rapid diaphragm failure was occurring in the AODD pumps. These pumps are generally limited to a maximum inlet pressure of 10 psi when equipped with PTFE diaphragms. As a result of the excessive inlet pressure, the PTFE diaphragms in these pumps lasted only a few hours.
Solution:
A Blacoh distributor was asked to find a solution to the rapid diaphragm failure problem. After consultation with Blacoh, a decision was made to install a 5 gallon Blacoh SENTRY inlet stabilizer at the inlet to each AODD pump. The inlet stabilizer acts as a shock absorber to cushion the water hammer pressure spikes created as the pump’s inlet valves rapidly open and close. The SENTRY inlet stabilizer uses compressed air, separated by a PTFE diaphragm from the process fluid, to balance pump inlet pressure and provide a smooth and continuous flow of liquid to the pump.
Result:
After SENTRY inlet stabilizers were installed, pump diaphragm life was extended from hours to more than 6 months. The SENTRY inlet stabilizer paid for itself in the first two weeks of operation.