What is a Slurry pump?

Slurry pumps, also known as impurity pumps, belong to the category of centrifugal pumps. These pumps are primarily used for transporting slurry containing solid particles of certain concentrations, making them crucial equipment for conveying mixtures of solid and liquid phases. They find extensive applications across various industries, including mining, power generation, metallurgy, coal, environmental protection, and more. Examples of their applications include transporting ore slurry in metallurgical ore beneficiation plants, hydraulic ash removal in thermal power plants, coal slurry and heavy medium transport in coal washing plants, dredging rivers and clearing silt, as well as handling corrosive slurries containing crystals in the chemical industry. Slurry pumps also play a role in sand selection in seawater and sand excavation and silt removal in rivers. Despite the different names these pumps may have in various industries, they all fall under the category of slurry pumps because they handle slurries containing impurities and solid particles.

Why do slurry pumps need liner materials?

However, due to the abrasive and sometimes corrosive nature of the slurries they handle, slurry pumps are prone to wear and corrosion, which can be detrimental to their longevity. Replacing or repairing slurry pumps can be a complex and costly process. In practice, it has been observed that installing wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant liner materials inside slurry pumps can effectively address this issue and significantly extend their lifespan. This enhancement can result in a lifespan increase by several times.

Slurry pump commonly used liner material:

Currently, there are two main types of liner materials commonly used in slurry pumps: wear-resistant metal materials and rubber materials. These materials exhibit substantial differences in performance. Metal liners come in various types, each excelling in specific properties. For instance, materials like A07 (KmTBCr15Mo3) exhibit exceptional wear resistance, but they are also relatively expensive. Other materials such as high-chromium alloys, wear-resistant white cast iron, and various stainless steel alloys are commonly used as metal liners.

Rubber liners, on the other hand, are typically made from natural rubber and offer excellent wear and acid resistance. They possess well-rounded properties, providing both wear resistance and partial corrosion resistance. Additionally, Rubber liners are flexible, lightweight, and cost-effective. This makes them more versatile and cost-efficient, leading to their increased adoption in various applications. In certain fields, Rubber liners are replacing metal liners due to their advantages. For example, while many slurry pumps used in ore beneficiation plants and power plants still employ high-chromium alloy liners, which suffer from poor corrosion resistance and require frequent replacements, Rubber liners are being embraced as a solution. However, it’s important to note that Rubber liners can be vulnerable to damage from sharp objects and can harden when exposed to alkalis, so their suitability depends on the specific slurry composition and environmental conditions.

Therefore, when selecting a slurry pump, it’s essential to consider the operational environment and the composition of the transported medium. If you have any questions regarding these issues or wish to discuss further aspects of Rubber liners in slurry pumps, please feel free to contact DEF Rubber. We welcome the opportunity to engage in dialogue and address your concerns.