What Working Conditions Should Be Focused on When Selecting Slurry Pumps?

In the field of industrial fluid transportation, the selection of slurry pumps is a core link to ensure stable system operation. Proper selection not only improves equipment efficiency but also significantly extends service life and reduces operation and maintenance costs. The following analyzes the key working conditions to focus on from three dimensions:

The physical and chemical properties of the medium directly determine the selection of pump materials and structural design. First, clarify the concentration, particle size distribution, and hardness of solid particles: high-concentration slurry usually contains a large amount of suspended matter, which requires impellers with wide flow passages to avoid particle blockage — the passage width must reasonably match the particle size to ensure smooth medium flow. For highly abrasive media containing hard particles such as quartz sand and iron ore, wetted components must be made of materials with excellent wear resistance, such as high-chromium alloys, whose microstructural carbides (e.g., M7C3-type carbides) effectively resist particle impact and reduce surface wear.

Corrosivity of the medium cannot be ignored. When transporting acidic or alkaline slurry, both wear resistance and corrosion resistance must be considered. For example, in hydrometallurgy, chloride-containing slurry can cause pitting on ordinary metal materials. In such cases, nickel-based alloys or surface-treated components (via material composition optimization or coating technologies) are preferred to enhance overall corrosion resistance. Additionally, medium temperature and viscosity affect pump performance parameters: high-temperature environments require materials with thermal stability, while high-viscosity media need matching impeller speeds and power configurations.

Head and flow rate are core parameters for selection, requiring accurate calculation based on actual working conditions. When calculating head, in addition to geometric head (vertical transportation height), frictional pressure loss and local resistance loss must be included — in long-distance transportation or complex pipeline layouts, friction loss may account for a large proportion of total head, which should be estimated using fluid mechanics formulas or industry experience. Flow rate parameters should consider both normal and peak operating conditions, with a reasonable design margin reserved to handle load fluctuations, avoiding production efficiency decline due to insufficient flow or equipment damage from overload operation.

Pressure rating matching is also critical. Differences in inlet/outlet pressure under different working conditions determine the structural strength of the pump casing and the selection of sealing forms. High-pressure conditions require thickened casings and high-strength sealing components to ensure no leakage; low-pressure scenarios allow optimized structural design to reduce costs while maintaining performance. Meanwhile, rotational speed directly affects head, flow rate, and power, requiring a reasonable range based on medium characteristics — high speeds may exacerbate impeller wear in abrasive media, while low speeds may cause particle sedimentation, necessitating a balance between efficiency and wear.

Differences in installation

impose various requirements on slurry pump selection and configuration. In dusty environments such as open-pit mines, dust-proof designs (e.g., fully enclosed bearing housings and dust seals) are necessary to prevent dust from entering the lubrication system and causing bearing wear. In humid or rainy environments, electrical components need enhanced waterproof protection to avoid short circuits. In highly corrosive chemical plants, in addition to anti-corrosion treatment of wetted components, the entire machine surface should be coated with anti-corrosive materials to slow environmental erosion of the equipment body.

The choice of installation method (horizontal, vertical, submersible, etc.) should align with site space and medium characteristics. Submersible slurry pumps are suitable for transporting slurry in tank-like containers, avoiding exposure of the pump body to corrosive environments, but immersion depth must be monitored for bearing cooling and sealing effects. Horizontal pumps are easier to maintain and repair, suitable for frequently serviced conditions. Additionally, pipeline layout rationality (suction pipe length, number of elbows, pipe diameter matching) affects pump suction performance: excessively long suction pipes or improper elbow designs may cause cavitation, reducing efficiency and exacerbating component damage.

Take mine tailings transportation as an example: a beneficiation plant initially failed to consider fine particle content in the slurry, leading to frequent impeller passage blockages. Through optimized selection with wide-passage impellers and pre-filtration devices, blockages were effectively resolved, significantly improving equipment stability. Another chemical enterprise neglected the corrosion resistance of materials when transporting acidic slurry, using ordinary cast iron components that suffered severe corrosion and leakage within a short period. Replacing them with nickel-hard cast iron extended service life by several times.

Common selection pitfalls include ignoring the impact of medium temperature on material performance — some alloys lose strength at high temperatures, requiring heat-resistant alloys; and excessive pursuit of high parameters leading to "overpowering," which not only increases costs but also causes inefficiency and energy waste due to low-load operation. Correct selection should be based on comprehensive working condition research and data analysis, with professional software used for fluid simulation when necessary to ensure the pump's performance curve matches actual needs.