Cover story Myth 6:
Cover story Myth 6: Sealless pumps need more and very expensive instrumentation for use in hazardous areas Again – this has not been true with the advent of nonmetallic containment shells. When using a non-metallic containment shell a magnetic coupled pump can be operated without any additional instrumentation in a hazardous area zone, provided the customer makes sure the pump is operating in its intended parameters. Fig. 9: Standard centrifugal pump without any additional instrumentation overhead Conclusion It is of course true that no technology is the ideal solution for all applications. That is true for sealless magnetic coupled pumps just as well – they are not the wonder to solve everything. But there are many applications where their ability to improve efficiency and reduce maintenance is still overlooked today, because engineers and maintenance personnel have become used to the situation as it had developed in the past decades – and maybe even have been burned by improperly selected pumps in the past. Fig. 10: Magnetic coupled twin screw pump for handling Bitumen without the need of any seal supply system or steam quenching. 12 GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES 2023
Cover story Sealless pumps, both centrifugal and positive displacement types, using non-metallic containment shells of heavy-duty industrial ceramics open the possibility of saving money and energy, both directly by eliminating eddy current losses and the need for utilities, but also indirectly by reducing maintenance, wear parts, and increasing the reliability when compared to traditional approaches to pump seals. Fig. 11: Twin screw pump handling high viscosity polymer without needing any additional utilities Fig. 12: Heavy duty vertical inline centrifugal pump designed for a service with high solids and a risk of dry running They can be used from liquified natural gasses, over cryogenic CO 2 , the most dangerous chemical and petrochemical products, and even just difficult-to-seal products such as vacuum residues, tar, bitumen, and asphaltenes as well as polymers, largely without the need for any utilities except a power supply for the main motor, simplifying plants, reducing both investment and operation and maintenance costs, just by carefully applying proven reliable and robust technologies. The Author: Ralf Schienhammer Sales Director Pumps & Projects Klaus Union GmbH & Co. KG GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES 2023 13
