Have you always simply ordered an AODD Pump by its connection size, body material and diaphragm material without considering whether they are suitable for your application? Are you used to servicing your AODD Pump regularly due to a worn diaphragm, or swollen o-ring or a cracked manifold?
This could be a result of choosing your AODD Pump without considering these five factors below:
Types of Chemical
The first thing to consider when selecting an AODD Pump is the type of fluid to be pumped. The reason for this is that different fluids have different properties which requires different material or size selection. For example, certain fluid may be corrosive, but not abrasive; while another may not be corrosive, but instead is abrasive. They would require different types of material. A viscous fluid may require a larger pump to produce the same flow rate as a ‘watery’ fluid. Pumping flammable fluid in certain environment may warrant the use of an ATEX-certified AODD Pump.
Wrong selection of material is one of the three leading causes of premature AODD Pump failure, leading to expensive repairs and process downtime. In the case of flammable liquid, it could even be a matter of life and death.
Read also:
Viscosity
The viscosity of a fluid is the second aspect to consider in selecting an AODD Pump, as the flow rate, pressure and efficiency would be affected. Viscosity is the fluid’s resistance against flow. Fluid with high viscosity has higher resistance against flow while fluid with low viscosity exhibit lower resistance. This means that a pump needs to work harder to pump high viscosity fluid.
It is important to note that the pump curve of your AODD Pump is based on water. Fluid whose viscosity is much higher than that of water will not obey the same curve. Instead, you will need to refer to the viscosity correction curve to select a pump that can produce the required flow rate.
Another thing to bear in mind when pumping highly viscous liquid is the suction and discharge installation condition for better longevity of the pump.
Flow Rate
The main reason for using a pump is to move fluid from one place to another. The amount of liquid to be transferred and the time to do it is what we call ‘flow rate’. This will determine the pump size you will need. The larger the flow rate, the larger the pump needs to be.
How do you know which pump will supply the flow rate you need? By referring to the pump curve. The pump curve informs you of the flow rate your pump will give you at any given dynamic head and air pressure. As alluded to earlier, do remember that viscosity affects the flow rate of the pump.
Operating Pressure
When it comes to an AODD Pump, they have a one-to-one ratio, meaning that the air pressure applied to the pump is equal to the maximum pressure the pump will exert at discharge. This in turn will determine what the flow rate of your pump would be. Hence, before selecting a pump, you need to know what is the maximum air pressure your air compressor is able to supply.
Pumping Temperature
This is likely the least considered factor in the selection of an AODD Pump. The pumping temperature of the fluid plays a part in determining how long the pump casing, seals, and diaphragms are able to last. An incorrect material selection according to the pumping temperature can result in premature pump failure.
The Fluimac Phoenix AODD Pump comes in various materials and sizes for a wide range of chemicals and flow range. Have questions regarding AODD Pump selection for a specific application? Feel free to contact us at [email protected]! We are the official distributor of the Fluimac Phoenix AODD Pump in Malaysia!
