Common Problems with Air Operated Diaphragm Pumps Addressed with Pumps 2000
In this blog post we are discussing some of the costly problems associated with air operated diaphragm pump and the how Pumps 2000 addresses these problems.
Contamination in the Air Motor
In the short period that other brands are in service they often sound like they are working when they are not. In the field, this could happen immediately after install which may go undiscovered until the next shift. It is common that someone has to shake the pumps or hit it them with a hammer to dislodge particulate or to unstall the pumps air motor.
The balls will not seal when small particulate settle on the seat or they plug up with fines. As a result, they sound like they are working but are not until someone shakes the pump to dislodge. Many times guys in the field go by sound to determine if they are working which leads them to believe they need more pumps and more compressed air which adds an unnecessary expense. Pumps 2000 patented self-cleaning and larger solids handling ball valve design eliminates the problems that plague other brands. The larger solids handling prevents slurry and larger solids from plugging up the ball valves.
With other brands, particulate in the air lines or from dragging an air-line in the dirt will stall or accelerate wear of the air motor components due to metal on metal components rubbing together with fine tolerances and small ports. As soon as one drags an airline through the mud and attaches it to other brands it needs replaced or will lose performance quickly. They often stall from small particulate and have to hit them with a hammer. They also have issues with freezing. Pumps 2000 patented modular air motor components have large ports for dirty air to pass through, are made of self-lubricating and wear resistant plastics that never need lubricated and never freeze.
Diaphragm Failure
Often we find that users of competitors pumps run them very slowly by limiting the air to the pump to prevent tearing diaphragms quickly. This is not necessary with Pumps 2000 so you can pump higher flows without maintenance issues. In many situations, we can provide a smaller Pumps 2000 pump operating at full capacity. Our patented double hinged diaphragms eliminate the stress on the diaphragm when it flexes which significantly increases the life of our diaphragms over other brands.
Pumps 2000 patented slurry valves have a unique design that is self-cleaning and provides reliable and consistent sealing on every stroke unlike other brands. The valves are not problematic nor a constant wear part as in others.
Pumps 2000 gives you greater performance on less air significantly reducing energy costs. The further you are away from the compressor the less air is available and you get more flow with our pumps on less air. Our portable 2” and 3” pumps will produce more volume against head with less cfm’s than competitors 2” or 3” pumps. Adding our unique flow switches further reduces energy costs.
Re-Engineered Wear Parts
With Pumps 2000 you never replace the pump shaft due to a unique patented main seal unlike other brands that require frequent shaft replacement. Our diaphragms and air motor components last up to 10 times as long. The balls, seats, baskets and main seals are not considered regular wear parts. In other brands the balls and seats are common and frequent repair parts along with diaphragms and air motors.
Ergonomics
Our light weight portable series design reduces neck / back injuries. Our 3” ball valve pump weighs only 62 lbs., 2” slurry valve pump 43 lbs. and the 2” ball valve pump 55 lbs.
Pumps 2000 are impact resistant; designed and tested for mining to reduce damage to pumps. They can handle the impact of their own weight due to reinforcement from ribbing and gussets or supports used in air plane and bridge construction. The light weight also reduces damage because they can be moved by hand or hung up very easily. Most damage occurs from impact with machinery that are used to move around pumps or just in the way. We also offer light weight frames for hanging pumps that provide additional protection.
Lower noise levels (below 84 db).
Reduced Spare Parts
The spares kits are the same for the 2” Slurry, 2” ball valve and 3” ball valve pumps so you have fewer parts to keep on hand and versatility of parts for 3 types.
Factory Support
We can train those working with the pumps how to easily diagnose and repair. Mechanics prefer our pump because they are easier to diagnose what’s wrong, take less time, are easier to repair, and weigh a lot less so they are easier to handle / carry.
The accumulative cost including downtime and repairs each month within the life of other brands pump is astronomical especially when taking into consideration the number of pumps in service and that they are eventually scrapped and have to be replaced.
Pumps 2000 Advantage
Pumps 2000 is the first redesign of the Pneumatic Diaphragm originally created for harsh mining conditions that out-perform and outlast all others. These patented pumps were specifically designed for abrasive, solid-laden and corrosive fluids in mining environments, and to create an alternative to the heavy, maintenance-intensive diaphragm pumps. Several patented features make it possible to offer market-leading low life cycle cost, while handling difficult applications. Our unique combination of in-house R & D and manufacturing enables us to offer pumps which are technically superior and of significantly higher quality than those offered by the competition.
World’s first High Volume 3” ball and 4” slurry pumps: The 3” HV (High Volume) produces a flow rate of 417 gpm and passes a 1.3” solids. It is the first of its kind & was designed as an alternative to a submersible pump. In fact, at 180 ft. of head it will produce more flow than a 15 HP submersible. This enables you to eliminate one of the biggest costs to the mine which is pulling submersibles in an out of the mine and initial set up of the electrical infrastructure. The 4” HV (High Volume) Slurry pump produces a flow rate of 540 gpm and passes 3” solids. It is also the first of its kind and can be used as an alternative to a submersibles pump. The 4” HV Slurry pumps are ideal anywhere a high volume of slurry needs to be moved. Both the 3” HV Ball Valve and 4” HV Slurry pump utilize the same 4” air motor so there is less quantity and types of parts required for stock.
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