News Blog - Page 3 of 7 - Best Chemical Metering Pumps | Industrial Pumps and Systems for Process Applications

Introducing: Chem-Bot by AquFlow

Chem-Bot System

Self Regulating Proportional Chemical Injection System.
Water quality and its consistency is critical in many industries and applications. Very often the water is chemically treated to improve its quality for a given application. This treatment depends upon maintaining an exact proportion between the volume of the water being treated and the volume of chemical being used for the treatment. Variations in the volume of water with constant chemical flow such as in an irrigation pipeline where fertilizer is being added could show up as patches of green and brown.

▪ Chem-Bot is the solution to automatically and intelligently change the volume of the chemical in proportion to the flow in the pipe
▪ .It works by monitoring the flow in the irrigation water line sending a signal into the controller when flow changes
▪ The controller then sends a corresponding signal to the VFD
▪ VFD increases or decreases the chemical flow to keep desired ratio
▪ All of this without any human intervention and round the clock
▪ This system is designed around simplicity and dependability

By Victoria Hartwig|December 6th, 2016|Case Studies, Metering Pumps Tips, News, Products, Pump Accessories|1 Comment

AquFlow’s year-end promotion is here: 50% OFF Spare Parts Kits and Accessories.

AquFlow is pleased to announce that until December 31st 2016 we will be offering 50% off all spare parts kits and accessories with the purchase of a pump.
Please send us your requirements here: sales@aquflow.com

By Victoria Hartwig|November 10th, 2016|Metering Pumps Tips, Products, Pump Accessories|0 Comments

Skid Systems (#8 of 8)

A Chemical Metering Pump is seldom used by itself. It is usually a part (ok, the part) of a chemical injection system into a process. Such a system requires various accessories, valves and controls to dispense the exact amount of chemical demanded by the application which may itself vary. Let us say if you are using chemical pump to achieve pH balance for the water. You need to measure the pH of the treated water and based on it decide if you need more acid to be injected. Such controls require you not only to monitor, measure and control but also to adjust dynamically as the conditions change. You need to have the flow meters, PLCs and valves all communicate with each other and deliver the desired result which in this case may be a pH value of 7 for the treated water. This is just one of the many applications including fertilizer dispensing, disinfectant chemicals for water, anti-scalant for pipes or boilers, anti-corrosion chemicals for oil extraction etc. etc.

Skid System

The end-user either has to figure out all the various components he / she needs, then make sure they all are compatible and communicate with each other and start buying each one perhaps from different sources. Then put this together in a way that is most efficient and make it work. If something goes wrong then deal with various suppliers who usually are quick to blame someone else’s component for the problem. It just becomes a complex headache. Many end users have figured out that it is far better to buy the complete systems from one manufacturer. Usually the pump is the most complex and central part of the system and AquFlow has tried and […]

By Victoria Hartwig|September 29th, 2016|Case Studies, Metering Pumps Tips, News, Products, Pump Accessories, Selecting the Right Pump|1 Comment

Choosing Pump Accessories (#7 of 8)

This is the seventh of eight articles in the series Sizing & Selecting the Right Chemical Metering Pump.

Most if not all of the metering pumps AquFlow sells is used as a part of a larger system to inject controlled amounts of chemicals into a process. That means that the other components in the system need to work well with the pump. These components that we often refer to as accessories, perform very important roles in ensuring the whole system works efficiently. AquFlow has done qualification testing to select the most suitable accessories that complement the pump perfectly. There are many accessories that can be used. Below is a list of the most commonly used accessories.

Suction Side Accessories:
1.) Calibration Column – This is a draw down tube which is used to calibrate the pump. It is mounted on the suction side of the pump with a Tee and isolation valve. When the pump has started working, it is critical to see if the pump is set at the precise rate of flow required by the process. This is done by shutting down the main suction line coming from the tank and drawing chemical only from the calibration column. Additionally the draw down from this column also tells you about the effectiveness of check valves. If the check valve is not sealing properly you will see a drop in the level and a slight bounce back. A good check valve will not show any bounce back in the column after it drops.

2.) Strainer – All metering pumps are sensitive to particles caught in the check valve which may cause leak. It is usually recommended to filter out such particles using […]

By Al|August 19th, 2016|Metering Pumps Tips, News, Pump Accessories, Selecting the Right Pump|0 Comments

Determining the Pump Controls (#6 of 8)

This is the sixth of eight articles in the series Sizing & Selecting the Right Chemical Metering Pump.

Before we discuss the topic of controls, it is important to understand that a metering pump takes external signals to turn on or off, as well as increase or decrease the flow capacity to meet the demand precisely. The signal to do these controls can come from a variety of external sources such as flow meters, sensors and / or PLC controllers.

The flow capacity of a metering pump is controlled by two different methods. One is to regulate the speed of the pump stroke which is accomplished with a Variable Speed Drive. The second method is to regulate the effective stroke length of the pump plunger. This stroke length adjustment could either be done manually or by an automatic stroke adjuster such as ECCA. In sensitive applications where there is a risk in using electrical signals and adjusters, these pumps can be controlled by a Pneumatic Stroke Adjuster. Some times in critical applications the engineers suggest using them both which is effectively Dual Axis Controls. That way you can maximize your adjustability and fine tuning.

As you may know by now, a metering pump seldom works in isolation. It works as a part of a system. The metering pump often needs to be turned on when there a need for a chemical to be injected and turned off when that need is fulfilled. It also needs to regulate the flow based on the demand. So in addition to the On / Off controls, the pump needs input to increase or decrease the flow capacity.

Frequently that is accomplished with a 4-20mA input where 4 is off, 20 mA is 100% capacity […]

By Al|July 22nd, 2016|Metering Pumps Tips, News, Selecting the Right Pump|0 Comments

Determining the Pump Configuration (#5 of 8)

This is the fifth of eight articles in the series Sizing & Selecting the Right Chemical Metering Pump.

This is where we take into consideration, the specific details of the application and everything that surrounds the pump. First, we should consider what kind of piping the pump needs to be connected to. What is the material, and what is the size? Does it need threaded connections (if so, male or female), or does it need flange type connections?

When the consistency and viscosity of the liquid get too thick then it could clog up in the valves and diaphragm head. For such liquids, it is important to use a tubular diaphragm where the liquid paths are more open, and it is easy to pass viscous and slurry type liquids.

On the other hand, if the temperature of the liquid being pumped is too high, it could negatively impact the hydraulic oil driving the pump and other components in the pump. For this we should consider using a remote diaphragm pump head,with which becomes a lot easier not only to keep the heat away from the rest of the pump, but also to remove heat with a cooling jacket around the remote head.

Then we should consider the application and whether a leak detection system is important. Many times in potable water or other food applications, customers prefer an early warning leak detection system so they can fix it before the oil in the pump contaminates the process lines.

There are two types of leak detection systems to consider. If the liquid being pumped is conductive then a conductive leak detection system is less expensive and effective. However, if that does not work there is a vacuum leak detection system option […]

By Al|June 24th, 2016|Metering Pumps Tips, News, Products, Selecting the Right Pump|3 Comments

Selecting the Right Material (#4 of 8)

This is the fourth of eight articles in the series Sizing & Selecting the Right Chemical Metering Pump.

Every liquid, including water, has some corrosive interaction with pump wetted components, the degree of which depends upon the material that is coming in contact with the chemical. In our world of injecting chemicals, we come across some of the most aggressive chemicals such as Sodium Hypochlorite, Sulfuric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide etc. If careful consideration to selecting the right material is not given, the resulting failure could be expensive at best ad catastrophic and injurious at worst. There have been cases where a chemical eats through the inside of a pump housing without being noticed until it develops pin holes or explodes due to pressure, causing injuries to personnel around. Hence it is always advisable to double check the material being selected to ensure that it is corrosion resistant. The good news is is that there are corrosion resistant materials available with most manufacturers for use with such chemicals.

The first step is to know the chemical and its properties.

1. Exact composition of the chemical: Knowing that it is an acid is not enough. You need to know what acid it is and what other chemicals are in that solution.
2. Concentration: A 10% concentration of a certain chemical behaves entirely differently as compared to a 40% concentration. A material of construction which is resistant to 10% solution of something may get destroyed by 40% concentration of the same chemical.
3. Temperature: Just as the concentration these chemicals behave differently with increased temperature.

In addition to the above which pertains only to the chemical coming in contact with the internal surface of the pump, one must take into consideration events such as spillage […]

By Al|June 6th, 2016|Metering Pumps Tips, News, Safety, Selecting the Right Pump|0 Comments

Food Grade Oil Available!

Chemical metering pumps are popular in the food processing industry. They may be used in a wide variety of food processing including mixing ingredients, adding flavoring and preservatives, metering vitamins, and water conditioning. In these applications, incidental food contact may occur, and food grade lubricant oils are best recommended for the pumps.

Aquflow is proud to announce that we offer food grade oil with our metering pumps! Our waterproof and fully synthetic lube oils are biodegradable and do not emulsify with water. Their extreme pressure and low foaming properties make excellent lubricants for hydraulic systems in not only food processing, but also in water and wastewater treatment.

Please contact an AquFlow representative for more detailed information on our available grades.

By Al|May 17th, 2016|Metering Pumps Tips, News, Products|0 Comments

Global Metering Pump market size to reach USD 4.96 Billion by 2020

The metering pump market size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% to reach USD 4.96 Billion by 2020. In terms of value, the metering pumps market size in water treatment application is projected to reach USD 1.75 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 5.9% between 2015 and 2020. The growth is attributed to the increasing demand for environmentally friendly wastewater disposal and increasing investment in modernization of infrastructure.

Diaphragm type metering pumps offer significant advantages over other type of metering pumps and hence, lead the market whereas plunger/piston type metering pumps, due to their maintenance issues and inability to handle abrasive fluids, are projected to register a relatively lower CAGR. Asia-Pacific, with its developing economies and rapidly expanding manufacturing bases, is expected to witness the highest growth market in terms of value during the forecast period.

By Al|May 11th, 2016|News|1 Comment

Selecting the right pump (#3 of 8)

This is the second of eight articles in the series Sizing & Selecting the Right Chemical Metering Pump. Read the previous article “Sizing your chemical metering pump and determining injection rate.”

Unlike most other decisions, this is the most subjective decision to make (unless you have tried various types and brands of pumps). This is also the most consequential decision in determining the level of success with your pump applications. There are many pump types and pump brands available in the market today. Each type and brand of pump has its unique positives and negatives. It is up to the user to choose the right type and brand for their unique application.

It is important to first know that all pump types are divided into two broad types: (1) Centrifugal and (2) Positive Displacement. While centrifugal pumps are the most common types of transfer pumps, they are not suitable in applications where the flow needs to be accurate and needs to overcome high pressures. In the context of chemical metering / dosing applications, a positive displacement pump is used almost all the time. Within the positive displacement pumps, there are many types. Below, we are going to discuss only the most common types used for chemical metering / dosing applications.

1. Gear Pump: As the name suggests, these pumps function by trapping liquid between gear teeth and pushing it from the suction to the discharge port. These are often used for hydraulic pressure developing. However, gear pumps are not suitable for accurate metering applications due to the leak back of liquid depending upon the clearances. These clearances will also tend to increase with wear.

2. Air Operated Diaphragm Pumps:This is a very versatile kind of pump and perhaps the most […]

By Al|May 6th, 2016|Metering Pumps Tips, News, Products, Selecting the Right Pump|2 Comments

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