Issue: 09/2005

Page: 58
Author: Mario Hübner

Submersible pumps for problematic liquids

Insides of steel

Lifecycle costs also play an important role for submersible pumps. Careful
attention must be paid to materials and sealing systems, especially with
aggressive and abrasive liquids. The service life of a pump can be greatly
increased by selecting the right coating or special steel for the application.
This reduces the costs for servicing and repairs, and therefore overall lifecycle
costs.
WILO EMU uses solvent-
free ceramic coatings
such as Ceram C0, C1, No standard series pump can cater for the technical requirements of all applications.
C2 and C3 for interior Therefore pumps subject to high mechanical loads and chemical corrosion use special
and exterior surfaces of wear-resistant and corrosion-proof materials, or coated materials instead of normal cast
pump components materials. These special materials can withstand chemically aggressive and abrasive
subject to abrasive or
corrosive liquids. fluids for longer. They provide longer service intervals, long-term efficiency and low
energy costs. In recent years, WILO EMU has increasingly used solvent-free ceramic
coatings for interior and exterior surfaces of pump components subjected to
problematic liquids. Aluminum oxides of various concentrations are included in
polymers. Wet adhesion of 15 N/mm² guarantees high wear resistance. These coatings
are an inexpensive alternative to special materials.

Components made of special materials

For processes which are too demanding for coatings alone, the components are made of
solid materials. Besides polyurethane, stainless cast components and chromium hard
cast components are most often used. To do this, it must first be clarified whether
corrosion, abrasion, or both together, will cause hydroabrasive wear. The materials are
then designed accordingly. For purely chemical attack, normal austenitic materials are
used; these have a carbon content of 0.15 % and a chromium content of 16 to 26 %.
They also contain 7 to 26 % nickel and up to 5 % molybdenum. Austenitic steels are
characterized by high resistance to acidic, alkaline and intercrystalline corrosion. Here,
WILO EMU has developed a special series of pumps of thick-walled solid cast steel. This
guarantees that the machines can be operated with very little vibration. For more
If only abrasion is demanding applications, duplex and super-duplex materials are increasingly used. The
expected, chromium structure of stainless duplex steels contains both ferrite and austenite. In order to
hard cast alloys are optimize the properties of this group of materials, an austenite/ferrite ratio of 50 %
mainly used. should be aimed at. The advantages of these steels are their increased elastic limit and
strength compared to austenitic materials, increased toughness compared to ferrites,
high resistance to corrosion, increased thermal conductivity and resistance to abrasion
compared to austenitic steels. Also, wear-resistance can be improved by means of heat
treatment and slightly increasing the carbon content. These materials are recommended
for fluids containing acid, acidic washing suspensions with a high chloride content, sea
water and brackish water, as well as salt and mixed salt solutions.

High reistance to wear

If only abrasion is expected, for example in sintering water processes, chromium hard
cast alloys (abrasit) are mainly used. Because of its martensitic basic structure with a
high chromium and mixed carbide content, this material is the most wear-resistant. The
disadvantage is that it is only suitable for weakly corrosive fluids. Chromium ties up the
austenite range, thus increasing the hardening temperature. A large proportion is used
in the formation of M7C3 carbides, which means the hardening properties have to be
improved for thicker cross sections by adding 1 to 3 % of other alloy elements such as
copper, manganese and nickel. As regards the desired improvement of hardening
properties and undesired residual austenite stabilization, molybdenum produces much
better results than manganese, even if the alloys are more expensive. If there is
mechanical as well as tribological strain on the component, some degree of wear
f h b f d d h f l bd ll
resistance often has to be sacrificed, and tougher. i.e. softer, lower-carbide alloys are
used instead. However, these are superior to low-carbon duplex steels in terms of
abrasion resistance. The best results are achieved with a chromium content of 23 %.

The various materials were tested using a grinding pad. Samples with a diameter of
2 mm were taken from each material. These samples were placed in a Nieberding
machine with a load of 500 g. During the subsequent wear test, each sample was pulled
from the inside out in a spiral track over flint paper. This gave rise to wear, which
manifested itself in a loss of weight. An average was measured and recorded over a
series of test runs. The material samples were then subjected to a precisely defined
suspension flow. Factors affecting hydroabrasion, such as the angle of attack, particle
size, flow speed and solid concentration, could be simulated to very closely match
operating conditions. The results showed that under the same conditions, WILO EMU's
abrasit lasted seven times longer than standard cast materials.

Example application

The company is currently carrying out an order for Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH to
replace a conventional shaft pump with a submersible sewerage motor pump in the
sintering water process. The FA 30.78D helical housing pump, equipped with a three-
channel impeller, pumps 1800 m³/h to a head of 45 m through its 300 mm discharge
port. It is driven by a 340 kW waste water immersion pump operated at a speed of
950 rpm. All pump components are supplied in the material Abrasit. The motor flange is
equipped with a special Ceram C3/C1 ceramic coating.

To keep wear to as low a level as possible, it is not only important to use the right
materials and operate at as low a speed as possible, but also to precisely set the
Q/Qopt. ratio. Pumps which operate at low or excessive load suffer increased wear. The
right operating point, correctly balanced rotating parts and observance of NPSH
conditions in the pump/system all help keep pump vibrations to a minimum. If all these
items are considered in advance, the pumps can be precisely adapted to the
requirements, which in turn increases their lifetime.

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