Eliminating Erosion Issues Can Help Maximize Petrochemical Pump Efficiency
Throughout the world, in numerous industrial processes, pumps must operate efficiently and reliably. The long-term performance of industrial pumps has been significantly improved thanks to coating technologies and the latest pump designs. Users can reduce running costs and enhance productivity by minimizing the effects of erosion and corrosion. This is where erosion-resistant petrochemical pump coatings come in.
Better protective coating application techniques have been developed through research into pump performance degradation and what causes it. With a better understanding of what affects the factors that affect their pumps, significant improvements can be made by users for maintenance strategies.
The petrochemical industry merely is one of the industries that found it necessary to eliminate erosion issues so their pump efficiency could be improved and extended.
Understanding Petrochemical Pump Usage
In many industries, including the petrochemical industry, at some point, a pump is used to process liquids. A wide range of tasks are, in fact, required of industry pumps. Central to every application, regardless of the pump’s size or design, is efficiency and reliability. To modern industry, lowered running costs and minimized downtime are essential.
Harsh environmental conditions are frequently present when working with large industrial pumps. Particular challenges can be posed by erosion and corrosion, which are continuous threats. A pump refurbishment program that is cost-effective must be implemented to tackle these problems. Once again, this is where erosion resistant coatings for petrochemical pumps are indispensable.
Typical problems with petrochemical pumps:
- Cavitation
- Erosion-corrosion (a complex degradation mechanism is presented when both are present)
- General erosion
- Flow accelerated corrosion
- General corrosion
Can You Benefit from Erosion-Resistant Coatings for Petrochemical Pumps?
Two things must be determined to know whether or not protective coatings will benefit your industry or company:
- Compared to the cost of a materials upgrade, is the cost of protective coatings lower?
- Will the service life and performance of the pump be improved by the application of coatings?
By using the most appropriate materials for the application, pump manufacturers attempt to better meet the requirements of a process.
Some of the coatings that may be used consist of the following:
- CVD processes
- Polymeric coatings (electrostatic coating or fluidized bed)
- Carbide coatings (high velocity oxy-flame)
Maintaining Equipment
As part of a refurbishment program, today’s coating technology can be applied to equipment to extend a pump’s service life. The reliability and performance of existing equipment can be significantly improved by implementing new coating as a refurbishment project aspect. Users can achieve the solution most appropriate for their industry/company by working closely with experienced materials engineers. There are a number of potential improvements for those looking to refurbish an existing asset which can improve the performance of a pump and extend the service life.
But what if a new pump design is necessary? This is an opportunity for the best coating system (providing extended durability) to be used and for the most appropriate base material to be determined.
Need Protective Petrochemical Pump Coatings?
A&A Coatings already supplies protective coatings to the petrochemical industry. We also provide coatings for virtually every industry in existence. To discover what types of coatings, services, and processes we provide, click here. Contact us today with any questions you may have regarding our coatings and which one would best suit your needs.
