Mineral processing plants need slurry pumps to move their slurry. This pump is different from traditional water pumps in many ways. This article will discuss these differences and the principles of slurry pumps design. Wear is expected for components that come in direct contact with abrasive solution slurry.
You can minimize this wear by optimizing design, material selection, and pump application. Pumps can also be fully or partially lined with abrasive-resistant materials. In both cases, thick casings can be installed. You can find out more about slurry pumps and their design on www.schurcoslurry.com/slurry-pumps.
To allow large solids to pass through the impeller casing, large clearances have been provided. This reduces internal velocities as well as wear. The impellers of slurry pumps are typically larger than those of water pumps. This allows for lower impeller speeds while still achieving the required head. For high wear applications, closed impellers can be used.
Moreover, to minimize wear and allow large particles to pass, slurry pumps have thicker and fewer pumping vanes. Slurry pumps have four to five vanes, while water pump impellers can have up to nine. Slurry pumps are heavy-duty pumps with thick, short vanes. It can also be 10% more efficient than water pumps.
