HCBBS Forum (English)
Submit Chemical Projects / Find Solutions
Amplify Your Requirements on a Broader Chemical Platform *Engineering · Technology · Equipment · Solutions*
Submit Request

Current development status and future trends of chemical pump systems

2008-01-08View Original

Thread Content

In principle, the ideal properties of a pump for use in the chemical industry should be high quality, high reliability, and excellent environmental protection capabilities; It enables the delivery of chemical media while also being beneficial to the health of workers ; Minimum expected lifetime cost ; It can be organically integrated with the entire set of chemical processing equipment to form a single unit. However, in the chemical production process, various specific operating conditions and purposes impose different requirements on the manufacturing of chemical pumps. The issue that needs to be addressed urgently now is: what requirements do users of chemical pumps have for future chemical pumps? This article will provide an answer to this issue of concern to people. The prominent feature of mechanical products used in the chemical industry is that their performance and requirements vary depending on the type and properties of the chemical substances being transported. Although the medium mentioned here sometimes also refers to water, oil, or other non-harmful substances ; However, in most cases, chemical media refer to some very “dangerous” chemical raw materials ; For example, some media that pose serious hazards (toxic, corrosive, and flammable media) ; In particular, those media that are prone to chemical reactions and have corrosive or erosive effects, or solid or gaseous media containing such components. Changes in chemical composition and the ratios of various chemical elements within multi-component chemical media can lead to changes in the properties of those media ; This leads to an increase in the concentration of the chemical medium or results in special flow properties (such as diffusible media, polymer solutions, etc.). Therefore, particularly strict quality requirements are often imposed on the purity of chemical media (GMP, polymers, electrolytes, etc.), and these stringent requirements can be easily met through appropriate chemical pumps. The diversity of chemical media gives rise to diverse requirements for chemical pumps. This makes it difficult for the standard system for chemical pumps to be a simple one. Compared to other fields such as home appliances, home heating, water supply, drainage, and so on, as well as industries like chemical processing or automobile manufacturing, standardization has reached a considerable level not only in the production of products but also in their use. In chemical manufacturing enterprises, however, the standardization of chemical pumps faces obstacles in terms of technology and cost-effectiveness. Where are the possibilities for optimizing and improving chemical process pumps? There is no doubt that standardization is extremely useful and meaningful for both the production and use of chemical pumps. But: From the perspective of life-cycle cost, what should the most economical form of standardization be? Is it a standardized and cost-effective solution that involves long-term optimization based on various specific usage scenarios? Is rough standardization still cost-effective? When will the obstacles to standardized investment, which requires a long time to recoup due to the adoption of new technologies and the development of new products, come to an end? How can both chemical pump manufacturers and producers reach a common understanding of the standards for chemical pumps, without harming the interests of either party? These questions can only be answered by strengthening dialogue among the users of chemical pumps, industry associations, and chemical pump manufacturers. A possible solution is to take the user’s perspective into account, for example by establishing long-term strategic partnerships with suppliers ; Different standardized levels are established within clearly defined categories (such as the structural type, supplier, series, material, configuration, etc., of chemical pumps), along with an integrated modular structure. But the most important issue is still the “lifespan cost” problem. The potential for the service life of chemical pumps has not yet been fully utilized. Why does this happen? Among the many possible answers, there is one that is agreed upon by everyone: due to the varying requirements regarding the performance parameters of chemical pumps, their allowable service life and the load they can handle also differ from one another. The purchase cost of chemical pumps, installation expenses, energy consumption during their operation, as well as maintenance costs can be calculated relatively easily. However, it is relatively difficult to estimate the maintenance costs of chemical pumps: the failure and potential damage of such pumps are not determined by the pumps themselves, as they are often affected by the constantly changing chemical substances being transported and by specific operating conditions. Using the experience gained with one type of chemical pump to estimate the maintenance costs of another type of chemical pump often has significant limitations; the resulting estimates can only be rough and approximate. Especially in single units that operate continuously, in those where there is little \"slack time\" during working hours and where the production process lacks sufficient buffering and intermediate storage capabilities, in equipment used to produce products in short supply in the market, as well as in chemical processing equipment with high sales profits, failures of chemical pump systems and the resulting reduction in the service life of other chemical processing components can lead to a significant increase in overall maintenance costs. It must be pointed out that this “special situation” is not a general rule, nor is it an unsolvable problem. After multiple discussions and negotiations between the users of chemical pumps and the manufacturers, such problems can often be resolved. Quantifying the maintenance costs of chemical pumps remains challenging due to the limited amount of available data, as well as many usage boundary conditions that cannot be determined in advance. It is impossible to conduct an accurate risk assessment of chemical pumps ; However, people can take into account the maintenance costs of chemical pumps in order to reduce procurement costs or lower energy consumption expenses. To evaluate the costs over the life cycle of chemical pumps as thoroughly and accurately as possible, comparing and analyzing the technical performance of different chemical pump systems is an extremely important tool. Utilizing monitoring of the operating condition of chemical pump systems to replace the need for a backup system is an issue that chemical manufacturing companies commonly consider. As long as the investment required is not too high, it is possible to use more economical single devices or instruments that can ensure efficient chemical production while also incorporating monitoring mechanisms for the operation of the chemical equipment; in such cases, the users of those equipment will opt against investing in a backup chemical pump system. To ensure that chemical pumps meet the required standards, it is necessary to take numerous measures at the initial stage of planning the chemical equipment, when formulating specific technical specifications, as well as during the production and assembly of the chemical pumps. During the operation of these chemical pumps, the pump’s performance as well as the flow rate of the chemical medium passing through it are continuously monitored by the pump system. This not only improves the availability of the chemical pumps but also enables efficient and cost-effective acquisition of information regarding their maintenance status. This enhanced functionality of chemical process pumps can be achieved by installing vibration sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, and solid noise sensors along with related accessories within the pump body. It can also be accomplished by adding devices for monitoring leaks in the sliding bearing seals, as well as bearings diagnostic systems for chemical process pumps, and performance diagnostic control systems for these pumps or frequency converters. In addition to the technical advancements mentioned above, the next trend in the development of chemical pumps is to improve their \"user-friendliness\" in accordance with the requirements of users” ; Produce products that are both cheaper and of higher quality. When you wish to improve the pump products used in chemical manufacturing plants, please keep the following points in mind: 1. Generally speaking, modern chemical equipment is highly automated and possesses high production capacity. In these modern chemical production facilities, all the latest data and information related to chemical production, as well as data and information on the current operating status of the chemical equipment, can be displayed on large screens in the production control room. This enables appropriate adjustments and controls over the chemical processing processes according to the needs of production. Based on experience, early diagnosis of failures in chemical process pumps, as well as systems for monitoring the operating condition of such pumps and their connection to the entire chemical processing equipment, are often the key aspects in maintenance efforts in practical applications; they are also the components that result in the highest maintenance costs ; Especially when technically upgrading older chemical processing equipment, the costs associated with chemical pump monitoring and early fault alarm systems are the highest. Modern information technologies, such as WLAN network communication and bus communication technologies, offer considerable potential for optimizing chemical pump systems, not only in terms of technology but also in terms of economic benefits. However, for existing older chemical production equipment equipped with traditional detection and control technologies, consider choosing a suitable and cost-effective monitoring and diagnostic system. 2. Due to the increasing variety and complexity, as well as the growing number of chemical pump series suitable for specific operating conditions (pumps, bearings, seals, drive or control systems for chemical pumps, etc.). It can be envisioned that an integrated, modular chemical pump design will be a very important structural solution. It not only boasts excellent technical performance but also brings significant economic benefits. 3. Additionally, reducing the amount of processing required by operators of chemical processing equipment for production initialization data (such as vibration speed, total values, or temperature, etc.) is also a very meaningful task. It is recommended to use a suitable data processor to replace large data information streams. When dealing with data conversion for chemical pump systems and chemical production equipment, past experience shows that close cooperation between the system supplier and the operators of the chemical equipment is necessary. Can chemical pump systems be used as sensors and regulators? In chemical manufacturing industries, a popular phrase often used by those who operate production equipment is: “Replace sensors with chemical pump systems.” Moreover, the “sensors” here are not merely used to monitor and control the flow rate of the chemical medium when it is introduced ; Moreover, as a \"sensor,\" it must also monitor the condition of the chemical media as well as the relevant operating control points. When the physical properties or chemical composition of the chemical medium being transported change, the operating control conditions and performance of the chemical processing equipment (minimum load, overload, volume of gas being transported, vacuum level, etc.) should allow for accurate data acquisition through sensors integrated into the pump housing. The purpose of doing this is to minimize the additional monitoring instruments in chemical processing equipment as much as possible. Progress has been made in the integration of such chemical pump systems to date: these systems now possess considerable regulation capabilities and have become components used for regulating chemical processes ; They are widely used to control high-power, variable-speed electric drive devices. In addition to its high energy efficiency, this variable-speed drive system can also adjust the operating conditions of the chemical pump based on the respective operating characteristic curves of those pumps, thereby ensuring that the pump operates in line with the medium supply requirements of the chemical processing equipment. However, achieving optimal performance in the actual production of chemical processing equipment presents certain challenges: to achieve the best matching between the complex characteristic curves of chemical pumps and those of the chemical processing equipment itself, and to ensure that variable-speed drive systems function properly, extensive communication and information exchange are necessary between chemical pump manufacturers and users of such equipment. When planning and designing chemical processing equipment, it is necessary to start considering the use of variable drive systems. Because an automated drive with variable speed is not always the best choice in any chemical production process. In addition to certain technical standards (such as the slope of the equipment’s performance curve, the stiffness of the chemical pump’s performance curve, and the shock resistance capacity of the drive mechanism), it is also necessary, in principle, to conduct an economic evaluation based on various specific usage scenarios and the cost associated with the pump’s lifetime. Summary: In chemical industry enterprises, the key to further developing chemical pump systems that are well-defined in their objectives and highly effective lies in strengthening the exchange of information and experience between manufacturers and users. (end)

Submit a Project

**Looking for Chemical Technology, Equipment & Solutions?** No Registration Required Broader Platform Exposure | Global Chemical Service Provider Connections

Submit Request — Free Consultation

Disclaimer

This is an automated machine translation of the original thread. Some technical terms may have inaccuracies; the original text shall prevail. Click "View Original" at the top right to access the source page, which supports IP-based automatic real-time language translation. Please watch out for contact details and sales inducements to prevent fraud. All content and translations are for reference only, representing solely the poster's personal views. For enquiries, email service@hcbbs.com.