Advantages and disadvantages of steam reciprocating pumps?
Thread Content
On the same benzene plant, steam pumps are used to transfer wax paste – why aren’t centrifugal pumps used instead? I would appreciate some guidance from those who know more about this. Thank you
This post was last edited by liaifeng on 2009-6-6 21:33. In simple terms: 1. It is related to the medium being transported； 2. It is related to the required head.
The main decisions are related to the properties and state of the conveying medium； The wax paste medium contains crystalline wax, has high viscosity, and is not suitable for transportation using centrifugal pumps ； Using positive-displacement pumps such as steam pumps and twin-screw pumps is more suitable for pumping.
Centrifugal pumps can also be used in dewaxing and degreasing systems, but screw pumps are preferred in most cases. Steam pumps are inefficient and consume a lot of energy; therefore, they are no longer used in newly built plants, or only as backup pumps.
Advantages of steam reciprocating pumps: high head； It is suitable for use in situations where high viscosity and crystallinity exist, and a low flow rate is required. Using steam as a power source is energy-efficient, but the structure is relatively complex. Disadvantages of steam reciprocating pumps: the flow rate is not very stable. It is larger than centrifugal pumps at the same flow rate ； Complex structure ； High capital requirement ； Difficult to maintain, etc.
Personal opinion: First of all, it’s still a matter of the medium – its viscosity is too high, so centrifugal pumps don’t work very well in this case. Secondly, lift and flow rate should also be considered; these are the advantages of reciprocating pumps. Thirdly, the cost of steam pumps is relatively high. However, in a fully operational refinery, if steam can be generated on-site, the cost becomes acceptable when not taken into account; but if it has to be measured in other terms, then the cost of steam pumps is indeed very high. A twin-screw pump can be considered as a replacement. Consider everything comprehensively and look at the advantages of your own refinery.