Can a screw pump run idle?

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It is well known that ordinary centrifugal pumps cannot operate at idle. The reasons for a centrifugal pump running at idle include insufficient medium at the pump’s inlet or inadequate inlet pressure, blockages in the pump’s inlet pipes, or air remaining inside the pump chamber that has not been removed. A pump running idle is prone to cavitation, which can cause damage to the pump body and the flow-through components ； When a pump is running idle, whether it uses a mechanical seal or a packing seal, it lacks lubrication from the liquid, which leads to dry friction and rapid damage ； The rotating parts of the pump and the pump body will heat up when the pump is running idle; without liquid for cooling, those narrow gaps (such as seal rings) are prone to becoming stuck due to thermal expansion and contraction. So the question is: can the screw pumps produced by Yongpeng Machinery actually run without any load? As you all know, the screw pumps produced by our factory also belong to the centrifugal pump category; it’s just that the front part has a spiral structure while the rear part is of a centrifugal design. Similarly, screw pumps also have a mechanical seal structure; the absence of liquid in the pump chamber can lead to dry grinding, which in turn causes leakage at the mechanical seal. However, idling for a short period of time generally does not cause damage, as the rotation speed of screw pumps is usually low. Additionally, Yongpeng Machinery uses high-quality mechanical seals made of silicon carbide cemented carbide, which ensures better quality; this is why screw pumps can be used in applications involving particles such as metal powder liquids or water containing sediment. The service life of these mechanical seals can exceed 5,000 hours.