Design and Application: Slurry Pump Technology

Abstract

Slurry Pumps are used throughout the world for the Transportation of Solids in Coal, Copper Iron-Ore, Phosphate and other Mines. They are also used in Dredges cleaning Waterways in Sand and Gravel, and in Phosphoric Acid and Alumina Plants. About $500 million worth of slurry pumps and replacement parts are estimated to be produced every year. Slurry pumps are similar to water pumps so a lot of the available water pump technology can still be used. When it comes to determining pipeline velocities and heads, and the effect of slurries on performance, however, different technologies are found to be necessary. In designing for, and predicting pump wear performance, for example, special numerical modeling tools are found to be necessary. Pump system evaluations require a completely different approach. Cost of ownership calculations for slurry pumps must for example, consider wear parts life as they can be 50% of the total. When the whole system is considered, it needs to be in terms of the cost of transporting a number of tons of dry solids a given distance. Not water transported or pump efficiency. The writers in this presentation provides an outline of the different technologies involved in the design and application of centrifugal slurry pumps, how these are applied, and the insight they provide.