Tapflo UK works closely with a range of clients in the Chemical Manufacturing industry, providing safe and robust pumping solutions for chemical substances.
With strong industry experience and technical expertise, we consistently deliver the best solutions for every customer.
This case study explains how we supplied a Diaphragm Pump solution to a Chemical Manufacturing Plant to streamline their process.
Chemical Plant Requirements
Enquiry Details
We were approached by a distributor seeking a high-quality diaphragm pumping solution that could provide the end user with real-time feedback and precise control functionality. The distributor’s client, a Chemical Manufacturing Plant, had contacted them regarding problems they were having with their existing pump systems, and were searching for a solution to improve the reliability of the equipment, reduce downtime, costs and simplify their operation, whilst retaining flexibility due to varying changes in demand from their production lines.
Their current system was a complex, electrically driven, multi-headed diaphragm pump dosing system, which was costing them approximately £10,000/year per pump system on maintenance contracts, as well as over £800 per diaphragm on their main product feed heads, along with a significant amount of downtime between processes.
The pumped fluid was a low-temperature monomer that acts as a coagulant, creating challenges for both mechanically sealed and magnetic-drive pump technologies.
This is where our team of expert engineers jumped into action and created a bespoke solution that would eliminate all of their current problems.
Solution & Support Offered for the Chemical Manufacturing Plant
Further to our distributor’s initial site visit, we recommended to the client that they should replace their existing pump system with a LEAP Pump, Pulsation Dampener and Digital Proportional Control Valve. These Low-Energy Air-Operated pumps are ideal for the Chemical Manufacturing Industry, as they have several unique and patented features which are perfect for resolving the issues with their existing unit.
LEAP Diaphragm Pump Benefits:
Full control: The user can monitor the pump’s operation and control the performance accurately via a 4-20 mA signal.
Batch dispensing: The pump can automatically stop after the required volume has been dispensed.
Dry Running: When the pump starts to dry run, the frequency of the pulses will increase.
Flow Monitoring: Real-time monitoring of flow to within an even greater degree of accuracy.
Pulseless Flow: LEAP Pumps produce significantly fewer pulses than standard diaphragm pumps. During operation, the diaphragms do not come into contact with their end of a stroke, creating an effective floating diaphragm system and vastly reducing the pulsing effect associated with traditional diaphragm pumps*.
Durable: The Air Valve used within the LEAP Pump has a significantly longer life expectancy over traditional rubber seal technology. Tapflo has developed its own air valve for use within the LEAP Pump, using a lapped spool and sleeve construction. This method provides a life expectancy in excess of 200 million cycles.
Easy Maintenance: The air valve can be replaced in under 2 minutes, as pump disassembly isn’t required. Tapflo’s LEAP Diaphragm Pump contains 70% less parts than a standard pump, making it easy to maintain, clean and less parts to replace.
*In this specific instance, the end-user required as accurate a flow as possible, so they opted to install a pulsation dampener to create an almost pulseless flow.
Equipment supplied for the Chemical Manufacturing Plant
For this, a LEAP Diaphragm pump was the obvious solution as they are a low-energy and low-cost model of a Diaphragm, but it works just as effectively as normal Air Operated Diaphragm Pumps. Diaphragm pumps are also an ideal pumping solution for pumping chemicals and other potentially flammable fluids
LEAP Diaphragm Pump Characteristics:
- Model: LEAP-420STT Low Energy Air-Operated Double Diaphragm Pump
- Fluid: Low-Temperature Monomer (-5ºC)
- Pump Body: Cast Stainless Steel 316
- Pump Centre Block: Aluminium
- Connections: 2” Female BSP (swivel through 180 degrees)
- Diaphragms: PTFE no nut clean face
- Valves: PTFE Flow Rate: 570 litres per minute (-15% for PTFE diaphragms)
- Volume per Stroke: 2300ml
- Max discharge pressure: 8 bar
- Max Air Pressure: 8 bar
Dampener Characteristics:
- Added Dampener Model: DT420ST Tapflo Pulsation Dampener
- Body Wet Side: Cast Stainless Steel 316L
- Body Air Side: Polypropylene
- Connections: 1 1/2“ BSP Female
- Diaphragm: PTFE no nut clean face
- Max discharge pressure: 8 bar G
- Max Air Pressure: 8 bar G
The LEAP and Pulsation Dampener were also supplied with metal works ETOP Digital Proportional Control Valve with Digital Display and a 4-20 mA Signalling.
Tapflo UK offered further assistance and support in conjunction with their distributor during the initial commissioning and installation of the LEAP Pump to ensure that the equipment was being used to its extent.
Along with our wide range of pump ranges, we offer site visits, troubleshooting and system appraisals. For further information on the LEAP Pump technology please contact our sales staff who will be more than happy to help and/or visit our LEAP Pump section on our website.
