Glue Pumps: Frequently Asked Questions

Different types of glue means different viscosities, and with glue being so sticky, can it be pumped? Keep reading for all the information you need on pumping glue!

Can I really pump glue through a pump?

Yes! Pumping glue is considered a black art, but in practice, if you know what you’re doing and put the right measures in place you can achieve great results. The two main types of pumping technology used to pump glue are:

Diaphragm Pumps:

A Diaphragm Pump with the right materials can be perfect for moving or dosing volumes of Glue. Below is a list of just some of the advantages to using a Diaphragm Pump:

• - Can run dry for long periods of time

• - Can create suction lift from dry

• - They don’t have a BEP (Best Efficiency Point), so can produce different flows and pressures with the same pump.

• - Easy and quick to install

• - Easy and low cost maintenance

Lobe Pumps:

A Lobe Pump is great for pumping viscous products and allows you to achieve a high flow and head pressure. Some advantages of Lobe Pumps are listed below:

• - High Flow rate for continuous use

• - Accurate dosing

• - High head pressure

• - Easy front maintenance and easy to CIP (Clean In Place) due to the design inside

• - Easy cleaning due to the sanitary design

What’s the most important thing to remember when pumping glue?

PLP Sanitary Lobe Pump[/caption] When pumping glue, there are two main points to remember: firstly, you have to ENSURE you don’t allow the glue to set in the pump. As you can imagine, that will cause the pump to stop and require a full strip down and clean – with stronger glue it could result in the pump being beyond economical repair. Glue normally sets when it’s exposed to the atmosphere for extended periods of time, or in some cases, when the pump turns off with a full chamber.

The second point to remember is that the thicker the product, the harder it is to prime (getting the product into the pump), so you need to ensure when creating your process that the pump is under a flooded suction condition (i.e. the product will be forced under its own weight/gravity into the feed of the pump – helping to ensure maximum flow is achieved).

What’s the maximum centipoise of glue a pump can handle?

The maximum centipoise of glue you can pump depends on a few factors – instillation and the pumping technology used. The flow of a Diaphragm Pump will drop off by up to 80% at 20,000 CPS, and will decrease life of the working parts by up to 50%. For anything over 5,000 CPS, we would always recommend using a Lobe Pump, as these are suitable for products upwards of 500,000 CPS. This is based on the way the pump works compared to a Diaphragm Pump.

Glue Pump Case Study

Tapflo are a big player in the manufacture of adhesives in the UK market; we supply all the big names up and down the country with pumps for Glue production and application.

Application details:

Product: Glue

Viscosity: 2,000 CPS

Temperature: Ambient

Flow Rate: 110LPM

Head Pressure: 2 Bar

Pipe Size: 1 ½”

Suction: Flooded from a 2000L Tank

Pump Spec

Pump Model: TX220 XTTS

Description: 1 ½” Air Operated Diaphragm Pump in aluminium with PTFE lined internals.

This pump was chosen due to the PTFE coated aluminium offering great non-stick properties, whilst still being a cost effective solution. The pumps been in operation for over 6 months and has required no maintenance or down time!

Get in touch today for advice on pumping glue or any other products! Email us on [email protected] or call 02380252325.