Drum pumps are used by a lot of industries. These are crucial for the operations of certain huge corporations like chemical plants, manufacturing plants, food processing plants, and other similar businesses. Whether the liquid being transported and transferred is water, fluids, or oil, a drum pump is needed for proper transfer and storage to avoid any legal violation or mishap.
What is a drum pump?
When liquids are delivered to processing or manufacturing plants, they are contained in huge barrels. Liquid density and weight varies. Due to this, tipping these barrels for emptying is difficult, impractical, and poses certain health hazards. A drum pump is a device used to empty IBCs, tanks, barrels, drums or any other similar container to transfer liquid to other containers.
What are the different types of drum pumps and how do they work?
Drum pumps are designed to handle any type of liquid. There are several types of drum pumps in the market. Most of them are portable and can be used interchangeably. They can be built into a factory system and can be made up of either metallic or plastic material. The three kinds of drum pumps work slightly different from each other.
Electrical
A drum pump consists of a narrow tube with a vertical shaft inside and is attached to the drum opening. A pump motor is then connected to the other end of the shaft with the pumping element located at the end of the shaft inside the container. This type of pump is ideal for higher volume transfers. It works well with chemicals in need of blending, exhaust fluid, dyes, and additives.
Manual
A manual drum pump works similarly to an electrically-operated pump, only this one is operated by hand using a crank or a piston pump when little to no power is available. Manually-operated drum pumps are ideal for low-volume transfers and low-use applications. They work best with oil, gasoline, kerosene, anti-freeze, and soap solutions.
Pneumatic
This type of pump utilizes an air motor instead of a typical electric motor. These are suitable for short-term and intermittent use. It is used in explosion-proof environments. It can also be used in areas where damage to electric components is highly likely like humid and wet or dirty and dusty environments.
How do I choose which drum pump to use?
Step 1: First, you have to find out how the pump will be used and what you are using it for to know the type of pump, motor, and accessories you need to buy.
Step 2: Determine your application requirements like required head and flow, chemical type, gravity and viscosity, container size, and motor type.
Step 3: Choose the appropriate pump series and tube material. Make sure your tube’s outer material is chemically resistant to your drum’s content. You may use a chemical resistance guide to help you determine your outer tube’s material.
Step 4: Choose the correct motor. Not all motors are compatible with all pump series so make sure your motor type is appropriate for your pump series. Take note if the liquid being pumped is combustible or if the surroundings are hazardous, you should use an explosion-proof electric or air drive motor.
Step 5: Pick the right accessories that go with your set-up.
Drum pumps are designed for safety and convenience in transferring chemicals from large containers. Do not put your business at risk by compromising on quality. Always choose the right equipment and accessories.
