Extending the Lifespan of Slurry Pumps by 3 Times with ZTA Wear-Resistant Ceramic Liners

Understanding Slurry Pump Wear Mechanisms

Slurry pumps stand as pivotal equipment in various industries such as mining, power generation, dredging, metallurgy, chemical, construction materials, and petroleum. They primarily facilitate the transportation of fluid-solid mediums, leveraging centrifugal force to increase medium energy, thereby transforming electrical energy into the kinetic and potential energy of the medium. However, throughout this process, intense friction occurs between the medium and the slurry pump's casing and cover, resulting in significant wear and tear. This wear and tear lead to deteriorating operational conditions, reduced efficiency, increased energy consumption, and a shortened lifespan, subsequently impacting production costs negatively. Consequently, delving into the wear mechanisms of slurry pumps and devising wear-resistant strategies becomes paramount.

Types of Wear Mechanisms in Slurry Pumps

1. Erosive Wear:

Erosive wear within slurry pumps predominantly manifests as cavitation and abrasive wear. When conveying mediums like coal, gangue, or sediment, they often contain numerous cavitation bubbles. The destruction of these bubbles isn't instantaneous but comprises several decay processes. During this period, the high-speed impact of the slurry around the bubble's center causes most kinetic energy to disperse around the bubble, inducing erosive wear. This type of wear closely ties with improper usage and selection of equipment.

2. Abrasive Wear:

Abrasive wear serves as a primary cause of overflow component wear in slurry pumps. Especially during transportation, the contact force while conveying coal, mud, or sand generates surface friction on the impeller waterway. Data illustrates that frequent wear on the waterway surface material results in fatigue damage. Concurrently, under the pressure of conveying slurry mediums, certain coal, sludge, and sand particles get pressed into the impeller surface, causing surface extrusion, ultimately leading to turbine wear. Considering the wear characteristics of slurry pumps, severe erosion occurs in the flow channels on the water pressure chamber and the impeller. During the sludge transportation process, the pump body, casing, cover, shaft seal, and sealing components also experience a certain degree of wear.

ZTA Ceramic Liners for Slurry Pumps: Mitigating Wear

The primary factors influencing slurry pump wear encompass medium characteristics, material properties, and the interaction between abrasives and materials. Among these, altering material characteristics and enhancing wear resistance in critical areas prove to be effective strategies.

Traditionally, slurry pump casings and covers predominantly utilized high manganese or high chromium castings, exhibiting limited wear resistance and shorter lifespans. Leveraging years of practical experience, Sanxin New Materials has devised a tailored wear-resistant solution. Specifically, they incorporate a 10mm-thick ZTA ceramic liner in the worn sections of slurry pump casings and covers.

ZTA ceramic, an abbreviation for Zirconia Toughened Alumina Composite Ceramic, combines the high hardness and wear resistance of alumina ceramic with the toughness of zirconia ceramic. This amalgamation seamlessly fits into the operational environment of slurry pumps. Practical validations illustrate that slurry pump casings and covers equipped with ZTA ceramic liners experience a lifespan extension of over 3 times.

By implementing innovative wear-resistant solutions like ZTA ceramic liners, industries can significantly prolong the operational life of slurry pumps, effectively curbing maintenance costs and enhancing overall productivity.