Pumps

For pumps in high throughput applications, where abrasive wear and corrosion is a concern, 300 Below’s cryogenic processing technology provides 200-300% longer life for around 20% cost of the pump parts concerned. While many pumps are made from CD4MCU metallurgy, which will not respond to our process, other pumps made from white iron (high alloy 24%+ chromium) will respond most favorably to the 300 Below process, yielding reduced maintenance, less change outs, and less frequent re-machining of parts.
What is cryogenic processing?
- An extension of the heat treatment process
- Ultra low temperature treatment of metals using liquid nitrogen released as a gas
- Computer controlled process ensuring descent and ascent of temperatures in equilibrium with parts
- The most cost effective method to extend life and reduce wear for all pump related parts
What pump parts benefit from cryogenic processing?
- Slurry pumps
- Caustic pumps
- Abrasive pumps
- Pumps where high acid or alkaline content is present
- Pumps requiring high pressure line operation
- Pumps transporting salty materials, sand, oil, water or chemicals
For pumps, any areas within the metallurgical composition that set with differentials in casting thickness will have stress concentrations due to the casting process, resulting in differential cooling rates when using the pump due to varying thicknesses throughout the pump metal. When a pump is uniformly cast, you will have uniform cooling, and thus more uniform stress. When there is a variance in geometric shape, which there always is in a pump, it leads to stress concentrations or stress differentials which will impact the amount of wear in that zone. Edges, corners, and radiuses will typically fail in pumps. Thermal cycling could be impacted, but typically this is from two and three particle abrasive wear. The centrifugal boundary areas are the greatest impacted zones. Straight pipes typically wear better than bent pipes; centrifugal force causes accelerated wear.
What benefits for pump parts may be obtained through cryogenic treatment of metals?
- Improved abrasion wear resistance
- Improved corrosion resistance
- Improved stress relief and stabilization
What types of areas will fail most frequently in pumps?
- Edges
- Corners
- Radiuses
The most common issue in centrifugal pumps is cavitation.
How to avoid cavitation in centrifugal pumps?
When cryogenic processing is applied on centrifugal pumps, the abrasive wear on the shaft and its bearings is reduced while increasing lubricity throughout the entire structure. The entire coherence of the molecular structure results in unsurpassed performance gains from an increase in pumping ability and lifetime efficiency of the pump overall.