Final stick for pump valves
22 Aug 2000
Owens Corning Fiberglas has replaced its pumps which are used for transferring chemicals from bulk containers to process mixers with Yamada air-operated diaphragm pumps. The pumps were already being used in similar operations in the United States. More than 20 pumps were installed ranging in size from 3/4 in to 11/2 in. However, the valves in some of the pumps prematurely failed, caused by softening of the ball material, which caused the ball to stick. The plant manufactures around 100 products, involving a dozen or more different chemical mixes. Switching pumps every time a new chemical was handled caused the elastomers in the pumps to stick. Engineers from the pump supplier, CT Technical Products, solved the problem by standardising the elastomers in all the pumps by specifying Teflon. This provided the solution for the range of chemicals handled.
