Chapter I

BENEFITS OF PROGRESSING CAVITY PUMPS

From the standpoint of flow and pressure range, PC pumps compete well with any other type of pump design. They can handle pump flows from fractions of gallons per minute to several thousand gallons per minute. Pressure capability depends on the number of stages (leads of the stator), and typically reaches 800-1,000 psi. The range of fluids they can handle is enormous, with viscosities ranging from waterlike (1 cSt), to fluidlike (clay, cement, and sludge with viscosities up to 1,000,000 cSt). Since the rotor and stator have an interference fit (a plated metallic rotor in an elastomer-lined stator), and low rotating speed, the internal shear rates are very low. When applied in the food industry, these pumps are sometimes known to pump cherries or apples, which move through the internal passages with no damage. The pulsation-free flow and quiet operation of PC pumps are additional advantages for shear-sensitive pumpages.

PC pumps are excellent self-primers and have good suction characteristics. They are tolerant to entrained air and gases, and produce minimal churning or foaming. Another major feature of these machines is their high tolerance to contamination and abrasion. Often called a "lastresource pump," PC pumps are often utilized for extremely abrasive applications, because of a unique property of the elastomer that lines up the stator tube and resists abrasion. These elastomers are made from regular rubber (Buna) or more exotic materials, such as Viton, Teflon, and others. As versatile as they are, PC pumps do have limitations, primarily size. To prevent flow "slip" (leakage from higher discharge pressure back to suction), the number of rotor/stator leads (stages) must be increased as pressure is increased. This, in turn, increases the overall length of the unit. For such highpressure applications, it is sometimes difficult to retrofit an existing installation, where smaller pumps (such as centrifugal) have been operating in the past. However, when space is not an issue, this limitation is not a factor. Another reason for PC pumps' larger size is their low speed, which requires a gear reducer (or a belt drive) between the motor driver and the pump. This can result in added cost. However, the recent advent of variable frequency drives (VFDs) has allowed elimination of gear reducers and, at the same time, has introduced a new capability to vary flow while pumping against a given pressure. Another PC pump limitation is fluid compatibility with the elastomer. Some chemicals may cause problems with the elas-

tomer and others may cause swelling. For corrosive applications, Viton or even Teflon stators are selected. Elastomers also impose certain temperature limitations, as compared to fully metallic pumps. Typically, PC pumps are used where temperatures do not exceed 3OO-35OE PC pumps should not run dry, except for a very short time, because heat generated at the interference between the rotor and stator may cause elastomer failures, often called "chunking" or "debonding."