GEHO Info for sales representatives
Volume 11, No. 1, January 2001
Rating Piston (Pump) Wear
Life cycle costs
GEHO staff is working daily with
customers to determine the most
suitable solution for their slurry and
sludge pumping applications.
Lab tests are performed in-house so that
the slurry rheology can be tested for its
pumpability in relation to transport
pipeline size and pressure rating. Where
feasible, a crankshaft driven pump is
generally preferred over a hydraulic
driven piston pump. Customers also
appreciate the objective advice given
by GEHO PUMPS based on its wide
product portfolio. The GEHO product
offering enables the company to select
and supply the style of pump, which
renders the lowest life cycle costs in
any service.
Operating versus capital costs
The GEHO range of crankshaft driven
pumps is extensive. Any flow sheet and
duty requirement can be met economi-
cally with either a piston or a piston
diaphragm pump. The principal differ-
ence between these designs is the
diaphragm. It protects the piston and
liner from contact with abrasive slurry.
The only remaining wear parts are the
suction and discharge valves.
The capital expenditure of a piston pump
is substantially lower and offsets the
higher wear parts usage when handling
mildly abrasive slurry and/or lower
Excellent
pressures.
Engineering The model ZPR is a two-cylinder,
Solutions double-acting piston pump fitted with
ball or mushroom valves and handles
medium pressures. The model TZP is a
single-acting pump with three cylinders.
The absence of a liquid end stuffing box
reduces the number of wear parts and
makes this design more suitable for
abrasive slurries and higher pressure.
Generic application
The GEHO TZP 800 mainline slurry
pumps at Rio Capim Caulim S.A. in
Brasil are examples of a typical piston
pump application.
The two pumps transport a max. 354
m3/h kaolin slurry against 57 bar
through a 356 mm pipe from the
mine site to the Murucupi terminal and
benefication plant - a distance of 150
km. Previously the product was trans-
ported with barges.
The kaolin is pumped at 50 to 65 wt
per cent solids concentration. The low
abrasivity index (Miller number 5 to 15)
ensures good performance and a long
wear life for the piston seal and piston
liner. The pump, AC motor and VFD unit
are capable of operating at 5 to 100%
capacity against full discharge pressure.
However, up to 50% of the rated 65 spm
stroke rate only for a 1 hour period
sufficient to perform pipeline de-plugging.
Short project life
The Canadian company Inco was
contemplating the use of a piston
diaphragm style ore body booster pump.
But, the Copper Cliff backfill project
would be completed in five years and an
application for the reuse of the pump
could not be defined. The economics
were best served by the installation of a
GEHO TZP 500 single-acting piston
pump at 1250 ft underground. It is trans-
porting 62 to 74 wt per cent cement sand

fill (with a Miller number over 200) to the
stopes against 238 m lift and 152 m
horizontal. The piston pump is rated for
148 to 193 m3/h against 54 bar at 69
spm stroke rate. The pump will be
hauled to the surface at the end of the
operational period. If not re-used, it may
be converted into a diaphragm pump to
recuperate a significant portion of the
initial capital cost.
Easy to operate and maintain
The modular design TZP piston pump
shares many components with an
equivalent size TZPM piston diaphragm
pump. These are the power end, the
valves and the pulsation dampeners.
The power end with cast frame transmits
energy from an external gear reducer to
the pistons by means of a forged steel,
direct driven crankshaft, cross heads
with replaceable guides, and connecting
rods. Anti-friction roller bearings are
used throughout. The check valves are
readily accessible for maintenance with
oil-hydraulic release of the full-taper
seats. The valve seating surfaces are
conically shaped and soft seated with
Excellent both a metal to metal contact surface to
Engineering absorb the high pressure differential
Solutions across the valve, and a metal to elastic
contact surface.
The sealing ring projects past the cone
and is subject to abrasive wear and
fatigue caused by solids forced into
the elastomer contact surface. A variety
of elastomers and design options are
available to optimise the valve life cycle
and to incorporate slurry characteristics
and behaviour. Self-aligning clamp
couplings enable simple removal of the
pistons and liners, facilitated by special
tools and a turning gear device. Ceramic
lined and cladded liners are available to
prolong wear life. A piston guide ring
centers the proprietary cup seal in the
liner. Spray flushing the liner bore further
reduces friction and wear.
Since the design is robust and reliable,
the control devices can be limited to one
lube oil flow switch plus one pressure
switch: this provides an alarm and trip
upon overpressure in the discharge
dampener gas side. A relief valve must
be installed in the discharge line, close
to the pump and ahead of any isolation
valve.
Weir Netherlands b.v.
P.O. Box 249, NL-5900 AE Venlo
Phone: +31(0)77-3895200
Fax: +31(0)77-3824844
Email: weir@weir.nl, Website: www.weir.nl
Copyright Weir Netherlands b.v.