Solving Pump Efficiency Problems

Inefficient pumps are a drain on your system, as they can increase energy costs, CO₂ emissions, and overall life cycle costs. There are many fixes for pump efficiency problems, but one of the simplest and most effective methods is to reduce the pump’s running clearance by replacing its existing components with those manufactured from Vespel® CR-6100 material.

Improve Pump Efficiency with DuPont Vespel® CR-6100

Vespel® CR-6100 is a unique composite material developed by DuPont. Made from Teflon® PFA resin and long carbon fibers, it can be machined into almost any shape. It exhibits numerous beneficial physical characteristics that make it an ideal solution for pump efficiency challenges. These include, among others:

• Wide operational temperature range (-238°F/-200°C to 500°F/260°C)
• Chemically compatible with most liquids and fluids
• Low coefficient of thermal expansion (lower than carbon steel)

Vespel® CR-6100 provides numerous performance benefits, as well. These include, but are not limited to:

• Improved pump efficiency
• Easy to machine and install
• Reduced power consumption
• Reduced CO₂ emissions
• Greater rotor stability
• Reduced vibration

Using Vespel® CR-6100 in Your Pump(s)

A pump’s “wear parts”—those that separate areas of high pressure from those of low pressure inside the pump—can have a substantial effect on its efficiency. Any leakage across this interface of high and low pressure will diminish pump efficiency. Vespel® CR-6100 is the perfect material of construction for many types of pump components, such as inter-stage rings, wear rings, and throttle bushings. The material minimizes pump seizure risks and allows for components with substantially reduced clearance (up to 50 percent below the OEM design value). With reduced clearance comes reduced leakage across the components at the high/low-pressure interface, which will increase pump efficiency. To get the most from your pumps, replace its stationary wear parts with Vespel equivalents and continue using OEM metal rotating wear components.

Photo credit: verifex via Foter.com / CC BY-NC