Category: pump systems

How Vulcan Pumps Can Help Your Operation Weather Inflation

When it comes to the national and global economies, we’re all looking for ways to better weather the inevitable economic storms that come our way. The current economic storm we’re facing? Inflation. 

While not all industries feel the negative effects equally, just about everyone is affected in some way. And when production becomes more expensive and lead-times grow longer, it’s time to start looking for ways to fight back. 

Vulcan Pumps: The Perfect Production Partner

While other manufacturers’ prices are steadily increasing and their lead-times are lengthening, Vulcan Pumps remains steady. We’re here to instill confidence—not uncertainty—into you and your business with our CombiTherm product lead-times. 

Despite global current events, the pathway to CombiTherm products is still open. And as the master distributor of CombiTherm pumps in American and Canada, Vulcan Pumps has you covered—even for last-minute replacements and expensive OEM components. We can offer quick shipments right from stock—so you don’t have to wait any longer than necessary. 

More About CombiTherm Products

CombiTherm hot oil and hot water pumps are designed to transfer bitumen, emulsions, and just about every other liquid element inherent to makeup. They can seamlessly replace most big pump brands without difficulty, and because they’re stocked in America, delivery is quick and easy. 

If you’re on the hunt for OEM or aftermarket hot oil and hot water pumps, Vulcan Pumps has you covered. You can always expect short lead-times, stable prices, and excellent customer service. 

Vulcan Pumps HDS Slurry Pump

There’s a reason our HDS slurry pump is one of our most popular production staples. It comes with high-quality, custom design, American-made components, as well as application-specific metallurgies to withstand both typical and atypical abrasion. 

With the Vulcan HDS slurry pump, you’re getting a completely American-made product. And to make things even more convenient, our pump parts are inventoried right here in Birmingham—meaning quick lead-times (typically one week) for you. Not to mention guaranteed quality and budget-conscious prices. 

We’re Up to the Task

If you’re looking for fast, reliable lead-times, excellent quality and variety of products, and customer service that never wavers—you’ve found the right partner. We perform comprehensive quality control for every part both before assembly and during manufacturing, as well as extensively quality test pump materials long before they reach you. Despite volatile global circumstances, Vulcan Pumps is here to deliver peace of mind. Get in touch with us to get started. We look forward to hearing from you.

Common Misconceptions Regarding Pumping Systems

When it comes to pumping systems, there’s a lot that people get wrong. And while some of these things seem small, they can prevent you from truly getting the most out of your system. 

Let’s go over a few common misconceptions, and get into the truth! 

Pumping System Technology Is Outdated

There are outdated pumps out in the world—but the recent technology is more than keeping up. Smart pumps are able to deliver all kinds of data, like performance parameters and activity information. They can also self-adjust pump operations in response to changes in demand. 

Essentially, the modern pump can increase efficiency and decrease downtime—saving you money in the long run. 

Pumping Systems Are Always Too Big

If a pump is oversized, it usually means there’s a safety factor built in, i.e., it’s big to properly account for uncertainty in pressure and flow requirements. This can be helpful considering that an undersized pump will result in low efficiency. Implementing proper commissioning during installation can help limit the effect of an oversized pump. 

Installation Is the Most Expensive Part of Pumping Systems

The initial purchase and installation costs are typically thought of as the biggest investments when it comes to owning a pump—but it’s not necessarily true. The truth is that energy and maintenance make up the majority of the expense. This is due in large part to the long expected lifespan of your typical pump—about 20 years! 

Problem? Your Pump’s Probably the Cause

When operational inefficiency is happening, it’s not uncommon for most people to point fingers at the pump. But pumps actually offer high efficiency naturally—the problem comes in with pump operation. The flow rate and pressure of your pump systems draw a good bit of energy. So the efficiency of your system is directly linked to the type of pump you choose as well as control. 

Get the Most Out of Your Pumping Systems

Few things operate at their maximum efficiency without a few adjustments. Getting to know your pumping systems inside and out will help you avoid the myths we’ve addressed in this blog, and ensure that you get the most out of your equipment!In order to get the most out of your equipment, you need the right partner, too. At Vulcan Pumps, we specialize in designing high-quality pump systems that are made right here in America. We’re ready to work with you and make whatever changes you need for your specific industry and application needs. Because we own our own patterns, we can pour the right material at a reasonable price and lead-time. Get in touch with us, and find out how we can help you today.

Our CombiTherm Product Lead-Times

You can blink and the world changes around you. Recent world events have set the stage for changes the world over—geographic, economic, and (unfortunately for so many) personal. Geopolitical conflict carries a ripple effect that isn’t contained in isolation. For many of our industry partners, they are understandably concerned about product logistics due to worldwide tensions. We are here to bring about confidence in our CombiTherm product lead-times despite current events, and reassure those who rely on our pumps, parts, and products. 

We Deliver When Others Don’t

The road to CombiTherm products is still open. CombiTherm hot oil and hot water pumps transfer bitumen, emulsions, and virtually every other liquid element inherent to makeup. A great asset of these pumps is their ability to replace most industry-leading pump brands and integrate seamlessly into pump systems. Being inventoried in North America, CombiTherm pumps offer quick and easy delivery when OEMs and other major manufacturers are unable to offer replacement pumps on short notice. 

As the master distributor of CombiTherm pumps in the U.S. and Canada, Vulcan Pumps is uniquely poised to deliver high-quality hot oil and hot water pumps right to your business. No need to worry about a short-notice replacement or costly OEM component: We have your industry part, pump, and product needs covered. 

Why You Can Count on Our CombiTherm Flow Product Lead-Times

The benefit of being a local provider of CombiTherm products is short lead-times and trusted expertise. Vulcan Pumps can offer quick shipments right from stock; in fact, our CombiTherm hot oil and hot water pumps are available for immediate shipment. There’s no need to worry about long and drawn out CombiTherm product lead-times when buying from us. We are here and ready to do business with you. 

If you’re in the market for OEM or aftermarket hot oil and hot water pumps, look no further than Vulcan Pumps. Contact us to start your shipment, resume processes or bring them back to scale, and/or ramp up production. We understand the concern current events have instigated: We are committed to doing our part to do right by our industry partners. We can offer product peace of mind in otherwise volatile circumstances. May lasting peace soon return to the global stage. 

Diamond Seals for Submersible Motors

The seal’s the deal. When pumping slurry, a quality seal makes a big difference. It helps ensure a long-lasting pump that withstands slurry’s highly abrasive nature. Vulcan Pumps utilizes John Crane Diamond® seals in our pumps so seal failure doesn’t upend your processes. We want your seals (and pumps) to last. 

The Difference Diamond Seals for Submersible Motors Can Make

Submersible motors are submersed in abrasive material such as slurry for extended periods of time. It doesn’t take much to realize how this setting could affect materials. Without high-quality components, motors and pumps inevitably face wear and/or breakdown in these kinds of highly toxic conditions. The pump seal is an integral part of this equation: It prevents leakage and contamination, helping to maintain the integrity of the pump and motor. 

Seals are made up of a rotary seal face and driving mechanism, which adopts the same rotation as the pump shaft. Seals also consist of a stationary seal face, which combines with the rotary and maintains integrity via a gland or stuffing box cover—as well as a tension assembly (metal bellows or springs) that’s designed to keep the faces positioned tightly together. 

Diamond seals for submersible motors provide pristine durability that offers unmatched gain for industrial equipment reliability. For years, manufactured diamonds have been used in abrasive applications and for cutting instruments. With ultrananocrystalline technology (UNCD®) technology, harnessing one of Earth’s hardest materials for use in mechanical seals is not only possible: It’s beyond profitable for systems. It drastically improves mechanical seal reliability and performance in challenging applications, including those involving abrasive slurry, weak lubricating liquids, and liquids that exceed their atmospheric boiling points. 

Diamond-treated seals manage abrasive and erosive conditions with much less effort, and UNCD® technology innately possesses a low coefficient of friction, which reduces heat production and energy use. This translates to significant improvements in mean time for mechanical seals, pumps, and more. 

Why We Choose John Crane

John Crane Diamond® seals offer our pumps the time-tested use they need. John Crane is also the sole manufacturer that integrates UNCD® technology directly into their process, offering premier seal and face treatments. Vulcan Pumps is all about quality—in each and every part of the project cycle, including in regards to seals. That’s why we trust and use John Crane seals in our pumps.

The seals, themselves, offer enormous cost and energy-efficient benefits. They improve durability through top-tier chemical stability and hardness. They enhance reliability and function through appropriately applied crystallinity, consistency, and adhesion. They help maintain production and keep integral equipment running optimally. They also lower costs courtesy of cooler running faces, reduced power, and less service life maintenance. Much like our pumps, John Crane seals demonstrate value time and again. 

Contact Vulcan Pumps

Every component of our pumps matters to us: That’s why we use diamond seals for submersible motors. Contact Vulcan Pumps for quality, U.S.-made pumps able to stand up to your applications and processes. We are a local, on-hand manufacturer and distributor you can trust.

Why Is a Slurry Pump Necessary Over a Standard Water Pump?

Slurry pumps and water pumps are not one and the same, which rings true for other pumps as well. Each serves a different purpose, which helps to inform why they’re not interchangeable systems. But why, exactly, is a slurry pump necessary over a standard water pump in certain, specific applications? Read on for the full answer. 

Know the Difference Between Slurry and Water Pumps

As mentioned, a slurry pump differs from a water pump in many key ways. First, slurry pumps and water pumps (as their names suggest) pump different materials. Slurry pumps pump mixtures of fluids not present when pumping hot water, hot oil, or thermanol, which can include or involve gravel, copper, sand, alcohols, acids, petroleum, abrasive mixtures, and more. Slurry pumps are specially made to handle these abrasive and/or caustic materials, having replaceable, durable, and robust pump parts. 

On the other hand, hot water pumps are able to bear high temperature pressure, but don’t have the hydraulic capacity to pump solid or slurry particles effectively. Hot water pumps also lack the ability to stand up to the highly abrasive and corrosive nature of slurries. 

Why a Slurry Pump Works for Intended Use

What makes a slurry pump so effective at handling slurry? It has many wear-resistant properties, including a bigger impeller diameter, bearings, shafts, and internal system. It also typically boasts heavy-duty construction—much more so than standard water pumps possess. 

Due to this, slurry pumps can transport solid and slurry materials more effectively and efficiently. The other core component to slurry pump success is the utilization of centrifugal force. Centrifugal force propels material(s) outward from the center of the pump. Centripetal force does the opposite: It propels material(s) toward the pump center. However, slurry pumps have to perform on a centrifugal basis. This is due to the way in which forces produce velocity to the slurry, which fast tracks material transportation. Operationally, a centripetal pump would render ineffective for slurry, causing the slurry and solids to conglomerate together rather than flow freely. 

Means for Slurry Pump Implementation

There are three main ways to pump slurry based on what the specific situation calls for. These are semi-dry, dry, and wet. Semi-dry installations are almost exclusively used for dredging applications that utilize horizontal pumping orientation. Dry installations are when pump drive and bearings stay out of slurry, and the “wet” end is free from liquid and stands on its own. Here, the wet end comprises the impeller, shell, suction liner or hub, and shaft sleeve. For wet installations, which Vulcan Pumps specializes in, the slurry pump and drive are wholly submersible. This is essential for a range of slurry pump applications, including those done underwater. 
Vulcan Pumps’ HDS submersible slurry pump is built for long-lasting use through quality assured, U.S.-made manufacturing. Contact us for more info on this product, and how our locally inventoried parts and fast lead-times can benefit your operation.

A Closer Look at Our HDS Slurry Pump Accessories

Our custom HDS submersible slurry pumps have the option for additional accessories—one quoted standard. The slurry pump accessories we offer include spray (sparge) ring, Vulcan Guard, and lifting bail. All these accessories offer ease-of-use and cost-over-time benefits. Read on for more about their application readiness and purposes. 

An Overview of Our Slurry Pump Accessories 

As mentioned, we offer three slurry pump accessories: the sparge or spray ring, the proprietary, standard-quoted Vulcan Guard, and lifting bail. Following is a helpful breakdown of each:

#1: Sparge or Spray Ring

The spray or sparge ring can be mounted to any submersible pump, and provides a cleaner sump overall. The spray ring works well for virtually all industries that handle high concentrations of solids, including power generation, mining, and steel. 

When regularly pumping abrasive solids, the sparge ring fluidizes or agitates into suspension the solids (e.g. ore, coal fines) that settle and coagulate in the pit. The spray ring improves suspension to pump solids, which leads to a cleaner sump. Over time, built-up solids that aren’t appropriately agitated require removal using a vacuum truck. The spray ring lessens build-up of solids  and increases pit cleanliness, resulting in less frequent visits from the vacuum truck.

#2: Vulcan Guard

Vulcan Guard is a proprietary slurry pump accessory quoted with every custom pump purchase. It boasts a dual feature innovation not found elsewhere: a one-box, two-feature safety sensor. Vulcan Guard places both a moisture sensor and thermal overload connections in one box for a single point of connection. 

The moisture sensor alerts you of a bottom seal failure, which helps protect the pump from further water intrusion. A red warning light will signal when the seal has failed, alerting operators to pull the pump, stop the motor, and replace the seal. Additionally, Vulcan Guard houses a built-in motor thermal overload function that stops the motor if overheated—as well as a corresponding control panel light that halts the motor until able to fully stop or reset. 

Vulcan Guard is unique in industry as it innovates past the prevailing two-box system. Our system offers single-point connection and safety features for improved risk reduction and increased operator peace of mind. 

#3: Lifting Bail

Our 304 stainless steel lifting bail does as its name implies: helps to hoist the pump when needed. The lifting bail is made for our HDS submersible slurry pump, connects to the top of the motor, and brings it to a single lifting point. The slurry pump’s motor houses two lifting lugs, which the lifting bail easily hooks up to. The lifting bail makes pump removal from sump much more streamlined. Included in the bail is 25 feet of lifting cable. 

Benefits to Our Accessories

Generally, our accessories:

  • Reduce maintenance;
  • Reduce pump repair cost;
  • And increase pump life. 

That’s not all though. More specifically, the spray ring affords over-time cost reduction to industries through less routine plant (and sump) upkeep, decreased maintenance and labor expenses, and diminished (if not eliminated) vacuum truck visits for site cleanup. Plus, sparge rings can be outfitted to anyone’s pump—and our 24-spray nozzle selection comes standard in 304 stainless steel. When margins are thin, this accessory could be the difference. 

Additionally, the client-requested Vulcan Guard, of course, provides an innovative and intuitive interface for improved safety and risk reduction. The two-feature, one-box system enables more control, less risk, and on-the-spot detection. 

Finally, our 304 stainless steel lifting bail is outfitted for easy attachment and single-point lifting, which is a favorite feature for those in power generation and similar industries. Contact us to learn more about our HDS submersible slurry pump as well as the accessories offered for enhanced ease of use and improved functioning. 

Vulcan HDS Slurry Pump: Comprehensive Product Spotlight

The Vulcan HDS slurry pump is our major product staple, and for good reason. It offers high-quality, custom design, U.S.-made components and make, and application-specific metallurgies to withstand typical and atypical abrasion. See how our HDS slurry pump meets your needs, and how Vulcan Pumps is poised to deliver quality on every front. 

A U.S.-Made HDS Slurry Pump

Vulcan Pumps offers a purely U.S.-made product. All patterns, casting, machine parts, and more for our HDS slurry pump are made in our cutting-edge facility based in the southeastern U.S. Plus, our pump seals are made in tandem with John Crane Co., and we have worked together to develop multiple seal designs that are application-ready. This is to our clients’ benefit as it ensures the best seal per application for complete peace of mind: You don’t have to rely on a motor manufacturer to give a generic seal selection. 

In addition, our pump parts are locally inventoried in Birmingham. This offers quick turnaround (typically a one-week lead-time) for components that are guaranteed quality and reasonably priced. 

We also offer an on-site (remove) rebuild program on an as-needed basis. We submerge test recording, moisture sensor, AMP draw, and thermal overloads (along with a flow and head test), and provide documents prior to delivery. We provide this as an additional service to coincide with required internal processes as applicable. We can also work closely with your quality control team, determining pump rate, head performance, and other measurements before installation. 

Metallurgies Used

We provide a range of metallurgies for project-specific needs: 316 Stainless Steel, Alloy 20, Hastelloy, 2205, 2507, CD4MCUN, and more. 

For atypical, abrasive applications, we offer 28% chrome iron, ASTMA532. For when chemicals, chlorides, or other highly corrosive conditions are present, we have several choices available: ASTM A890 duplex and super duplex stainless steels (CD4, 2205, and 2507) and ASTM A494 high nickel alloys C276 and A20. There’s also an opportunity for us to make motor shafts, pump components, and other hardware in these high-resistance materials. 

Quality Across the Board

Vulcan Pumps quality program ensures you receive a HDS slurry pump that is no exception to peak performance expected. We also perform comprehensive pump quality control for every part before assembly and during manufacturing. We extensively quality-test pump materials and appearance long before it reaches you. 
If you need a high-performance submersible pump that withstands the test of applications, the Vulcan HDS slurry pump is the pump for your processes. Contact us with questions or to learn more.