Global Surface Protection recently helped a uranium ore processing facility in extending the life and improving the performance of its centrifugal pumps using MetaLine coatings.
Centrifugal pumps are critical in various industrial applicatio
ns that require the transfer of liquids, but exposure to abrasive and corrosive media can lead to wear and tear of the pump's components, resulting in reduced efficiency and even failure. That's where MetaLine, a high-performance coating product, comes into play.
Challenge
A uranium ore processing facility needed to pump raw material, in the form of slurry through its plant. The slurry, crushed uranium ore mixed with reactive chemicals, is both highly abrasive and corrosive, causing metal components in contact with the slurry to erode and wear extremely quickly.
Pump n. 1 shows the interior of a centrifugal pump after only five days in contact with the slurry. This image demonstrates the corrosive nature of the slurry, as the vane of this particular impeller has been eroded to the point that it is no longer capable of effective pumping.
Solution
In consultation with Global Surface Protection, the pump was replaced – with exactly the same model. The difference was that the replacement had its interior metal surfaces coated with an elastomeric compound designed to withstand corrosive and abrasive process fluids. In this instance, the both the impeller and pump n. 2 casing were coated with MetaLine 785 elastomeric coating as a protectant against the slurry.
Result
After 10 weeks of service no failures had occurred and the pump was inspected during routine maintenance. Pump n. 2 shows the interior impeller surface at this point – after 10 weeks of continuous service. Compare the completely intact elastomer and impeller with pump n. 1, an equivalent impeller that had been in direct contact with the slurry for only five days. It is obvious that the MetaLine elastomeric coating has made a significant difference to the durability of the pump’s interior components. In this case the pump with the coating had already lasted twelve times longer than the original uncoated pump.
The images show the unquestionable benefits of MetaLine’s elastomeric coating, with no discernible wear on either the coating or the underlying integral metal of the pump. This pump was put back into service following the inspection for further duty.
Pump 1 Pump 2
With a wide range of MetaLine products and inhouse coating specialist consultation, Global Surface Protection can help you choose the right coating product for the application and surface of your need. Get in touch with our team, today.
