What is a Drum Pump and How Does It Work?

What is a Drum Pump?

Drum pumps are portable pumps designed exclusively to facilitate safe and efficient transfer of low-viscosity fluids from one container to another. They eliminate the need to pivot heavy barrels by fitting on the upper opening of containers to allow the safe passage of fluids. Drum pumps are available in different materials, models, and tube lengths for different liquids. Different electric drum pumps are able to be driven by the same motor.

Why are Electric Drum Pumps a popular industrial tool?

Electric drum pumps are lightweight and hence, easy to lug around. They do not require any complicated switchgear, and can simply be plugged into a standard power outlet. They are easy to use and rinse for future pumping. Residual fluid drains automatically from the drum pump instead of clogging or contaminating the tube. They are super resilient and surprisingly powerful for their size. Drum pumps catalyze industrial production by providing quick transfers with negligible spillage. Drum pumps have lower decibel levels than other technologies, so noise no longer remains a concern. The right electric drum pump mitigates the risk of moving corrosives, without getting damaged.

Different Drum Pumps for different needs!

Depending on the nature of use, these pumps can be combined with a variety of motors: commutator, brushless, three-phase, and pneumatic. Standard 200L drum pumps are all-rounders, however you can get the immersion lengths customized from 300mm-3000mm, depending on your pumping needs. Before you learn how to work a drum pump, you need to analyze the nature of the fluid you’re working with. In order for a drum pump to work to its full capacity, the material of its drive shaft needs to be compatible with the liquid that it will pump.

• Pumps with PP (polypropylene) tubes made of 316Ti stainless steel are suitable for pumping neutral and hardly combustible liquids.
• PP tubes with a hastelloy 2,4610 drive shaft are specifically used to pump more aggressive media.
• Drum pumps with aluminum tubes are ideal for mineral oil based products up to 1000 mPas maximum viscosity.
• PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) or CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) are specifically for acids and other corrosive media.
• Neutral liquids like cleaning agents and thin-viscous food can be pumped best via stainless steel drive shafts.

Electric drum pumps with a mechanical seal are ideal for media that dries up rapidly, or crystallizes. They also adapt well to frequent medium changes. They have a longer service life while working with abrasive media than sealless pumps. You can also disassemble pumps with a mechanic seal for easy cleaning. On the other hand, with sealless pumps you don’t have to worry about any seal damage. They have an overall low-wear probability, and long bearing life.

How is a Drum Pump Built?

Electric drum pumps have three essential components; motor, immersion tube, and pump. The immersion tube of a 200L drum pump is typically as long as the container is deep. It sits below the motor and works on the principle of the axial-impeller pumps. This shaft is then driven by the motor via coupling and the pumping is pulsation-free. The pump (or impeller) is situated at the lower end of the immersion tube, and must be fully surrounded by the fluid in order to work. Once electric drum pumps are connected to the power source, the medium is axially transmitted to the outlet with each rotation.

How does a Drum Pump Work?

In layman terms, drum pumps work by fitting atop a container by way of its vertical immersion tube. The AC or DC motor attached to the shaft of an electric drum pump must be connected to a reliable power source in order to get the instrument going. Its pumping mechanism comes exclusively from the base of the tube where the media is most dense.

Most drum pumps rely on positive displacement to move the fluid along the shaft. This means that once the pump is actuated, a vacuum is created in the drum which ushers the liquid into the shaft. The pumping mechanism relies on either a small centrifugal pump impeller or a rotor present on the base of the tube. The motor allows the air to be reversed, so that a pressure is created, in order to force the liquid out of the drum and into the shaft. Standard 200L drum pumps have drive shafts that penetrate the fluid in most containers completely to give a finessed job. Some drum pumps are hard-wired into a barrel but most of them can be used on an interchangeable basis.

You have a choice between axial and semi-axial impellers. Axial impellers are best suited for light media and short discharge lines. They also work well for small differences in height and low pressure losses. Semi-axial impellers work with heavy media for long discharge lines and big differences in height. They provide a higher delivery pressure at a lower delivery rate.

Maintaining your Drum Pump

Maintaining drum pumps is as easy as working them. Overtime, these pumps may not sustain enough flow, or stop priming. Here’s what you can do:

• Clogging: Check the screen filter and suction pumps for dirt and clogging. If you see any impurities that may potentially mitigate the full potential of the pump, you can simply clean it with pliers, a blunt rod or even your fingers!
• Piston Leakage: To fix this, you need to verify that the piston is not loose or cut.
• Air Leakage: This happens when the components are not tightly threaded. To avoid air leakage, piece the parts together firmly, or better yet, seal them with a Teflon tape.
• Valve or Gasket Leakage: Inspect the instrument for weak spring or loose cover plate bolts, and then you can follow up from there!

The Next Steps

HeatXperts carries a broad inventory of top-of-the-line drum pumps that are suitable for pumping a variety of industrial media; including petrol, oil, acids, foodstuff, and more. Our durable drum pumps are available for 200L drums, IBC’s as well as other sizes. Get in touch with us today and let us know your requirements. We’ll guide you in the right direction and make sure that you select the best drum pump for your needs.