Progressing Cavity Pumps in Polymer Feeder Systems

A worldwide producer of polymers and engineered polymer feeder systems was faced with several problems in regard to the Progressing Cavity Pumps they previously used. Their main problems with these pumps included:

  1. Poor pump performance over a wide capacity and pressure range.
  2. Too many different pump sizes required to provide the sufficient capacity range. All of the pumps necessary for the various polymer services had different dimensions, thus requiring different skids and piping layouts for each assembly.
  3. Because this company’s products are marketed worldwide, this company also encountered problems obtaining support and customer service for their pumps in certain geographic areas of the world.

The NEMO® Solution

To solve these problems, these producers chose to utilize NETZSCH NEMO® NM Mini Metering Pumps on their Polymer Feeders. With capacities of .25 - 160 gallons per hour and pressures to 180 psi, NEMO’s four different pump models are ideal for this company’s ten different polymer feeder assemblies. All four NEMO® Pumps utilize the same footprint, therefore eliminating the need for several different skid sizes for the entire polymer feeder line. In addition, each pump can be adjusted to a different capacity by simply changing the rotor and stator. This ability to change feeding rates, without reworking the skid dimensionally, provides great flexibility throughout this company’s entire feeder line.

NETZSCH’s Worldwide Service Network

Finally, NETZSCH’s worldwide service network is able to provide the required service and parts to their customers, thus ensuring that down time is kept to a minimum.

The typical polymer process is as follows:

Polymer makeup is based on dispersion, dilution and rapid mixing to produce a high activity polymer solution of superior quality. Neat polymer is injected into a stream of dilution water inside the hydro-kinetic mixing tee. The mixing tee produces a region of high energy turbulence to ensure quick and efficient initial dispersion of the polymer into the dilution water. The solution then passes through a static mixer where the additional mixing and energy needed to achieve final hydration of the polymer are provided.