Operating temperature

Temperature plays a very important role in pump operation. Changing the temperature of a chemical could change its characteristics. For example, lowering the temperature could increase the viscosity of some chemicals such as sodium hydroxide. Increasing the temperature of a chemical could increase its reactivity or corrosivity. Temperature changes could be from the process, such as from chemical reactions or heat exchange units. Temperature changes can also come from the environment such as sub-zero temperatures during the winter.

Types of application

Sometimes, providing the chemical name, concentration, and temperature of the application does not provide the complete picture. For example, a 98% sulphuric acid solution is usually fairly straightforward. However, a 98% waste sulphuric acid solution could mean the presence of suspended solid particles in the chemical. Therefore, clarifying the type of application is important in making the correct material choices in the pump.

Usage Environment

The usage environment covers a broad range of conditions, from simply knowing whether it is indoors or outdoors use, to whether it is a potentially explosive environment or whether temperature fluctuations are expected could all affect the selection, operation, or the longevity of the pump.

Indoors & Outdoors Environment

Chemical resistant pumps are designed to safely handle dangerous chemicals. Sometimes, that means the use of corrosive-resistant engineering plastics as the pump material. If the pumps are to be used outdoors, they may need to be shielded from direct UV exposure either by placing a cover over the pump or building a roof over the pumps.

Indoor chemical applications should consider the acidity of the environment. For example, many automatic electroplating lines have the parts lifted and submerged as they move from tank to tank. Such a system has open tanks of often corrosive electroplating chemicals. The entire environment is highly corrosive and the pumps should be corrosion-resistant treated exterior.

Some outdoor environments are also highly corrosive, such as saline environments near large pools of saltwater, or corrosive environments near sulfur-rich areas. These pumps should also have corrosion-resistant treatment for their exterior.

Explosive Environments

In certain industries, such as oil & gas, chemical solvents, mining, etc. Explosion-proof or flame-proof pumps are generally required and such conditions are usually included in the inquiry.
However, for other areas such as chemical industries in general, it is often not obvious that the pump may be used in an explosive environment. Therefore, it is important to provide such information or to ask for such information during the inquiry.

Extreme Environments

There is no definition of what extreme environments mean. Here we use this term broadly to cover a wide range of environments, such as exposure to high temperatures, low temperatures, heavy rains, highly saline environments (offshore), etc. Each of these environments warrants special considerations or treatments to protect the pump from the environment.