The best solutions often involve rethinking an existing solution. That was the case for Plenty Mirrlees®, an SPX company that saw an opportunity to use its Twinro™ pumps to transfer tall oil into storage tanks. Tall oil, an alternative fuel of growing interest in the European market, is a byproduct of pulp and paper manufacturing.
The Twinro pump is primarily used for the bulk transfer of liquid. To meet the requirements of non-lubricating products, it includes mechanical seals that are normally unheated and flushed or cooled by the product in the suction chamber as it passes the seal.
Sealing a Solution
For tall oil, however, if the seal area is cool, the oil will crystallize and the seal will fail. To ensure that adequate heat is maintained at the seals, Plenty Mirrlees redesigned the pumps with a steam quench, which keeps the product from reacting with the atmospheric side of the seal, and a flush seal. Problem solved.
The pump design has proved successful. It is now available for transferring non-lubricating liquids, such as petroleum liquids, palm oils, fatty acids and water emulsions, as well a for lubricating liquids such as lube oils and clean fuel oils.