It seems like a hack exists for everything these days. From a quicker way to wash your car to unusual ways to remove wood scuffs, there’s a shortcut for doing just about all your everyday chores better, faster, or cheaper. What about at work, though? If you’re pumping slurry, GIW Industries Inc. has got you covered.
Here are five hacks every pump operator should know:
1. Avoid cavitation the easy way. Hear a popping noise while your pump is operating? If it sounds like popcorn, you’re hearing vapor cavities imploding — and they’re as destructive as they are noisy. These tiny pockets of air are formed when the absolute pressure at the eye of the impeller reaches the vapor pressure of the liquid. Their continuous popping can result in costly damage to your impeller and bearings.
Avoiding cavitation is easy if you have the right pump. You need to know the required critical suction pressure — or Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) — for your system and choose a slurry pump that operates clear of that pressure.
To save the wear and tear on your impeller and suction liner, adjust the nose gap once a week. It’s ultra quick: Start by loosening the hold-down bolts on the back of the bearing assembly, then use your adjusting screw and nut to move the bearing assembly forward until it touches the liner, taking care to back it off slowly to the prescribed distance for your pump. Voilà — the perfect nose gap!
Pump hacks like these may require outside-the-box thinking, but that’s what makes them great! At GIW, we’re always trying to come up with new ways to simplify your pumping processes and maintenance procedures. With a little creative guidance — and a great pump — you’ll be operating longer and more cost-effectively, so you’ll have more time to focus on production — and those wood scuffs!
GIW is always looking for the next pump hack! Whether it’s our engineers in the GIW Hydraulic Lab or our customers reaching out with great questions, we’re here to improve your slurry pumps and systems. Get your hands on the latest hacks by subscribing to our blog — just scroll down on the blog page to sign up. You’ll be automatically entered to win a GIW Swag Bag, including the Optimizing Pumping Systems guide by Pump Systems Matter and the Hydraulic Institute!*
*Promotion ends December 3, 2018. Drawing will be held on December 4, 2018. Winners will be contacted via email.
*Promotion ends December 3, 2018. Drawing will be held on December 4, 2018. Winners will be contacted via email.