Fluid Mixing Pumps - Offering Greater Value than Traditional Mixers

Most people only associate pumps to moving fluids from one place to another. Although this type of application is typical in the pump industry, there are a lot of other ways pumps can be applied.
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This article includes:

  • What are Industrial Fluid Mixing Pumps
  • Common Industries and Applications
  • The EDDY Pump – In The Mix!
  • Ideally Suited for Agitation and Mixing Applications
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What are Industrial Fluid Mixing Pumps?

Most people only associate pumps with moving fluids from one place to another.  Although this type of application is typical in the pump industry, there are a lot of other ways pumps can be applied.  Another application for pumps involves, not only pumping but also mixing the contents at the same time the pump is transferring the fluid from the point of origin to its final destination.  This type of application is referred to as inline mixing.  To perform this specialized function, it requires a pump that can agitate and mix the fluid as it moves through the pump’s wetted housing.  There are many advantages to using an industrial mixing pump rather than a traditional mixer.  The following article provides some insight on how to upgrade your current or future mixing application with the use of an industrial mixer pump.

The EDDY Pump, due to the unique manner in which the rotor agitates and displaces fluid, is ideally suited for applications that require agitation and mixing.  EDDY Pump technology is based on the principle of a Tornado Motion of liquid as a synchronized swirling column along the center of intake pipe that induces agitated mixing of solid particles with liquid, creating suction strong enough for solid particles to travel upwards into the volute and generating a pressure differential for the desired discharge.  The Tornado Motion is referred to as an eddy current.  The eddy current is caused by the pressure differential resulting from the rotor and strengthened by turbulent flow patterns in the suction tube, volute, and discharge.  Turbulent flow is much more effective at mixing than laminar flows associated with traditional centrifugal pumps.

Unlike many other pump types, the EDDY Pump can be located within an inline application and agitate and mix the fluids as the material is being pumped to the next step in the process – industrial fluid mixing pump.

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Common Industries and Applications

Oftentimes, inline mixing pumps are used in applications that involve liquids, chemicals, gases, slurries, fibrous slurries, viscous liquids, and fluids with high solids content. They can also include either newtonian or non-newtonian liquids. Newtonian liquids exhibit a constant viscosity regardless of shear rate or agitation. Broken down into two categories, non-newtonian liquids exhibit changes in viscosity due to agitation and mixing – liquids that are thixotropic or shear thinning, and dilatant or shear thickening.

Agitating and mixing applications can be found in most industries and are a vital part of processing and manufacturing products that people use and consume on a daily basis. These applications can be incredibly demanding and can push most inline mixing pumps beyond their capabilities. An example is using mixing pumps for flocculants. The process of flocculation requires very slow mixing due to the shear sensitivity of the flocculants. The shear sensitivity of flocculants makes this an extremely difficult application for a lot of mixers and mixing pumps. The EDDY Pump has been used in many flocculation applications with great success. The mixing process must agitate the flocculants without damaging the material due to sensitive shearing that can occur to the flocs. The EDDY Pump technology is based on the principle of a Tornado Motion of liquid as a synchronized swirling column along the center of the intake pipe that induces agitated mixing of solid particles with liquid. The agitated mixing occurs without the rotor coming into contact with the sensitive flocs.

The following is an example of the many types of industries and applications for inline mixing pumps.

industrial-fluid-mixing-pumps

Example Industries and Applications

  • Mining
  • Adding/Mixing Flocculants
  • Biofuels
  • Chemical
  • Construction
  • Dispersions (solids and powders)
  • Personal Care and Cosmetics
  • Industrial
  • Marine
  • Oil and Gas
  • Pulp and Paper
  • Recirculation
  • Sewage Sludge Treatment
  • Drilling Muds
  • Red Muds
  • Casting Slurries
  • Food and Beverage
  • Wastewater Treatment
  • And Many More . . . 
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The EDDY Pump – In the Mix!

Scenario 1 – Comparison: The EDDY Pump vs. Traditional Mixers

A common method is the use of multiple components to achieve the desired mixing results. These components consist of a large container or hopper, a mixing unit, and a pump.

    1. Multiple materials that are to be mixed are transferred from large multiple bulk storage containers to a single container that is to be used for the mixing process.
    2. Next, with the use of a mixer, both materials are mixed until the desired mixing effect is achieved.
    3. Finally, using a forklift, hand-truck, or other means, the container is relocated within the proximity of where the mixed material will be transferred via the pump to be used.

Disadvantages with this method:

  • The use of multiple components (container, mixer, and pump) can be costly.
  • The process is overly complicated.
  • Can be messy, requiring extra time for clean-up.
  • Overall, very time-consuming, increasing cost.
  • Possibility of inconsistent end results.

An alternative solution is to install an EDDY Pump as an inline mixing pump that can agitate and mix the two materials and then pump the mixed material, directly from the original sources of both materials, downstream to its final destination.

Advantages with this method:

      • Less equipment to purchase and store.
      • Less equipment to clean.
      • No cumbersome process.
      • Can be applied directly within the process instead of an additional process outside the main process.
      • Consistent predictable end results.
      • Shorter processing time.
      • Simple and easy.
      • Makes logical sense!

Scenario 2 – Agitation and Mixing Applications that Require Recirculation
Some agitation and mixing applications require more flexibility than a traditional mixer can provide. If on/off intermittent fluid discharge is required, the EDDY Pump can be installed in a recirculating set-up. This can be accomplished with the use of a switch valve at the discharge. Common in applications involving slurries, in on/off intermittent fluid discharge scenarios recirculation requires the fluid to maintain suspension. Maintaining suspension helps to ensure that the fluid remains consistent, and avoids clogging. When discharge of the fluid is needed, the valve switches from recirculation mode to pumping the fluid downstream to the final destination.

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Ideally Suited for Agitation and Mixing Applications

The EDDY Pump is incredibly versatile and can be applied in many different situations.  Along with the many advantages that this pump has to offer, the unique, simple, and rugged design and operating principle of the EDDY Pump makes it ideally suited for agitation and mixing applications.   The EDDY Pump technology is based on the principle of a Tornado Motion of liquid as a synchronized swirling column along the center of intake pipe that induces agitated mixing of solid particles with liquid, creating suction strong enough for solid particles to travel upwards into the volute.  Once the material that is to be agitated or mixed enters the volute, the spinning of the rotor, along with the large flow path agitates and mixes the material.  

Variable Mixing Capabilities

Agitation and mixing applications vary in the amount of mixing required.  The degree to how thoroughly the material is mixed can be varied on an EDDY Pump to ensure that the specific degree of mixing required is achieved.  To attain a specific degree of mixing, a reducer or reduced diameter pipeline must be added to the pump discharge, external of the pump.  Adding a reducer or installing a reduced diameter discharge pipeline forces the material being pumped to remain within the volute for a longer period of time, which exposes the material to the agitating and mixing effect of the rotor for a longer period of time.  As an example, if the pump has a 6-inch inlet port size, the reducer at the discharge, or the discharge pipeline must be less than 6-inches; and if a great degree of agitation and mixing is desired, the reduction must be substantially smaller.  The EDDY Pump is fixed machinery.  Simply adjusting pipeline sizes will impact mixing and pressures

If mixing material with large solids is desired, the EDDY Pump is well equipped to get the job done.  This pump is designed with a large flow path that can accommodate solids that are almost the size of the discharge port.  Note: When adding a reducer to the discharge, or installing a reduced diameter pipeline to the discharge of the pump to increase the agitating and mixing effect on the fluid, the reducer or pipeline must not be smaller than the solids that the pump is required to pass for your application.  

Agitation and mixing applications are incredibly demanding and can include highly abrasive fluids that can accelerate wear in most pumps.  The EDDY Pump operates in a manner that holds the slurry and solids in suspension, which reduces the exposure time of the fluid coming into contact with the internal components of the pump.  The EDDY Pump is a premier industrial pump with unique abilities that can be applied in a broad range of applications. 

Best Applications – Industries Most Served

If you are pumping slurry, high solids, extremely viscous material, paste, high abrasives (sand & gravel), and material filled with solids, then you found the best-suited pump for the job.  Go to:  https://eddypump.com/  or Call Us!

Mining, Fly Ash, Coal Ash, Oil, Fracking, Gas, Wastewater, Pulp and Paper, Chemical, Energy, Water Municipalities, Irrigation, and Dredging Companies.  For Access to Complete Product Line Go to: https://eddypump.com/products/ 

Eddy Pump For High Viscosity

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Pumping Viscous Red Mud – Highlights

This video shows how EDDY Pump performs when pumping high-solid red mud or bauxite which is abrasive, highly viscous, and corrosive.