HVOF Coatings for Pumps Provides Vastly Improved Wear Resistance

HVOF coatings can greatly extend the life of pumps and equipment by improving wear resistance when dealing with abrasive materials and reduced corrosion from harsh chemicals.
HVOF (High-Velocity Oxy-Fuel) coatings are a thermal spray coating process used to improve a component’s surface properties. The coating can greatly extend the life of critical equipment by improving wear resistance when pumping abrasive materials and reduced corrosion from harsh chemicals.

The HVOF Coating Process

The process uses the combustion of gases, which creates a high-velocity jet stream that propels powdered metal particles at near supersonic speed towards the substrate, leaving a dense and protective coating. The particles used in the coating generally consist of a combination of various metals including cobalt, tungsten, nickel, chromium, aluminum, and yttrium.

In the HVOF process, the high impact kinetic energy of the particles is what is used to bond them to the material, making it a far more important aspect of the process than temperature. The most typical use for HVOF coatings are for highly abrasive or industrial applications, as the coating provides substantial wear resistance and corrosion protection. HVOF coatings are widely used in applications requiring extreme density and strength not achievable with other coating methods.

HVOF Coatings Extend the Life of Pumps

Since abrasives can quickly chew through most metal pumps, extra precautions need to be considered when choosing the type of pump to use along with the material the pump is constructed from. However, even the toughest of metals will eventually succumb to wear when pumping highly abrasive materials. Many pumps used in heavy-duty environments, like mining, encounter severe erosion and corrosion problems, often causing sudden and expensive failures and downtime.

By applying HVOF coatings to the inside of the pumps volute, rotor, and other critical pump components, the life of the pump will be greatly extended when deployed in harsh environments involving constant abrasion and corrosion.

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Top Applications For HVOF Coated Pumps

Oil Sands – The vast oil sands fields in Canada heavily utilize HVOF coatings on their extraction equipment due to the natural abrasiveness of the sand coupled with the corrosiveness of the bitumen being extracted. Pump operators have reported a huge increase in pump life and lower maintenance costs after the HVOF coating had been applied.

Mining – Pumps used for mining are constantly moving heavy, abrasive slurries which can quickly wear down pumps, causing headaches around the world. To combat this issue, mining pumps are commonly coated to reduce the rates of equipment failure and replacement parts.

Paper/pulp – The paper and pulp industry relies on HVOF coatings to protect their equipment from the harsh chemicals used in the papermaking process. These chemicals can cause corrosion on pumps and pipelines, necessitating a frequent and costly maintenance and repair regimen. With HVOF coating applied, the lifespan of the pumps improves dramatically, decreasing maintenance costs over the life of the pump.

Benefits of HVOF Coated Pumps

  • Vastly Improved Wear Resistance
  • Reduced Maintenance Costs
  • Reduced Corrosion From Harsh Chemicals

Why EDDY Pumps Are Better – Highlights

This video shows how EDDY Pump transports high slurry and abrasive materials. Featured dredge pump equipment includes the Remote Operated Subdredge, Diver Operated Pump and a Excavator Attachment Dredge Pump.

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Let our sales or engineering support help in your grit pump and wastewater equipment selection. Call (619) 258-7020