Tools and technology for selecting slurry pumps

In the past, slurry pump selection for heavy-duty service usually focused o n low velocities inside large, slow-running pumps aimed at reasonable wear above all else. The cost of power and the competitive nature of the marketplace in recent y ears have brought pressure for lower initial and operating cost at the expe nse of higher, or less certain, operating wear life. Until recently, estimating slurry pump wear life for a given set of operati ng conditions was an uncertain process. Technology now exists, however, to calculate the wear life of a slurry pump in service and this can be combine d with the other operating costs to determine the total cost of ownership. This paper describes the factors involved in the selection of a slurry pump , how the cost components, Le., capital, electrical, wear and operating, ca n be calculated, and how these fit into the total cost of ownership.