McLanahan launching Duplex Thermocouple insert
Company set to introduce new device to help avoid catastrophic slurry pump failures
McLANAHAN Corporation are introducing the Duplex Thermocouple insert for slurry pumps – a solution to help sites avoid potentially catastrophic pump failures.
Pump failure often occurs due to concurrent blocked inlets and outlets leading to heat build-up in the pump head, in turn causing steam pressure to build and resulting in the explosive condition. The Duplex Thermocouple offers a way to monitor and potentially avoid such situations.
Sites use several methods to counter the risk of pumps overheating, including: using direct fluid flow measuring equipment; monitoring delivery point end pressure; measuring the pump motor current draw (amperage) to detect loss of pump load; and measuring directly the pump’s internal temperature.
The recommended approach is to have multiple detection methods. Slurry-duty magnetic flow meters are available and are typically easy to install; measuring amperage is also relatively straightforward – if not always a sufficiently robust indication of fluid flow.
However, measuring the internal temperature of an operational slurry pump is not so easy, which is why McLanahan have designed the Duplex Thermocouple insert for slurry pumps.
Rubber pump liners insulate the slurry pump. This means the external casing temperature remains cool to the touch, while internally the fluid may already be dangerously hot. The necessary liner also makes direct fluid contact difficult to achieve.
The Duplex Thermocouple insert provides the ability to internally monitor the temperature of a slurry pump. Whether a new or existing pump, all McLanahan-designed pumps can accept this device, whether supplied as an option with a replacement liner or as a retrofit kit.
The Duplex Thermocouple insert makes direct contact with the pump’s contents and can trigger multiple alerts through an existing PLC or locally via a proprietary relay device. An alert can be anything from a visual or audible alarm to an automated plant shutdown.
