The Advantages of Using Ceramic in Manufacturing Pump Components
08 March 2022
Various machines and tools nowadays utilise pumps to maintain their primary purposes. With pumps, a stable liquid movement or flow can be achieved, ensuring the stability of system operations.
Pumps generally work with the help of reciprocating or rotary mechanisms, which allow them to consume energy and carry out mechanical work in moving liquids, gases, or slurries. And since they operate for a long time, manufacturers of pumps ensure that they are comprised of durable components.
Various materials are utilised to produce pump components. Some of these materials are cast iron, cast steel, and bronze. One material, however, that is being used by manufacturers today is ceramic.
Primary Advantages of Ceramic
Ceramic is produced by shaping and firing inorganic non-metallic materials at a high temperature. Some of the materials that are used to generate ceramic are the clay, powders, earthen elements, water. After generating ceramic, some manufacturers would normally cover it in glazes.
One advantage of ceramic is it boasts high hardness. It likewise has a high melting point and good thermal insulation, allowing the ceramic to be utilised as a refractory material. The high electric resistivity of the ceramic then makes the material an excellent insulator. Its low mass density subsequently makes the ceramic the perfect material for crafting lightweight components.
Other notable advantages of ceramic include enhanced performance, low wear, corrosion resistance, oxidisation resistance, minimised friction, and low media contamination.
Ceramic for Pump Components
All the advantages of ceramic allow manufacturers to use the material in generating pump components. Since ceramic can be processed to tight tolerances and clearances, it can easily generate leak-free pump components such as check valve balls, cylinder walls, impellers, liners, and plungers. Ceramic, however, can be brittle. Hence, ceramic pump components are often paired with plastic or metal housings and backings for better protection and support.
Certain pump designs today have been altered so they can accommodate the fitting of ceramic pump components. They generally consider thermal expansion, brittleness, and other qualities that may affect ceramic pump components negatively.
Many industries favour the usage of ceramic pump components due to their cleanability, durability, and longevity. Some of the industries that use these components are ceramic, food and beverage, medical, and pharmaceutical industries.
Producing Ceramic Components
Different machining processes can be practised to generate ceramic pump components. Some of these processes include drilling, milling, and turning. Grinding can also be maximised to ensure that high-quality ceramic pump components are produced.
As for the ceramic materials themselves, manufacturers can choose from aluminium oxide, zirconium oxide, alumina-zirconia, quartz, fused silica, sapphire, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide. These elements may boast varying levels of strength, hardness, refractoriness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, giving the manufacturers freedom in choosing the best type of ceramic for their needs.
To know more about ceramic pump components, you can call us at Amon Engineering.
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