How to Select the Best Slurry Pump

As an industry leader in pump manufacturing, the in-house team at GATOR Pump, Inc. produces high-quality trailer pumps, hydraulic pumps, vertical pumps, floating pumps, and more. We specialize in customized, efficient, and affordable pump solutions for effectively transporting water, slurries, sludge, and other various heavy solids in the most difficult and remote operating locations. 

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Slurry Pumps wholesalers. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Our high-performance GATOR Trailer PTO Pump is well-known throughout the industry for its rugged design and simple maintenance requirements. Our centrifugal pumps are considered among the most reliable and durable products available on the market today, and we are committed to producing high-quality equipment that is built to last: our team stands behind each of our pumps, and service after the sale is our hallmark.

GATOR Pump offers slurry pumps, also known as sludge pumps, for high solids-handling performance with the rapid deployment and portability you need to get the job done. Learn more about the types of slurry, what to consider when selecting a slurry pump, and the myriad of slurry pump applications across industries.

What Is Slurry?

The slurry is composed of solids suspended within a liquid. This fluid will have viscosities ranging from thin to thick in substance, with varying temperatures and sizes of suspended particles. Unlike pure water, transporting slurries can lead to corrosion and abrasion within pumping equipment.

There is a virtually limitless number of substances that are considered slurries. Some slurries are intentional, like foods, paints, and cement. Other slurries need to be managed accordingly, like pond muck or wastewater. 

Common varieties of slurries include:

• Soil slurry.

  This slurry is a mixture of mud, clay, dirt, sand, silt, rock, and other soil particles in water, which effectively moves the soil media.

• Coal slurry.

  Coal slurry is a byproduct of burning coal for energy production. It is a toxic mix, typically composed of water and coal fly ash.

• Slurry oil.

  This refinery fluid byproduct is generated through fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units, which contribute to a small portion of the international supply of fuel oil.

• Pulp slurry.

  Pulp slurry has applications in paper production. It is derived from a mixture of solvents and various wood pulps.

• Manure slurry.

  Made up of organic matter and animal waste, manure slurry is useful as fertilizer in agricultural settings. This is achieved by aging and concentrating the manure and organic material in a slurry pit.

• Wastewater.

  Water that humans have already used and contaminated is considered a slurry. This typically pertains to sewage wastewater.

• Sewage sludge.

  This is a semi-solid slurry that is a byproduct of the treatment of sewage wastewater.

• Food processing slurry.

  There are numerous liquified processed foods with a solid base that are considered slurries, such as peanut butter, soups, gelatins, condiments, liquid chocolates, and more.

Considerations When Choosing a Slurry Pump

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As there are many varieties of slurries, there are many sludge pump types available. Choosing the wrong pump for your application can lead to a decrease in suction effectiveness at best, as well as equipment damage, system downtime, and costly repairs or replacement parts. To make the right slurry pump selection for your specific application, consider five key variables:

Design

Many slurries are corrosive and abrasive. In these cases, it is important to select a pump that has a durable impeller or, alternatively, a rotor. Slurries also tend to have particles of varying sizes and densities. For slurries in which larger solids might be present, you want to select a pump design that won&#;t clog easily.

The GATOR Sludge Pump is designed with a modification for an in-line slurry valve that facilitates media pumping and handling by utilizing discharge flow to agitate and thin the fluid. After slurry processing, the valve closes, and the sludge removal pump transports the material to the designated discharge point.

Materials

A slurry pump&#;s material construction will directly impact its effectiveness and longevity. For abrasive slurries that have a neutral pH level, Hi-Chrome is the preferred material for its high Brinell hardness. 

For slurries that are abrasive but have an acidic pH, duplex stainless steel is recommended. This material also maintains a high Brinell level for optimally handling corrosive materials.

Deployment Technique

A slurry pump&#;s method of deployment is an important consideration when developing its setup. GATOR Pump is a submersible pump and, as the name implies, submersible pumps completely submerge in a liquid. As the pump is submerged, it does not require priming and there are no suction lines or check valves.

Power & Size

A slurry pump&#;s application will decide its appropriate power needs and the resulting size. To offer optimal longevity while still effectively pumping abrasive liquids, the ideal operational speed for slurry pumps is typically between 900 and 1,200 RPM. Working at slower speeds avoids the wear similar to sandblasting that occurs when the RPM rate exceeds that range.

What Industries Use Slurry Pumps?

 

Slurry pumps have applications in an array of diverse industries.

Irrigation & Agriculture

Our portable sludge pumps are ideal and convenient in agriculture for pumping large amounts of water out of a ditch, canal, stream, or pond. Our pumps don&#;t require priming, suction lines, or check valves, just submersion in water. Beyond crop irrigation and water transfer, example applications include:

• Weed and water-grass management

• Animal waste removal

• Sediment removal during pond cleaning

Mining & Construction

Mining and construction sites often require continuous flow, and pumps for these industries need the capability to withstand abrasive and corrosive media while effectively maintaining operations. Our pumps are specifically designed to handle these tough slurries in applications like:

• Storm deluge and emergency flood pumping

• Gravel and sand quarry dewatering

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• Settling pond containment and water transfer

Wetland & Waterfowl Management

Proper land conservation efforts rely on dependable slurry pumps to transfer water and adequately protect wildlife habitats and wetlands. Our pumps can reach such remote areas, and we&#;ve worked with both government agencies and conservation organizations to help manage environmental conditions through:

• Flooding wildlife habitats for fishing and hunting purposes

• Mitigating storm surge

• Dewatering for seasonal habitat preparation

Flood Control Drainage

For residential, business, industrial, or agricultural flooding, deploying dependable flood pumps in a timely manner is crucial. Flood water tends to carry suspended solids, and so slurry pumps will provide the best results. Our flood control and drainage pumps are applicable for:

• Wildlife and fish refuge management

• Sewage bypass and stormwater removal

• Emergency response pumping in remote areas

Sludge, Slurry, & Manure Waste Handling

When it comes to pumping manure or other potentially dangerous slurries, certain regulations must be followed. Our pumps are designed to meet the standards set for numerous environments. Our sludge water, slurry, and manure pumps are capable of:

• Transfer pumping for sewage plants

• Manure lagoon management

• Handling landfill leachate

Oil Fields, Refining, & Energy

Slurries are abundant in the petroleum industry, some of which are quite abrasive and thick. Many energy applications demand consistent and continuous flow, and our pumps are capable of this in applications such as:

• Drill mud handling

• Oilfield water and mud injection

• Refinery fire suppression

Partner With GATOR Pump For Your Slurry Pump Needs

Looking for a high-performance slurry pump? GATOR Pump offers efficient, high-quality pumps you can depend on, with capabilities for customizing our products and manufacturing in-house to meet your unique needs. A veteran-owned business since , our company focuses on providing reliable, long-lasting, and cost-effective solutions for a system you can trust. 

For questions about our slurry pumps, contact us by using our online form, giving our team a call at 1-800-735-, or sending us an . For custom solutions, request a quote to begin your project.

Top 8 Slurry Pump Considerations

The following is a list of 8 considerations for choosing a slurry pump best suited for a slurry application.  Selecting a pump for a slurry application is more difficult than for an application involving thinner fluids.  If a mistake is made in the pump selection process, the pump chosen will most likely not work well, or will not pump the higher viscosity, abrasive, heavy, solid laden fluid at all, which renders the new pump useless!

1. Know the Material or Fluid Being Pumped

The fluid or material type and its characteristics are among the most important considerations.  Is it a slurry, mud, sand, etc.

• Fluid viscosity of the material, usually measured in centipoise (CPS).
• Density of fluid, usually measured as specific gravity (Sg)
• The pH level, which is the measure of hydrogen-ion concentration.
• Static and operating temperature of the fluid.

2. Pump Flow Rate
   • Flow rate is another important factor for selecting the best-suited pump for a slurry application. The pump must be capable of exceeding the required flow rate to ensure desired flow rates are achievable (example of flow rate: 350 GPM or 200 cu. yards per hour {cu-yd/h}).
   • The flow rate of the pump must not only achieve the required flow rate of the application, but it must also be more than something called the critical flow rate. The critical flow rate is the constant flow rate required to maintain the suspended particles and solids in the slurry.  Maintaining suspension of particles and solids helps to avoid the heavy portion of the fluid from settling at the bottom of the wetted path, as well as from settling at the bottom of the discharge piping.
   • Flow velocity is a critical consideration; the material must move at a consistent velocity through the piping to keep the slurry, particles, and solid-laden material suspended so it does not settle and cause clogging.

3. Materials of Construction

The materials that the pump is made of are necessary because the pump must be chemically compatible with the fluid being pumped.  If the pump&#;s materials of construction and the liquid are not consistent, it can cause the pump to either melt down or crack, resulting in catastrophic failure of the pump, and can also cause damage to the immediate area surrounding the application and cause injury to workers.

The pump must also handle the abrasive characteristics of the fluid being pumped.  If not, abrasive fluids can scour through the pump casing and cause premature wear of the internal pump components such as the rotor or impeller.

4. Inlet & Discharge Pipe Considerations

Pipe length, diameter, and the type of material of the piping are essential factors that are often not strongly considered when constructing a pumping system.

• Pipe length is essential because the more significant the size of the pipe, the more fluid or material build-up will occur, requiring a more substantial amount of motor power to enable the pump to continue pushing the fluid or material to its final destination.
• Pipe diameter should be sized considering two factors, reducing discharge head pressure and maintaining sufficient fluid or material velocity to avoid clogging of the discharge pipe. Regarding both reducing discharge head and maintaining adequate fluid velocity, the rule of thumb is to go more extensive on the pipe diameter, which will help to alleviate the adverse effects of both factors.
• Pipe material should not only be chemically compatible with the fluid or material being pumped, but when selecting piping that has a reduced surface finish at the inside of the piping, it can also minimize pipe friction loss which can result in less energy required to pump the fluid or material to its final destination. The surface finish measure is denoted as Ra, which stands for Roughness Average.

5. Motor Power

Motor power, usually indicated by horsepower (HP), is important on any pump but wildly when pumping slurries and fluids with high specific gravity and viscosity because thicker, heavier fluids require a more significant amount of power and force to move the fluid or material to the desired final location.

The motor power must also be sufficient enough to overcome any forces within the discharge piping downstream of the pump.  These forces within the discharge piping could be a result of pipe components such as tees, bends, and upward grades that create something that is referred to as discharge head pressure which is measured in PSIG.

6. Pump Operating Cost

Another important consideration that most pump user does not think about is the cost and economic impact of the pump.  Having the best-suited pump for an application also includes how much money it requires to keep that pump running for whatever duration it is in service.  It not only has the energy the motor uses but also involves selecting a pump that can move viscous material with low amounts of water or accompanying fluids.

Water and accompanying fluids used to make pumping viscous solid laden material possible can cost a lot of money.  If these fluids can be reduced, it can save thousands of dollars on operating expenses.

7. Pump Elevation

The pump must be located in a manner that does not hinder its operation of the pump.  In applications where the pump is positioned above the fluid to be pumped, the pump cannot be located higher than the pump&#;s ability to draw the liquid into the pump intake.  If the pump is positioned at an elevation that is greater than the pump&#;s ability to remove the fluid into the pump, the result will be that the pump will not achieve prime, and the desired flow rate will not be reached, or even worse, the pump will not pump the fluid at all.

8. Pump Orientation

One last point to mention is pumped orientation.  Pumps can be purchased with several different orientation options.  The most common are vertical and horizontal, which refers to pump shaft orientation.  Depending on the specific application, vertical and horizontal pump orientations can be the better choice.  Horizontal orientation is the most purchased orientation, but vertical orientation can be better suited when a pump is used in a smaller space.

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