Are Your Pumps Old Enough to Drink?  Why Modernizing Chemical Injection Pumps is Crucial: Part I

Over the past 20-25 years, the energy and industrial markets have developed and deployed technological and procedural advancements at an exponential pace. In today’s industrial space, modernization of applied methods and process equipment is critical to ensuring a safe and effective production environment. As technologies expand and facilities age, the importance and frequency of modernizing chemical injection pumps will only increase.

This is especially the case with chemical dosing, transfer and treatment systems. Manufacturing and “treatment” chemicals are ever-changing, increasingly effective and becoming more specialized. With these chemical advancements come procedural and equipment modifications, relative to the safe handling and effective injection of process chemicals.

There are multiple components that comprise the full flow-stream of chemical injection systems, from the chemical tank to the process injection point. Virtually all major components should be considered for modernization exercises; however, let’s focus on the “heart” of these process systems, the pump. There are several reasons and benefits for modernizing chemical pumps, here are a few:

Design/Manufacturing Improvements

Today’s pumps, especially those that are API 675 compliant, have vastly improved over the last 20+ years. The most notable improvements for modernized pumps: higher efficiency, better overall performance, more reliable, operator friendly, maintenance friendly and automation capable.

Some focus areas and benefits from modernizing your chemical pump:

• Aged or Out-Dated Pump/System: Modern pumps offer improved flowrate accuracy, steady-state flow, linearity, and repeatability. They utilize advancements in material science related to metal alloys, thermoplastics, and elastomers, leading to extended pump life by minimizing the detrimental effects of “chemical attack”. Improved pump mechanical efficiencies through advanced design engineering, manufacturing techniques, machining capabilities, and materials of construction result in expanding the overall performance capabilities (Flow vs Pressure profile).
• Obsolescence/Availability Management: Over time and through advancements, pumps and their components become less accessible or obsolete. Modernizing the complete pump or sub-assemblies of the pump reduces the direct costs of aftermarket parts and improves the availability of parts and components. Further, modernization exercises allow facilities to manage less parts, while simplifying the maintenance and operation process.

Process/Performance Optimization

• Reliability: Current pump designs and less aged pumps are simply more reliable due to advancements in design, materials of construction, and manufacturing. Modernized pumps offer increased MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) as compared to their predecessors, equating into a reduction of unplanned outages and downtime.
• Performance: Modern chemical pumps offer a broader performance range (Flow vs Pressure), increased accuracy, and can “self-adjust” to meet prescribed flowrates. This ensures that dosing cycles are effective, recipes are fulfilled, and changes can be made “on-the-fly”, assuring quality of product and system integrity.

Operation/Maintenance Friendly

• Operator Interfacing: Modernized pumps are generally simpler to operate and obtain run-state status. This is especially true when utilizing electronic stroke length flow controllers, which can be actuated remotely via HMI/GUI (Human Machine Interface/Graphical User Interface) or locally via DRO/push-button (Digital Read-Out).
• Maintenance: Repairing modernized pumps tends to be more simplified and less labor-intensive, directly and indirectly related to the design changes regarding increased efficiency along with advanced manufacturing techniques.

Modernizing your chemical injection pumps is a crucial step in ensuring the safety, efficiency, and longevity of your operations. By upgrading to newer, more advanced pumps, you can benefit from improved performance, reduced maintenance costs, and enhanced safety features. Investing in pump modernization is an investment in the future of your facility, allowing you to stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive edge in today’s ever-evolving industrial landscape. To learn more about how MJ Systems can help you modernize your chemical injection pumps and optimize your processes, contact us today for a consultation. Our team of experts is ready to assist you in finding the perfect solutions for your specific needs.