Centrifugal Pumps for Abrasives

Centrifugal pumps for abrasives are specifically engineered with wear-resistant materials, optimized hydraulics, and reinforced sealing systems to handle these challenging media while maintaining reliable, cost-effective operation.

How They Work with Abrasive Media

In all centrifugal pumps, fluid enters the impeller eye and is accelerated outward by centrifugal force. For abrasive service:

• Solid particles within the liquid repeatedly impact the impeller, casing, and seal faces.

• This causes erosion, particularly in areas of high velocity and turbulence such as the impeller inlet, volute tongue, and seal chamber.

• To combat this, abrasive-duty designs use hardened components, slower speeds, and specially shaped flow passages that reduce turbulence and particle impact angles.

The result is a pump that sustains hydraulic efficiency and service life even in solids-laden or slurry-type applications.

Key Design Features

Wear-Resistant Materials

• High-chrome iron, duplex stainless steel, and hardened alloys resist erosion from sand, silica, and grit.

• Elastomer linings (rubber, polyurethane, or nitrile) absorb particle impact in slurry service.

• In chemical environments, ceramic coatings or tungsten carbide linings offer both hardness and corrosion resistance.

Reduced Rotational Speed

• Running the pump at lower tip speeds minimizes impact velocity and erosion rate.

• Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are often used to optimize flow while extending component life.

Enlarged Clearances

• Impeller and casing clearances are increased to prevent clogging and reduce the risk of solids lodging between components.

Replaceable Wear Parts

• Liners, wear rings, and impellers are designed for easy replacement, reducing maintenance time and cost.

Enhanced Sealing Systems

• Mechanical seals are protected by flushing or barrier systems to prevent solid ingress.

• Alternatively, packed glands with external lubrication are used in highly abrasive environments.

Maintenance Best Practices

To maximize the life of a centrifugal pump handling abrasives:

• Monitor vibration and noise – increased vibration often indicates uneven wear or impeller imbalance.

• Inspect impeller and liners regularly for erosion or pitting.

• Check wear ring clearances and replace when tolerances exceed manufacturer limits.

• Maintain seal flush systems to ensure clean fluid reaches the sealing interface.

• Avoid dry running — even brief operation without fluid accelerates wear on internal surfaces.

• Operate near the best efficiency point (BEP) to minimize internal recirculation and turbulence.

When it comes to centrifugal pumps there are two main solutions to coping with abrasive fluids.

• To use a hard, wear-resistant material for the internal components such as PE, chrome or FRP.
• Reduce the velocity of the fluid in the pump chamber by using a low shear and slow pumping action.
• Utilise a pumping action which reduces the liquid's contact with the internal pump components. 

We have three main manufacturers who design centrifugal pumps for abrasive lquids available for dispacha dn installation across the UK.

 

Wernert

Who manufacture robust centrifugal pumps lined with various materials including PE.

 

Argal

Argal specialise in non-metallic pumps and as part of their portflio offer FRP pumps which are resistant to abrasive fluids.

 

Warman

A part of the Weir group Warman pumps feature reccessed impellers which create a vortex in front of the impeller so reducing the liquid flow around the impeller and pump chamber. Warman pumps can also be supplied with High Chrome internal surfaces making them more wear resistant.

 

Hidrostal

Hidrostal manufacture screw centrifugal pumps which offers a low shear, gentle pumping action