Contrary to initial perceptions, food waste is a difficult pumping application because it can contain items such as glass, ceramics, small batteries, stainless steel from utensils, and many other abrasives. This tough environment wreaks havoc on progressive cavity or rotary lobe pumps which are typically high maintenance and high wear. This equates to substantial loss of production time and huge spare parts costs. Hydraulic and mechanical ram pumps are the solution to many of these applications. They have an energy efficient and robust design that has proven more durable than other pumps in these tough applications. Chemically aggressive and abrasive liquids are no challenge for these specialized food waste pump applications. These pumps can be used in the harshest industrial processes.
Common application areas for a EMS Food Waste Ram Pumps
- Withdrawing slurry from a hammer mill or grinder
- Pumping food waste slurry to the pasteurizer tanks
- Pumping heated food waste sludge to anaerobic digesters
Food waste pump applications have proven to be a critical part of the process; our food waste ram pumps provide reduced wear, reduced downtime, and reduced maintenance. There are reports of progressive cavity pumps needing the rotors and stators replaced every few weeks when used to withdraw food waste slurry from the hammer mill. However, the EMS food waste ram pumps in the same location typically require minimal maintenance/adjustments. This represents a huge savings in down time, spare parts, and whole life cost.
First VRMG270 Ram Pump Review
One of our clients installed a VRMG270 ram pump with a capacity of 127gpm @ 58psi (8 l/s @ 4 bar) in their food waste facility. The pump is installed after the Haarslev Hammers and pumps the food waste slurry from there to the pasteurizer tanks for heating to 167 degrees F. The food waste slurry typically contains ground glass, ceramics, small batteries, some stainless steel and many other abrasive nasties. It was found to be very successful, very quickly. This effectiveness triggered the request for a second ram pump rated at 95gpm @ 58psi (6 l/s @ 4 bar) which pumps heated sludge to the anaerobic digesters. This second pump transfers heated sludge to the anaerobic digesters. The pump works very well and the result is a very happy customer. The ram pumps have not only been very rugged and robust but more essentially have delivered a much improved degree of reliability to the process.
Second VRH350L Ram Pump Review
Another client with a troublesome piston diaphragm pump, installed a ram pump rated at 238 gmm @73 psi (900 l/m @ 5 bar) instead. It was reported that the ram pump is performing flawlessly. Aside from the odd adjustment on the Packing Ring the pump has been essentially ‘hands-off’ for the last 6 months. The Balls and Seats in the check valves will need to be replaced soon, but otherwise the pump is an absolute tank. In terms of our feelings about our EMS pump, they are as follows:
“We absolutely love the pump. It is a tank and, I’m quite sure, capable of pumping the concrete floor should you put the inlet down there. The nature of the design allows for continued, if messy, operation even when experiencing issues, despite our abuse, it will not stop moving material. Additionally, we have been able to perform all required maintenance in house and without the need to call in millwrights or specialists. The bottom line; there are several other positive displacement pumps in our facility of various design and manufacture, we wish they were EMS pumps.”
If your existing food waste pump applications are troublesome and your would like more durable, lower maintenance, trouble free pumps then don’t hesitate to contact us by filling out an application for details form or call us at (770) 592-8664.
