Finish Thompson’s Mag-Drive Pumps Provide Big Win for Mining Industry
When it comes to corrosive chemicals, sulfuric acid is one of the harshest. It can react violently with other substances. It is incompatible with many chemicals. It can cause severe burns and serious health issues.
And it can eat through mechanical seals.
That’s why pumps that are equipped with mechanical seals are destined to fail when they are up against sulfuric acid. It’s why mining companies, who manage large volumes of sulfuric acid each day, need better solutions.
Case in Point
Using a mechanically-sealed pump for their sulfuric acid application, one industry-leading mining company encountered multiple challenges. Mining staff was using a pump to transfer sulfuric acid to a ship docked in the mine’s adjacent bay. With constant exposure to the harsh acid, the pump’s mechanical seal repeatedly failed. Each time this happened, the pump leaked.
A leaking pump causes a host of issues for mining operations. First, the leaking liquid can pose an environmental hazard. Second, the leak can put workers at risk if they are exposed to the harsh acid. Third, each time a leak occurred, the pump had to be shut down, causing an unscheduled stop in operations. Fourth, costs were increasing, due to the purchase of replacement parts, labor for repairs, and downtime.
Finish Thompson Mag-Drive Pumps Meet the Challenge
The mining company turned to Finish Thompson’s durable line of mag-drive pumps for a better solution. Finish Thompson’s UltraChem® pumps are ideal for mining applications. With no mechanical seal, there are no leaks. The pumps are built for the harshest environments. They deliver long-term reliability and effectively eliminated the issues caused by mechanically-sealed pumps.
The mining company switched out the competitor’s pump for a Finish Thompson UC6410. “The pump has worked for over a year without problems,” reports Gilberto Narvaez Cardona, Finish Thompson Regional Sales Manager. “It has effectively solved their mechanical seal issues. They are now saving money on spare parts and replacement costs. Plus, they don’t have to worry about leaks and unplanned downtime due to a failed pump.”
Cardona adds, “They’ve been so impressed that they are looking to replace the other pump they use for this application with a Finish Thompson model as well. The overall result has been complete customer satisfaction.”
