Greene Tweed, a manufacturer of seals and composite components says that it has developed a carbon fiber perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) composite which could replace metallic wear parts in centrifugal pumps and other pump applications.
According to the company, metallic wear parts can fail quickly in dry run conditions, giving pump operators limited time to restore lubrication or shut down a pump before costly damage occurs. However, using composite parts can help increase this effective response time and extend the mean time between repair. Greene Tweed says that WR650 can sustain 2.5-times higher dry wear conditions before showing signs of degradation when compared to other PFA-based material.
The material is also operability from subzero to 500°F (260°C) and has a coefficient of thermal expansion comparable to steel over a wide range of temperatures. Unlike metallic wear components, the malleable nature of PFA ensures metallic counterparts are preserved, even those that are relatively soft, the company said. WR650 also reportedly has non-galling/non-seizing characteristics and can dampen vibrations. It is suitable for stationary wear parts in vertical, horizontal, single, and multistage centrifugal pumps.
This story uses material from Greene Tweed, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
