Polymers and alums (or aluminum sulfates) are often used in wastewater treatment processes. These solutions act as flocculants and coagulants to help separate impurities from waste water.
Flocculating, or coagulating, are similar processes that treat wastewater by helping bring together dissolved and suspended solids and other impurities in water to form larger aggregates for easy separation. After the aggregates form, they will settle to the bottom for easy removal by either scraping the formed “scum” away or utilizing an inline filter.
Typical wastewater applications deal with thousands and thousands of gallons of water a day, and as a result need hundreds and hundreds of gallons of polymers and alums dosed into the system. Chemical metering pumps are often the best design to handle this application.
Here’s why
Specifically with polymers, a chemical dosing pump capable of handling more viscous liquids is crucial for the application. Thicker chemical liquids can hinder a pump’s rated maximum capacity. If you want to maintain consistency and accuracy in the flow rate of your polymer dosing application, consider a Madden diaphragm metering pump with special M-200 spring loaded valves. These allow Madden chemical injection pumps to continue dosing consistently and accurately up to 450 cPs.
These spring loaded check ball valves ensure firm and consistent seating of the balls to the valve seats. This means with every stroke of the diaphragm, the check ball valve system will consistently make sure the same amount of polymer is dosed into the system. One check ball valve opens to allow polymer into the solution head of the pump, while the other closes to ensure liquid does not back track into the pump, and vice versa, with each stroke.
Material compatibility is another important feature of a chemical pump being designed to meter in polymers or alums for wastewater treatment. This makes diaphragm metering pumps desirable as nearly any combination of materials can be put together to handle tough chemicals.
Proper Pump Construction
Check out the Madden Pump durable set up for Polymers and Alums:
Chemical dosing pump designed by Madden for POLYMERS
Solution Head: PVC or 316 Stainless Steel
Primary Diaphragm: Neoprene
(Optional) Secondary Diaphragm, Type DDB double diaphragm setup for superior pump protection: Neoprene
Valve seats: Neoprene
Valve balls: 316 stainless steel
Valve assembly: M-200 spring loaded check ball valves
Chemical dosing pump designed by Madden for ALUMS
Solution Head: PVC or 316 Stainless Steel
Primary Diaphragm: Neoprene
(Optional) Secondary Diaphragm, Type DDB double diaphragm setup for superior pump protection: Neoprene
Valve seats: Neoprene
Valve balls: 316 stainless steel
Valve assembly: standard check ball valves
Conclusion
If you have an application needing to pump polymers and/or alums for water treatment, please consider a Madden Pump chemical metering pump design. We have specific features with our spring loaded valves and compatible diaphragm materials that push our pump to be one of the most cost effective in the industry.
Madden metering pumps are designed to run 24/7/365 for tough industrial jobs. Our simple mechanically actuated design eliminates high maintenance that often comes with hydraulic pump systems and packing glands. Pair this with our large bearings and shafts which are continuously lubricated in an oil bath, and you have a pump ready for years of strong service life.
Let us know about your polymer and alum applications! Call 800-369-6233, and don’t forget to check our website to find a certified Madden Pump distributor near you.