Michael Rowe has one question for mine site operators: who is ready to pump up reliability with CBC and LOCTITE®?

For those who wish to be in the know — this season’s mining maintenance trend is pump reliability, and according to Michael, “LOCTITE’s range for pump reliability is remarkably ‘on point’, or however the kids would say it these days.”

Michael Rowe, Product Manager for Adhesives and Sealants, receives regular queries about preventative maintenance for pump systems from customers and colleagues alike. With more than 20 years of experience in Adhesives and Sealants under his belt, he is readily equipped to answer these queries.

“Firstly, improving pump reliability requires careful consideration of the components involved,” says Michael. “Ideally a pump would be setup with preventative measures in place from the point of install. But since that isn’t always the case, it is important to perform regular health checks on all your pump components.”

The anatomy of a pump can vary on applications, but there are some fundamental components that form the basic mechanics of a pump operation, Michael explains.

“Typically, there will be a pump mount and a pump housing; a drive shaft system with belt, motor and couplings with flanges; and an impeller operating on a rotating mechanism that includes roller bearings,” he highlights. “All of these are bolted together with screws and threaded assemblies.”

According to Michael, the most significant risk to pump reliability generally fall under two categories: corrosion and wear.

“Corrosion on a pump can occur due to an ingress of moisture or contaminants into the components, which can cause bolts on the system to seize or weld together,” says Michael. “Wear on the other hand occurs with time and usage and can force pump components out of alignment, resulting in rattling and jumping parts that are misaligned on the application.”

“This makes them difficult to repair or replace later and presents maintenance challenges,” he adds.

To better assist in understanding how to perform maintenance on pumps and improve their reliability, Michael has drawn up a pump health check list, consisting of selections from the LOCTITE range of products that address various maintenance challenges.

 

Michael’s Pump Health Check List:

  1. For keeping mounting bolts tight after they have been assembled, LOCTITE 290 Wicking Grade Threadlocker or LOCTITE 263 High Strength Threadlocker will do the job.
  2. The LOCTITE 290 range was developed for locking and sealing threaded fasteners and can cure in the absence of air on close-fitting metal surfaces, securing the bolts in place to withstand shock and vibration. To disassemble, it can be heated to high temperature and pulled apart.
  3. For smaller screw arrangements, there is the LOCTITE 222 Threadlocker or LOCTITE 243 Threadlocker, which both work to prevent screws from coming loose under pump vibrations but is low strength for adjustment with hand tools.
  4. Rebuild and protect worn volutes with LOCTITE PC 7226 Pneu Wear or LOCTITE PC 7227 Brushable Ceramic. The PC 7227 can also prevent corrosion in pump housing on the impeller vanes and restore surfaces after wear and cavitation.
  5. To prevent corrosion and seizure of the impeller to the shaft, the LOCTITE LB 8009 Heavy Duty Anti-Seize works like a dream.
  6. Lastly, for rebuilding worn shafts and keyways, the LOCTITE EA 3478 Superior Metal is a ferro-silicon, two-part, epoxy resin system that restores old shafts and improves their tolerance to corrosion and abrasion.
  7. LOCTITE also offers a range of sealant products, for nuts, screws, bolts, and o-rings.

For expert advice on selecting the right LOCTITE adhesive or sealant product for the right pump components, visit your local CBC branch today.

 

LOCTITE 577 Thread Sealant Features and Benefits

  • Excellent chemical resistance
  • Instant low-pressure seal
  • Suitable for all metals
  • Medium-strength, general purpose thread sealant for sealing metal threads
  • Locks connection against vibration-induced loosening and other stresses
  • Easy to apply
  • Cures on active and inactive metals
  • NSF P1 Reg. No. 123001