Vesconite wear rings should be considered for many of the horizontal split-case pumps operating in the harsh South African mining and metallurgical environment.
Indeed, the companyās wear rings are chemically inert in many cases.
Vesconite Bearings, the maker of the bearing materials that are machined to make the wear rings, has tested its polymers’ chemical resistance to many mild acids, mild alkalis, organic chemicals, solvents, hydrocarbons, oils and fuels, and has a chemical resistance chart that shows chemical resistance for many chemicals.
The polymers have demonstrated chemical resistance at 25Ā°C to many common chemicals found in the mining sector, including sulphuric acid (10%), nitric acid (10%), petrol and diesel, among a host of other chemicals.
The manufacturer advocates its products’ use where wear rings are exposed to water-cyanide mixtures and acid mine drainage.
āOur products are suitable for this type of application,ā Vesconite advises, commenting that the wear rings will be suitable for similar harsh mining and metallurgical conditions globally.
Vesconite Bearings’ wear rings, which are designed to seal the pressure leakage of the liquid between the inlet of the impeller and the pump casing, can be designed to run with smaller clearances between the ring and casing. This means a higher pumping efficiency due to a lower bypass.
If the wear rings happen to make contact with the housing no damage is caused as the wear rings will conform to the new size and re-establish a close clearance.
