Vanes made of the bearing polymer Hitemp 150 have lasted three times as long as traditional vanes in servicing company Septic Tanks (Pty) Ltd’s vacuum rotary pump, a Broom B35.
Vesconite Bearings technical sales consultant Phillip de Villiers recommended Hitemp 150, an engineered polymer that is wear resistant and can withstand temperatures of up to 150ºC.
This material will not delaminate as does the original-equipment-manufacturer supplied material, a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin that impregnates layers of cotton to produce a hard synthetic plastic, he reasoned.
The trial result has been impressive: Hitemp 150 did not delaminate unlike its competitor and it was resistant to overheating.
In addition, the new polymer vanes coped well with the frequent pump cleans that were required when waste material accidentally entered the pump.
Septic Tanks (Pty) Ltd owner Charl Neuhof is also pleased that the Hitemp 150 vanes continue to operate after a year and a half, while the phenolic alternative had to be replaced after six months.
Moreover, he is enthusiastic about the reduced maintenance costs that are associated with the product, which can be cleaned in-situ unlike the previous variety of vanes that had to be removed prior to cleaning because of their high levels of swelling when exposed to water.
