Are Alignment-Free Solutions the Next Big Thing In The Pump Industry?

Oct. 4, 2019

Shaft misalignment. Two words that haunt pump operators and keep maintenance personnel awake at night (literarily!). This is because pump shafts must be properly aligned …

Shaft misalignment. Two words that haunt pump operators and keep maintenance personnel awake at night (literarily!). This is because pump shafts must be properly aligned every time a pump unit is maintained or relocated. And if careful shaft alignment procedures are not accurately performed, pump failures could lead to expensive downtime, lost reliability, increased maintenance expenses and even failure of major downstream equipment.

Due to the harmful effects caused by shaft misalignment, there is great demand for an "alignment free" pump series with the ability to deliver maximum reliability and uptime while also offering additional functionalities like self-priming, line-stripping, product recovery, dry-run capability, solids handling, thin/thick viscosity flexibility and 70% to 90% pump efficiencies. This type of pump series would truly be the ideal solution for operators, a set-and-forget system that eliminates the need for shaft alignment.

In addition, such a pump series would eliminate couplings altogether and provide a true ZERO-alignment design with the following benefits:

  • Elimination of premature mechanical-seal failures, frequent downtime and increased costs
  • Increased uptime, reliability, productivity, and longer life for seals, shafts and bearings
  • Simplified startup/installation and maintenance tasks resulting from a drop-in replacement design that, in contrast to coupled designs that require costly laser aligning and time- consuming dial indicators, eliminates the time-sensitive need for careful shimming, checking and rechecking

GNX Series pumps incorporate a commercial-grade, single-stage gearbox.

Blackmer®, Grand Rapids, MI, USA, has developed a solution with its GNX Series Sliding Vane Pump. GNX Series pumps incorporate a commercial-grade, single-stage gearbox. This innovative gearbox fits between the motor and pump and is held in place by a permanent dowelled connection that creates a structural link between the high-speed and low-speed sides of the system. The gearbox output has a proprietary hollow shaft that is compatible with the pump’s keyed shaft. This capability results in the industry’s first alignment-free pump that can produce flow rates from 20 to 500 gpm (76 to 1,893 L/min).

The alignment-free design is well suited for both fixed and portable applications with the gearbox possessing the ability to create turndown ratios ranging from 2:1 to 13:1, resulting in more precise flow rates. Another benefit of the alignment-free pumps is that the permanently connected gearbox eliminates all couplings and allows all rotating components to be totally enclosed without the need of guards. This eliminates pinch points for the operator or technician, resulting in improved safety.

Other benefits of alignment-free pumps include integral head-mounted drive with oil-lubricated, helical gears; sliding vane pump design that adjusts for wear to maintain flow rates; and adjustable relief valve for protection against excessive pressures. This combination of time-proven operational features and the alignment-free gearbox mean that the pumps will deliver increased reliability, uptime, seal life, bearing life, shaft life and safety, with decreased and simplified maintenance.

To view an interactive demo of all the design benefits of Blackmer GNX Series pumps, please click here.

About Blackmer®

Headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI, Blackmer® is a product brand of PSG®, a Dover company, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA. For more information on Blackmer’s full line of pumps and compressors, please call +1 (616) 241-1611 or go to blackmer.com.

This content is sponsored by Blackmer. Sponsored content is authorized by the client and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Process Flow Network editorial team.

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