What categories of slurry can be transported by the slurry pump?
Slurry Categories
Slurry pumping can usually be separated into four categories which ANSI/HI Standard 12.1-12.6-2005 categorizes as light slurries (Class 1), medium slurries
(Class 2), heavy slurries (Class 3) and very heavy slurries (Class 4).
Most usually the light (Class 1) slurries are those not deliberately intended to carry solids. The presence of the solids occurs more by accident than design. On the other hand, very heavy slurries (Class 4) are those normally designed specifically to transport solids from one location to another. Very often the
carrying fluid in very heavy slurry is just a necessary evil in helping to transport the desired material. The medium (Class 2) and heavy slurry (Class 3) fall somewhere in between.
The optimum slurry pump material will often vary even across a single processing plant that is transferring the same solids (but having different sizes). For example a single processing plant may use all white iron ‘Mill Discharge’ pumps, through to a rubber lined pumps with urethane impeller to dispose of the tailings. The same solids are being transferred, often with the same or a very similar carrying fluid, but different slurry pump wear materials will be required.