Biofuel Production Applications for Our Pumps
Bio-fuel production is a growing industry responding to the demand for alternative energy. Magnetic drive pumps are essential in the production process, providing the energy within the pipeline to drive production. It is important to select the correct pump for your facility’s needs. March Pump can provide the pumps you need for your unique environment.
March mag drive pumps are designed and built for optimum application in biofuel production. Our pumps are perfect for chemical recirculation and chemical transfer. March’s TE-6T-MD is capable of generating a maximum flow of 38 gallons per minute at 10 feet and has a maximum head of 49 feet. The maximum internal pressure this March pump can tolerate is 50psi, and it can withstand liquid temperatures up to 190 Fahrenheit, depending on the chemical.
Discover more about our mag drive pumps for bio-fuel production below:
Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
---|---|---|
Max Flow | 38 GPM | 113.5 LPM |
Max Head | 49 FT | 11 M |
Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
---|---|---|
Max Flow | 14 GPM | 50 LPM |
Max Head | 21.5 FT | 4.7 M |
Considerations for Pumping Biofuel
Unlike other kinds of fuel or similar liquid material, the consistency and qualities of biofuels can vary wildly based on the stage of their production. Why? Producers refine biofuels from a diverse range of base substances, including tallow, sawgrass, corn, and sawmill shavings. These ingredients have substantial differences in viscosity (i.e., flow resistance), as well as in the amount of solids they contain. Refinement of clearer oils into ethanol means dealing with thicker substances, whereas pumping a slurry early in the production of biodiesel requires managing material that contains a large amount of solids.
Input consistency is far from the only issue to consider in the production of bioethanol. Operation management also comes into play. Temperatures can soar to 190° Fahrenheit, which necessitates organizational forethought and planning. (We address this in more detail in the following section.) Furthermore, ethanol production often requires the addition of catalysts that are harmful to humans or the wider environment if not properly contained. Finally, manufacturing biofuel generally must have no downtime due to the large torque requirements needed to start the pumping process.
Choosing the Right Pump for Biofuel Production
Given the above considerations, pumps used in biodiesel production must be able to meet several performance metrics. First, they need to operate continuously over a period of several years in order to ensure that the refinement process continues uninterrupted. Halts in product can incur substantial economic losses. A biofuel pump must also be able to handle abrasive solids in the early stages of refinement. Pumps that aren’t able to move coarse slurry for extended periods face an increased risk of failure. Because ethanol production requires fairly high heat at points during the process, specific pumps may require expanded clearances. Metal expands as temperatures rise, and typical spacing between a pump’s internal components may lead to malfunction as heat increases. Finally, a pump cannot leak and spill hazardous chemicals involved in biodiesel production. Failure puts lives at risk and could lead to environmental damage.
Areas of Applications in Producing Biofuels
Broadly speaking, biofuel production involves taking fats that originate from vegetable or animal sources and catalyzing them with specific forms of short-chain alcohols. March Pumps has mag-drive-pump offerings that can function at multiple stages of production, such as chemical recirculation and chemical transfer. Our pumps can also facilitate vacuum dehydration (the extraction of water from animal or vegetable oil), transesterification (chemical conversion of oil-based fats into biodiesel), distillation (the purification of biodiesel or methanol with high temperatures and negative pressures), and neutralization (the chemical removal of a catalyst from crude biodiesel).
March Pumps is a longstanding U.S. manufacturer of centrifugal sealless magnetic-drive pumps for multiple end-use applications, including chemical, industrial, medical, marine, solar and OEM applications. Clients use our pumps in everything from heat transfer and microchip manufacturing to metal pickling and reserve osmosis. We also offer multiple pumps that are well suited for biofuel production. To learn more, call us at (847) 725-0580 or contact us online.