March Chemical Pumps for Nitric Acid
Seeking a pump for the chemical Nitric Acid? March Pumps has many choices! From 5 GPM to 200 GPM, March Pumps has a pump for Nitric Acid for any application. If pumping the chemical Nitric Acid at room temperature, it is recommended to go with a centrifugal sealless magnetic drive chemical pump made up of Polypropylene or Kynar Plastic or Stainless Steel, Teflon O-Ring, Encapsulated Impeller, and Mica Teflon Bushing.
Choosing a Nitric Acid Industrial Pump
Nitric acid (HNO3), AKA spirit of niter, is a mineral acid with a highly corrosive nature. The compound is initially colorless, but over time, its decomposition into oxides of nitrogen and water gives it a yellow cast. Nitric acid is commonly available as a solution of a 68% concentration in water. Concentrations of more than 86% are called fuming nitric acid.
The chemical Nitric Acid can also be heavy depending on the concentration and temperature. If the specific gravity is more than 1.1, a trimmed impeller is absolutely necessary to prevent decoupling or overloading the motor. Higher concentrations and higher temperatures of the chemical Nitric Acid, together or by themselves, may make the pumps listed above unsuitable. It is highly recommended, regardless of the temperature or concentration, that you contact a local distributor or March Manufacturing direct to review your application before ordering a pump.
Nitric acid has a worldwide production of about 30 million tons annually and is used in an assortment of industries, most notably for the production of fertilizers which utilizes about 75 to 80 percent of worldwide nitric acid production.
The following chemical pumps are a good place to start looking when pumping the chemical Nitric Acid:
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 18 GPM | 60.5 LPM |
| Max Head | 29 FT | 6.3 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 18 GPM | 60.5 LPM |
| Max Head | 29 FT | 6.3 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 18 GPM | 60 LPM |
| Max Head | 29 FT | 6.3 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 30 GPM | 102 LPM |
| Max Head | 41 FT | 9 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 30 GPM | 102 LPM |
| Max Head | 41 FT | 9 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 30 GPM | 102 LPM |
| Max Head | 41 FT | 9 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 38 GPM | 113.5 LPM |
| Max Head | 49 FT | 11 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 38 GPM | 113.5 LPM |
| Max Head | 49 FT | 11 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 53 GPM | 180 LPM |
| Max Head | 60 FT | 12.3 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 53 GPM | 180 LPM |
| Max Head | 60 FT | 12.3 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 53 GPM | 180 LPM |
| Max Head | 57.5 FT | 12 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 82 GPM | 268 LPM |
| Max Head | 85 FT | 18 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 82 GPM | 268 LPM |
| Max Head | 85 FT | 18 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 120 GPM | 400 LPM |
| Max Head | 95 FT | 20 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 120 GPM | 400 LPM |
| Max Head | 95 FT | 20 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 120 GPM | 400 LPM |
| Max Head | 90 FT | 19.3 M |
| Unit System | 60Hz | 50Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Flow | 200 GPM | 654 LPM |
| Max Head | 160 FT | 34.1 M |
Listing of March Pump Nitric Acid Distributors
Nitric Acid Resistant Materials in Pumps
Nitric acid is a highly corrosive mineral acid commonly used as a reagent in the production of plastics, explosives, and dyes. In any process, it is important that chemical pumps for nitric acid are made of compatible materials.
Due to the corrosive nature of nitric acid and nitric oxide, non-resistant materials can lead to leaks, burns, and severe injuries. March Pumps’ team of experts will help clients emphasize both functionality and safety by selecting the most appropriate centrifugal pump for nitric acid.
Polypropylene is well-suited to centrifugal pumps for weak nitric acid. However, concentration and temperature can affect material compatibility. In processes using 20% nitric acid or higher, 316 stainless steel and Kynar pumps have excellent chemical resistance.
Chemical Pumps for Nitric Acid
Nitric Acid, chemically written as HNO3, is an extremely corrosive chemical that is useful to diverse industries, particularly the production of other chemicals.
March Pump offers diverse chemical pumps equipped to handle nitric acid. These chemical pumps have maximum flows that range from 5 gallons per minute all the way to 200 gallons per minute, and some models are available with diverse explosion proof motor options, as well.
The chemical pumps required to pump such corrosive chemicals as nitric acid often require clients to leverage the knowledge-base of March Pumps’ team of experts. March Pump can help clients find the right pump for nitric acid, among many other chemicals, and given the diverse array of situations in which nitric acid may be used, March Pump’s experts can be greatly beneficial to helping clients find the perfect pump for their needs.
Disclaimer: These are only some of the pumps that can handle these chemicals.
What Industries and Applications Handle Nitric Acid?
Nitric acid is widely used as an agent for nitration and oxidization. Some of the applications of nitric acid are as follows:
- Defense industry – In the defense industry, nitric acid is used in compounds for creating explosives and munitions.
- Agriculture – Ammonia is processed with nitric acid to produce ammonium nitrate for fertilizers. More than 2/3 of worldwide nitric acid production is used to produce fertilizers.
- Aerospace – Nitric acid is used as an oxidizer in liquid rocket fuel.
- Treatment of wood for aging/aesthetics – Nitric acid is useful for treating hard-to-stain wood surfaces to give them an even finish that is free from blotches. It is also used to digest cellulose during pulping of wood.
- Nylon/Polyurethane – Nitric acid is important in the making of adipic acid, a precursor of nylon which is widely used in pantyhose, rope, and a wide range of other products.
- Pickling of stainless steel – Used in combination with hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid is important in the pickling of stainless steel – a process that removes oxide scale and heat tint to give the steel a polished look.
- CIP solution – Made of nitric and phosphoric acid, CIP solution has a high descaling power that enables it to remove organic residues from surfaces.
Pumping Considerations for Nitric Acid
Nitric acid is a toxic and extremely corrosive mineral acid that reacts with most metals as well as some non-metallic materials. When pumping this chemical, the following should be considered:
- Use of non-metallic wet-side materials – Commercial grade concentrations of nitric acid can severely damage your pump, hence the need to use alternative materials like Kynar, polypropylene, Teflon, and ETFE.
- Pump specification – Pumps handling a large flow rate should have no mechanical seals coming into contact with the fluid. Non-metallic mag drive pumps are the best option due to their excellent containment properties. Air-operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps can also be considered where smaller volumes of fluid are being transferred.
- Contained handling – To avoid workforce exposure to nitric acid pump leakages or chemical spills, contained handling is highly advised.
What are the Properties of Nitric Acid that will Affect the Pump you Purchase?
Figure 1: Nitric Acid Concentrations and Pump Materials
A single or collection of material/s may be rated for a higher temperature/s then the pump as a whole is capable of. It is important to contact a March representative to determine if the pump as a complete unit is suitable for the concentration and temperature of any chemical.
Nitric acid is highly corrosive and reacts with most metals. Stainless steel and aluminum can only handle very diluted concentrations of nitric acid (5 to 10%). Natural rubber and Buna also react with nitric acid.
Nitric acid is also highly reactive to the skin and can create severe chemical burns in cases of direct contact. Nitric acid will fume when in contact with oxygen and the fumes are highly toxic. Special safety precautions must be taken to protect the respiratory system, skin, eyes and teeth of persons in direct contact with this chemical compound.
What Materials Can Best handle Nitric Acid?
For very thin concentrations of nitric acid a standard, non-metallic or even metallic pump can be used. But, when pumping commercial grade nitric acid solutions, a non-metallic type of pump, particularly one built with Viton, PTFE and PVDF is recommended.
In general, when dealing with nitric acid you should use mag drive pumps, especially for large flow rates, as this type of pumps guarantees a leak-free operation due to the absence of mechanical seals in contact with the fluid.
Choosing the Right Nitric Acid Chemical Pump
In many industries where nitric acid is handled, accidental leaks will result in personnel and facility evacuation due to the corrosive and toxic nature of the chemical fumes. The resulting downtime increases costs but can be avoided by selecting the appropriate chemical pump. There are many parameters to take into account when choosing a suitable chemical pump for handling nitric acids, including, but not limited to, compound concentration, working temperatures, gravity of the chemical and the materials used in the pump itself.
Here at March Pump, we exhibit a wide range of chemical industrial pumps that cover virtually any possible requirement. For further information we encourage you to contact our friendly support team and our experts will be happy to help. Give us a call or contact us online to learn more.
Why March Pumps are the Best Pumps to Transfer Nitric Acid
At March Pumps we carry a specialized line of pumps that makes the transfer of nitric acid chemicals easier. They are designed to withstand the difficult conditions that corrosive chemicals like nitric acid subject them to. Our USA-made, high-grade centrifugal sealless magnetic drive pumps are made of Polypropylene or Kynar plastic to ensure the high performance and durability of your nitric acid pump. Contact us for more information or a no-obligation quote.
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