New Positive Displacement Pump
Completing the new pump programme for hygienic applications in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, the new positive displacement pump Vitalobe is launched by KSB Aktiengesellschaft, Frankenthal, Germany.
KSB’s Vitalobe, the new rotary lobe pump for hygienic applications. (Photo: KSB)
Vitalobe is a solid rotary lobe pump designed for handling fluids which are highly viscous, contain solids or need to be pumped gently. The pump’s maximum flow rate is about 5,000 litres per minute. Its maximum discharge pressure is 20 bar, while the operating or system pressures may be as high as 30 bar. Permissible fluid temperatures range from -40 to +200 degrees Celsius. The pump is suited for transporting fluids up to a viscosity of 3,000,000 cP.
Thanks to its reversible rotors, the pump can also be operated in reverse mode. A range of different, interchangeable rotary lobes allow adjustment to various requirements. The lobes are made of stainless steel 1.4404 (AISI 316L) as a standard. Alternatively, depending on the size and type of the rotor, other material variants are available, such as a so-called anti-seizure alloy (CY5SnBiM) or a plastic-coated metal variant.
Operators can select their preferred sealing option for the shaft passage through the rotor housing: mechanical seal, shaft seal ring or gland packing, each with or without flushing device. A gap separates the rotor housing from the bearing bracket, so that the pump and fluid are protected against excessive heating and the lubricant cannot contaminate the fluid handled. The suction and discharge nozzles of the rotor housing can be installed in either horizontal or vertical position.
A broad selection of pipe connection types is available to meet the required standards for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. At the front, the rotor housing is closed with a cover. CIP and SIP cleaning allow the pump set to be freed from any residues and sterilised. Vertically installed pumps can be completely emptied via the bottom nozzle.
The speed of the pumps’ self-cooling IEC squirrel-cage motors with a rating of up to 100 kW can be adjusted to the required flow rates via gears or frequency inverters. The drive shafts run in two ball bearings each. These bearings do not require any additional lubrication as they are provided with oil from the gears.
Source: KSB SE & Co. KGaA