Slurry pump cavitation refers to the phenomenon where the pump experiences

Slurry pump cavitation refers to the phenomenon where the pump experiences intermittent vibrations resembling gasping during the transportation of slurry. The flow of slurry becomes intermittent, leading to periodic and severe fluctuations in the discharge pressure and flow rate of the slurry pump, causing instability in its operation. Today, the slurry pump manufacturer will analyze the causes of this phenomenon.

1. Presence of air in the slurry pump that has not been promptly discharged.
2. Small inlet passage of the slurry pump, resulting in excessive inlet flow velocity, which causes vortex formation at the pump’s inlet.
3. Irregular and movable debris at the inlet pipe of the slurry pump, causing irregular changes in the inlet cross-section, leading to high inlet flow velocity and resulting in cavitation of the slurry pump.
4. Poor sealing performance at the joint of the outlet pipeline of the slurry pump, causing insufficient discharge capacity of the pump’s exhaust valve.

Slurry pump cavitation can cause variations in pressure and flow rate throughout the entire system. Even when the slurry pump experiences cavitation, this phenomenon is referred to as cavitation-induced instability. For instance, even if the head-flow curve has a negative slope, cavitation-induced instability can still occur, such as in low specific speed centrifugal pumps that exhibit humps on their performance curve. Under unstable operating conditions, cavitation-induced instability may occur.

The above points summarize the phenomena that can contribute to cavitation-induced instabilities. If you want to learn more about slurry pumps, feel free to contact us for further information!