Gas plants, refineries and petrochemical plants have numerous critical low flow-high head applications. In refineries, for example, distillation/fractionation columns require low flow-high head pumps for the reflux, overhead, reboiler and bottoms products. These hydrocarbons need to be pumped to high pressures to account for the column height and pressure losses in the piping. They also happen to have low specific gravity (0.5-0.7). The pump head, expressed in feet or meters, developed by the pump is inversely proportional to specific gravity. Therefore, to develop a given pressure, the pump must produce a high head, twice as high as it would for water. To complicate matters, light hydrocarbons are usually close to their saturated vapor pressure and prone to flashing. This implies low NPSH (Net Positive Suction Head) available at the pump inlet. To avoid cavitation, a custom designed inducer is commonly used to guarantee safe pump operation.
Sundyne has developed a unique expertise in low flow-high head applications with the most efficient, reliable, and compact centrifugal pump: the integrally geared pump, classified as OH6 by API-610.
With its speed-increasing gearbox and single Barske-style impeller, the Sundyne LMV pump develops high heads at low flows with the highest efficiency available. Experience and expertise in the design of inducers guarantee cavitation-free operation. The LMV pump produces the same head as a multistage pump, while occupying a fraction of the space required by a horizontal multistage pump. The vertical inline configuration, with the motor mounted on top of the pump reduces the footprint and therefore the need for an expensive concrete foundation.
