In its ongoing quest to push the boundaries of performance, pump manufacturer, KSB Group, has developed a special impeller to further improve the suction characteristics of its Movitec multistage high-pressure pumps.

The new impeller is particularly useful in applications with critical inlet conditions such as boiler feed applications, as well as applications in which the pump is required to take in water from low-lying tanks or at higher temperatures. These conditions are not always suitable for standard pumps, as pressure drop in the intake area can cause cavitation in the first pump stage, resulting in excessive wear of pump parts or motor bearings as well as a reduced service life of the pump due to damaged parts and an unbalanced hydraulic system.

The new impeller is offered as an alternative to the standard product. When developing the new impeller, KSB’s design engineers went to great lengths to ensure it can be used with a number of Movitec variants without necessitating modifications to the outer pump casing. The new impeller features a modified inlet diameter, vanes that allow a slightly diagonal throughflow and a newly designed stage casing, all of which serve to substantially improve the pump’s NPSH curve.

The multistage centrifugal pumps from KSB’s Movitec range are designed for handling fluids such as water, coolants, condensate and mineral oils. They are ideal for a wide variety of applications ranging from industrial boiler feed installations in steam circuits, recirculation and fire-fighting systems, cooling water circuits and washing plants to pressure boosting in general process applications.

KSB Pumps and Valves, Annett Kriel, Tel: (011) 876 5600, Fax: (011) 822 1746, Email: Annett.Kriel@ksb.com, Web: www.ksbpumps.co.za