Wilden®, part of Dover Corporation's Pump Solutions Group (PSG®) and a specialist in air-operated, double-diaphragm (AODD) pump technology, has introduced the Advanced™ FIT line of AODD Pumps that feature superior flow rates and easier installation in a variety of industrial applications, including ceramics, chemicals, oil & gas, pulp & paper, and water treatment, to name a few.
The AODD pump is driven by compressed air and is ideal where water or a particulate mixture needs to be moved quickly. Wilden pumps are versatile, and a single pump can deliver a wide range of flow rates and outlet pressure. Originally adopted by the construction and mining industries for pumping slurries, cement and mud, double-diaphragm pumps rapidly became popular in other sectors.
Simple to maintain and highly reliable in operation, Wilden's Advanced FIT AODD pumps precisely fit bolt-to-bolt and pipe-to-pipe in existing and intensive fluid-handling piping systems to provide increased performance with no re-piping necessary. Likewise, they have been engineered to serve as an easy, cost-effective way to enhance and upgrade existing pump performance with superior bolted product containment.
"Advanced FIT pumps represent a major breakthrough in reducing installation costs when upgrading your AODD pump since they have been designed to ‘drop into' the existing plumbing footprint with no plumbing rebuilds required," said Chris Distaso, director of engineering for Wilden. "FIT pumps also offer an enhanced level of performance and higher flow rates, resulting in potential energy savings and reduced air consumption."
Primary advantages of Wilden's AODD pumps include, for example, exceptional performance for abrasive applications; labor-saving manifold flexibility to assist in tight-fitting installations; an exact fit from bolt-down footprint to inlet and discharge connection heights; a re-engineered fluid path that increases flow rates up to 54 percent; fewer fasteners and easy accessibility with power tools for faster assembly/disassembly and shorter downtime; and a bolted configuration for superior product containment with NPT or BSPT threads or ANSI or DIN flanges.
The pumps can also enhance their performance when used in conjunction with EZ-Install TPE Diaphragms, which reduce the costs and downtime with diaphragm replacement; Full-Stroke Integral Piston Diaphragms (FSIPD), which are constructed of PTFE (Teflon®) for superior product containment with the same flex-life advantages of standard PTFE diaphragms; and advanced Air Distribution Systems (ADS), such as the Pro-Flo X™ and Pro-Flo® SHIFT, for optimized air consumption with lower energy and operating costs.
Advanced FIT pumps are available in 2-inch (51-mm) and 3-inch (76-mm) sizes with aluminum housings and in 1.5-inch (38-mm), 2-inch (51-mm) and 3-inch (76-mm) sizes with stainless-steel housings, which will be available in late 2014. The pumps are designed with either metal or plastic bodies to suit the needs of specific operating conditions and are also available with different elastomer options for severe applications. Current models include the SS420FIT, SS830FIT, SS1520FIT, SS1530FIT, and AL1520FIT.