PROMOL 

Synthetic Rubber Production: How to Pump Promol Without Bubbling

With this pump, nothing stands in the way of constant pumping of Promol

Promol is used, among other things, in synthetic rubber production as a compound separation agent due to its excellent separation properties. But precisely, these properties posed significant problems for the centrifugal pumps used by a synthetic rubber manufacturer in Indonesia to pump Promol and thus prevented the start of the new production plant.

NETZSCH Pumps & Systems, the global specialist in handling complex fluids, was able to provide a solution quickly thanks to globally available components. We will show you how to benefit from NETZSCH experts’ experience.

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Promol, Synthetic Rubber, NETZSCH, Pumps, Systems

Properties of Promol that need to be considered when pumping

Approximately half of the 20 million plus tons of rubber produced each year is of synthetic origin. Many compounds are available which are just as well suited or even more suitable for various applications than their natural counterpart.

The most common variant of synthetic rubber is styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). This and butadiene rubber (BR) – another frequently used compound – are produced at a plant in Indonesia that has only recently been opened. At the location in Banten, a province on the island of Java, the aim is to produce 120,000 tons of raw material for tire production annually. Those involved in the project emphasize the efficient production process, which stems from the company’s own procedure, and which is intended to make production more environmentally friendly.

When building and commissioning the new production site, everything went according to plan – with one exception. After all equipment had been installed, one component did not work as required: A centrifugal pump lined with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which was intended for conveying Promol®. This product works as a so-called compound separating agent: It prevents unvulcanized rubber compounds from sticking together – an important element in the handling of the compounds produced. The good separating characteristics of Promol® enable low rates of consumption and also ensure that as little separating agent as possible finds its way into the rubber compound. This is important for high-quality further processing.

Soon after starting the system the employees noticed an intensive build-up of bubbles inside the centrifugal pump. The PVDF lining also began to come loose. Long-term usage of the centrifugal pump for conveying was therefore out of question. This led to big problems as the production should start as quickly as possible. This would not be possible without the separating agent to ensure safe transportation of the rubber.

Pumping Promol: Challenges in synthetic rubber production

Searching for a quick resolution of the problem, they therefore turned to NETZSCH – with the requirement for a pump to safely convey the Promol® dispersion that was as low-shear as possible. The company, with its headquarters in the Bavarian town of Waldkraiburg, develops and produces various types of pumps, including the NEMO® progressing cavity pump range.

“NEMO® pumps are very robust and particularly suited to shear-sensitive products”, says Antonio Prabandaru, sales manager at NETZSCH Indonesia. The shear forces that act on the product in the pumps are so low that these are even used in the food industry for transporting whole fruits. The continuous and low-pulsation conveyance makes the aggregate suitable for use in many sensitive areas. “Therefore only very minimal foam and bubbles are produced during conveying with the aggregates”, adds Prabandaru. Thanks to these characteristics, progressing cavity pumps are used for many products which have to be conveyed continuously, with resistance to pressure, carefully and with low pulsation.

Another aspect makes the NEMO® pump ideal for deployment by the Indonesian rubber producer: It places great importance on a constant, non-decreasing flow rate – no wonder that, with a lack of separating agent supply, there would be the immediate risk of rubber sheets sticking together and being barely usable for further processing. Progressing cavity pumps convey so precisely that they can even be used for metering tasks. In this respect too, they are therefore ideally suited to conveying the Promol®.

120000

tons of raw material for tire production pumped annually

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With the NEMO® BY progressing cavity pump in FSIP® design with xLC® stator adjustment system, you can reduce your maintenance time by up to 66 percent.

How to pump Promol efficiently and without bubbles

The global specialist for pumping complex liquids produces numerous types of pumps, including the NEMO® progressing cavity pump series. NEMO® pumps are very robust and suitable for shear-sensitive media such as Promol. The low shear forces acting on the medium in the pumps enable you to use the pumps even in the food industry. Due to the continuous and low-pulsation conveying, the pumps are ideally suited for use in many sensitive areas. The innovative design prevents foam or bubbles. Progressing cavity pumps provide continuous, pressure-stable, gentle and low-pulsation pumping of media such as Promol. The NEMO® progressing cavity pump convinces rubber manufacturers with another feature: A constant, non-decreasing flow rate is elementary for the production process because if the supply of separation agent stops, there is an immediate danger that rubber sheets will stick together and become hardly usable for further processing. The high precision of progressing cavity pumps makes them even more suitable for metering tasks. Therefore, they are the optimal solution to pump Promol.

To solve the problem as quickly as possible, the NETZSCH experts used pumps in stock. With components permanently available globally in all major markets, the world leader in manufacturing progressing cavity pumps ensures that even urgent orders can be fulfilled as quickly as possible. Since the pump was installed in August 2018, the synthetic rubber manufacturer has been extremely satisfied with the unit. There are plans to use the NEMO® in other plants as well. Thanks to convincing products and fast service, an acute production emergency has been turned into a reference project that convinces the customer all along the line.

Do you also want to optimize your synthetic rubber production? Get in touch with your contact person and let us advise you. Thanks to NEMO® progressing cavity pumps, foam and bubble formation when pumping separation agents such as Promol aren't a problem any more.

NEMO® BY progressing cavity pump in industrial design 

NEMO® BY Progressing Cavity Pump in Industrial Design, NETZSCH, Pumps, Systems