In industrial processes, safety, efficiency, and productivity are paramount. Process outcomes depend on the reliability and performance of equipment. This is especially true for pumps that transfer fluids as part of industrial processes. Process owners are always keen to invest in pumps that ensure safety, reliability and efficiency in challenging environments. Regarding heavy-duty applications, most process owners prefer Goulds 3180 process pumps. What makes these pumps different? Why have they become a popular choice for heavy-duty applications? Read this post to know the answers. This post focuses on benefits, features, and maintenance tips of the Goulds pump model 3180 and how these can help maximize your productivity.
Overview of Goulds 3180 Process Pumps
Goulds 3180 paper stock/process pump is a heavy-duty centrifugal pump designed to handle challenging pumping requirements in paper, pulp, and other industries. Designed and engineered by Goulds Pumps, this process pump offers unmatched mechanical reliability. It is perfected over 140 years of design experience and its installations worldwide attest to its reliability and remarkable performance.
Key Features of Goulds 3180 Process Pumps
The following features of Goulds 3180 process pumps have made them the workhorse of heavy-duty applications.
- Robust Construction: This process pump is made from cast iron, 316 stainless steel, CD4MCuN, and 317 stainless steel. This heavy-duty construction helps it withstand challenging environments and assure consistent performance. Adding to this, a back pull-out design ensures easy maintenance.
- Versatility: A few pumps can withstand the rigors of the paper and pulp industry like the Goulds 3180 process pump. It can handle many abrasive and corrosive fluids, stringy and fibrous solids, hazardous fluids, high-temperature liquids, and low or high-capacity fluids.
- Impellers: This pump is offered with multiple impeller designs to meet your application requirements. Whether you need a low Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH), high efficiency, or solid handling capacities, you are sure to find an impeller for your needs. The following two are common impeller designs in this context.
- Open Impellers: They are suitable for most services and are resistant to wear and tear. These impellers are ideal for handling complex media like recycled fibers with contaminants.
- Enclosed Impellers: These impellers are suited in applications where efficiency can be a concern. As the name suggests, the impellers of this type are distinguished by their enclosed design. This makes them suitable for service conditions. In case of slowdowns or failure, the efficiency of the impeller can be renewed with axial adjustment or replacing the worn rings. The side plate of the impeller can be replaced in high-temperature applications.
- Zero Flush Water (Mechanical Seals): Heavy duty 3180 Goulds pumps possess the revolutionary seal chamber design that can operate on 6% paper stock with flush water. Most mechanical seals fail due to flush water that contains contaminants. This contamination in flush water also adds up to the cost of flushing mechanical seals, which if not done promptly, can lead to seal failure. Any disruption of flush water due to freezing, plugging, or closing a valve can also lead to failures. This problem is easily solved using the patented TaperBore™ PLUS in Goulds.
- Dynamic Seal: Goulds 3180 process pumps can also be availed with dynamic seals, which is considered to be the best option to handle tough applications where conventional mechanical seals require outer flush to perform. This option helps eliminate the need for external flush while pumping slurries. A diaphragm seal in the pump prevents any leakage when it is not functional.
- Interchangeability: The pump is designed to ease parts interchangeability and maintenance with other Goulds pump models. This would help reduce downtime as well as operational costs.
5 Reasons Why You Should Choose Heavy Duty 3180 Goulds Pumps
These pointers substantiate how heavy duty 3180 Goulds pumps would maximize productivity in different industrial settings.
- Reliability: This is the primary benefit of heavy duty 3180 Goulds pumps. The power ends of the pump are designed keeping four factors in mind – bearing design life, bearing temperature, bearing environment, and continuous condition monitoring. These factors ensure reliable performance in challenging environments.
- Patented i-ALERT Intelligent Monitoring: Heavy duty 3180 Goulds pumps feature patented i-ALERT Intelligent Monitoring that measures the vibration and temperature of a thrust bearing. They have colored LEDs that indicate the pump health, and provide early warning of faulty operation to prevent catastrophic failure.
- Ease of Maintenance: Goulds Pump Model 3180 has impellers and power ends, which are interchangeable with Goulds model 3185. This coupled with back pull-out construction, helps ease the maintenance process.
- Optimum Mechanical Reliability: This is achieved by ensuring minimum hydraulic loads. The open impeller design of the pump helps minimize axial and radial thrust loads on the pump and maximize the bearing and seal lifespans.
- Improved Bearing Life: The pump is fitted with labyrinth seals that eliminate the loss of lubricants as well as prevent their contamination, which helps improve the bearing life.
Tips for Operation Troubleshooting of Heavy Duty 3180 Goulds Pumps
Although engineered for heavy-duty applications, there are chances that Goulds pumps may not work as effectively as expected. This is where the following troubleshooting tips would be helpful.
| Symptom | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| The pump is not delivering liquid | The pump is not primed | Re-prime the pump and check that the pump and suction line are full of liquid. |
| The suction line is clogged | Remove the obstructions. | |
| The impeller is clogged | Back-flush the pump to clean the impeller. | |
| The shaft is rotating in the wrong direction. | Change the rotation. The rotation must watch the arrow on the bearing housing or pump casing. | |
| The shaft is rotating in the wrong direction. | Change the rotation. The rotation must watch the arrow on the bearing housing or pump casing | |
| The pump is not producing the rated flow or head | The gasket or O-ring has a leak | Replace the gasket or O-ring immediately. |
| The impeller is partly clogged. | Back-flush the pump to clean the impeller. | |
| The stuffing box has an air leak | Replace or readjust the mechanical seal. | |
| The clearing between the impeller and the pump casing is excessive. | Adjust the clearance of the impeller. | |
| The suction head is not sufficient | Ensure the suction-line shutoff valve is open and the line is unobstructed. | |
| The impeller is broken or worn | The impeller is broken or worn | |
| The pump starts but stops pumping liquids | The pump is not primed | Re-prime the pump and check if the pump and suction line are full of liquid. |
| The suction line has vapor or air pockets. | Rearrange the piping to eliminate air pockets. | |
| The suction line an air leak | Repair the leak | |
| The pump vibrates or is noisy | The pump and driver are not aligned properly. | Realign the pump and driver |
| The impeller is clogged partially. | Clean the impeller by back flushing the pump. | |
| The impeller or shaft is bent or broken | Replace the shaft or impeller if necessary. | |
| The foundation is not rigid. | Tighten the bolts of the motor and pump. Ensure the baseplate is grouted properly without air pockets or voids. | |
| The bearings are worn. | Replace the bearings. | |
| The suction or discharge piping is not anchored properly. | Anchor the discharge piping or suction as recommended by the Hydraulic Institute Standards manual. | |
| The pump is cavitating. | Locate and correct the problem. | |
| The mechanical seal is leaking excessively. | The packing gland is not adjusted properly. | Tighten the gland nuts. |
If you are in the pulp and paper processing industry that involves semi-solid slurries or high temperature/high pressure pulp fluids, you can consider Goulds 3180 process pumps. It is essential to source these process pumps from a reliable supplier that can understand your requirements and offer you the right solution. Peak Machinery provides new surplus and used Goulds pump model 3180. We have consistently delivered these pumps to our clients in the pulp and paper industry for many years. For additional information, you can contact us at Peak Machinery via phone (612) 810-1955 or email (sales@peakmachinery.com) to find out more about process pumps and other equipment we offer.