Blackmer Releases New Video On Effects, Solutions To Cavitation

Blackmer (Grand Rapids, Mich.) has developed a new video to help illustrate why pump cavitation occurs, the potential harmful effects it has on pumping components, and possible solutions to avoid this common pumping challenge. The video may be viewed at youtube.com/user/BlackmerGlobal.
Blackmer notes that its solution to the challenge of excessive cavitation is a cavitation suppression liner, available as a component on Blackmer CRL, LGL, SGL, XL, XLW, and TLGF series sliding vane pumps. The cavitation suppression liner has been developed to eliminate the vibration, noise, and pump-component damage that results from cavitation.

The liner works to defeat cavitation through a design that mutes destruction before vapor implodes. The feature creates internal recirculation jets that break apart vapor bubbles prior to implosion. While vapor levels are not reduced, the size of each vapor bubble becomes a fraction of what it would have been.

The cavitation suppression liner also allows a controlled amount of fluid, at discharge pressure, to bleed back toward the suction of the pump. This breaks larger vapor bubbles apart into smaller ones before they have the chance to implode. Blackmer maintains the net result is less noise, less vibration, and less wear. Blackmer verified the design by conducting side-by-side tests of one of its sliding vane pumps with and without a cavitation suppression liner. For more information, visit blackmer.com.

(SOURCE: The Weekly Propane Newsletter, May 27, 2019)