Information. Air operated Oil Pumps
Pumps
The Orion range includes pumps with a variety of
pressure ratios. 1:1 ratio pumps (see below) should only be used for transfer
of oil from one container to another and are not generally recommended for
connection to installed pipe-work. 3:1 and 5:1 ratio pumps are suitable for
connection to pipe work systems. Two pump tube lengths are offered - the longer
one being suitable for direct installation in drums and the shorter (stub)
version suitable for wall or floor mounting for connection to tanks etc. The
choice between drums and tanks for bulk storage of the oil depends upon local
consumption conditions. It is generally considered to be cheaper to buy oil in
bulk but investment costs and consumption time must be taken into account.
Oil Types
Orion pumps are suitable for use with most types of
oil, but further advice is available from our technical centre should you
require it. It is important though to avoid long suction lines when pumping
high viscosity oils.
Important
Pump Data
Pressure ratio
An air-operated, reciprocating pump consists
essentially of two major parts: Air motor and pump mechanism. Each has a piston
of a certain diameter and the ratio is determined by dividing the effective
area of the air-motor piston by that of the pump mechanism piston. If the
pressure ratio is 3:1 for example and the applied air pressure 700 kPa, the material pressure at the pump outlet will be 3x700
kPa = 2,1 Mpa (21 bars).
Pump
capacity and back pressure
Each type of pump has a specific performance curve. In
other words a pump is capable of delivering a certain volume at a given
backpressure. If the flow volume increases the back pressure decreases and vice
versa.
Pressure
drops and pump selection
When oil is pumped through pipes or hoses a pressure
drop is created due to friction. The extent of the pressure drop depends on
velocity, pipe length and presence of i.e. shut-off valves, pipe elbows, oil
meters etc. There are various formulas for calculating pressure drop and the
easiest way of compensating for the pressure drop is to increase the internal
pipe diameter. When a pump is selected the desired flow volume is known and the
pump chosen must be capable of delivering this volume at sufficient backpressure.
The total pressure drop through pipe work, hose reel, valves, meters etc. must
not exceed the pump pressure.
Pump Room
For environmental and stock control reasons all
lubricants should be stored in a separate room. High consumption oils
should preferably be stocked in tanks with the pump being either wall or floor
mounted. A filter should, if possible, be installed at the pump outlet to
prevent contaminants reaching the device being lubricated and to protect vital
system components. Compressed air should pass through an airline filter, which
separates both condensate and foreign matter. Also an airline regulator should
be installed in the air supply to each pump so that each one can be regulated
individually. Orion oil pumps are pre-lubricated at the factory and do not
normally requires an airline lubricator. Only in special circumstances, i.e.
when the air is heavily polluted or contains excessive water should an air
lubricator be used. Once installed a lubricator must continue to be used as the ”permanent” lubricant is washed away. Pumps are
connected to the pipe work by means of hoses. Shut-off valves should be
installed in both air- and lubricant lines for all pumps. This facilitates
disconnection of the pump for maintenance purposes.
Connecting
Hoses
Normal PVC or rubber hoses may be used. For oil,
high-pressure hoses corresponding to the pump working pressure must be used.
These are made of steel reinforced rubber.
Pipe work
As stated under ”Pressure
drop and pump selection” it is important that pipelines do not create excessive
backpressure. Some general recommendations for oil follow. Those apply to
systems with 3:1 ratio oil pumps and hose reels with hose end meter and an
assumed oil flow of 10 l/min. for engine oil or 2 l/min. for gear oil with
indoor pipe work and an ambient temperature of +20ºC.
Hydraulic, seamless tubes (DIN2391/C, St 37.4) are
used with cutting ring couplings.
Pipe length
(meter)
0-50
51-100 101-300
Pipe
dimension (mm)
ø22x1,5
ø28x2 ø35x3
Hose Reels
The use of hose reels is highly recommended in order
to create a safe and efficient work place. Hose reels may be positioned above
or beside the work area and may be fixed to the ceiling, wall or floor, as
appropriate. An adjustable hose stop enables the hose free length to be set to
suit the working application. Hose reels are available for grease, water,
detergents, air etc. as well as oil.
Information, Air operated Oil Pumps
Installation
Kits
In order to assist our customers we have established
kits for complete installations. This enables all the components required for a
specific reel or pump installation to be ordered under a single part number.
Oil Meters
Static oil dispensing systems may be equipped with
in-line meters or hose-end meters. The latter incorporate a control valve.
In-line meters can be equipped with impulse generators for connection to remote
reading and control systems.
See the Monitoring section.
Dosage
Equipment
We supply dosage equipment for repetitive and
automatic filling of e.g. engines, gearboxes, small oil containers, crankcases
etc. This is connected to a pump via a meter and delivers pre-set volumes of
lubricants (see the Monitoring section).
Remote
Control
Loss of oil can depend on forgetfulness to report oil
volumes used, difficult to read or smeared working orders. The problem can be
eliminated by the installation of a Monitoring System.
Installation
Components
For a full range of components and accessories
required to install a complete oil system, refer to the Oil section and the
Installation Equipment section.
Information, Hand operated and Mobile Oil Pumps
Oil Filling
Unlike grease which is injected in small quantities at
high pressure, oil is generally transferred to gearboxes, containers etc. at
low pressure and usually without the use of lubrication fittings.
Transfer
Pumps
Hand operated transfer pumps, generally called drum
pumps, are used for filling small, mobile containers. For the transportation of
oil and subsequent dispensing at fixed installations, portable or mobile pumps
or dispensers can be used. These may be manually or pneumatically operated.
Fitting
Systems
Generally fittings are not used in oil dispensing.
However for certain bearings they may be required and in such cases the button
head type of fitting is preferred in order to minimise backpressure.
Hoses and
Valves
Most pumps are supplied with a delivery hose and
manual valve to control the flow of oil. Usually the control valves are fitted
with an outlet pipe with check-valve (non-drip nozzle) to prevent dripping
after closure. If fittings are to be used, then the appropriate grease nozzle
should be fitted to the manual control valve.
Mobile Air
Operated Pumps
When larger quantities of oil need to be dispensed at
various points around a site, then mobile dispensers equipped with air-operated
pumps are an efficient solution. It is of course, essential that compressed air
is available at the different dispensing points. The larger dispensers enable
the original refinery drums to be used to minimise the risk of contamination
and to avoid the need for transfer of the oil.
Information, Air operated Grease Pumps
Pumps
There are two main types of grease pumps in our range
55:1 and 75:1 pressure ratio (see below). The quantity of grease and pressure
required determine which type of pump should be used. Pumps may be mounted
directly in the grease drum or connected to a separate container.
The size of drum or container to be used would depend
upon the total lubricant consumption.
Grease Types
These pumps may be used for most types of greases. A
follower plate should be used if the grease is of the non self-levelling type.
Some
Important Pump Data
Pressure ratio
An air-operated, reciprocating pump consists
essentially of two main parts: Air Motor and Pump Mechanism. Each has a piston
of a certain diameter and the ratio is determined by dividing the effective
area of the air-motor piston by that of pump mechanism piston. If the ratio is
for example 55:1 and the applied air pressure 700 kPa
the material pressure will be 55x700 kPa = 38,5 Mpa (385 bar).
Pump
capacity and back pressure
Each type of pump has a specific performance curve. In
other words a pump is capable of delivering a certain volume at a given
backpressure. If the flow volume increases, back pressure decreases and vice
versa. Thus it is important not to use a too small pipe diameter. This is also
important, as grease is a soap/oil mixture, which may separate at excessive
pressures. In this catalogue pump performance data is usually shown as free
flow capacity, i.e. without any associated backpressure from hoses or pipe work
etc.
Pressure drops and pump selection
When grease is pumped through pipes or hoses, a
pressure drop is created as a result of friction. Pressure drop depends on
velocity, shear stress, pipe length and presence of shut-off valves, pipe
elbows etc. There are various formulas for calculation of pressure drop and the
easiest way of compensating for pressure drop is to increase the internal pipe
diameter. When a pump is selected, the desired flow volume is known and the
pump in question must be capable to deliver this volume at sufficient
backpressure. The total pressure drop from pipe work, hose reel, valves etc.
must not be greater than the pump pressure.
Pump Room
For environmental and stock control reasons all
lubricants should be stored in a separate room. The drawing above shows a
typical layout.
High consumption oils should preferably be stocked in
tanks with the pump being either wall or floor mounted. The prime consideration
regarding the storage of grease should be to prevent any risk of contamination
from entering the drum, since this will ultimately find its way into the
components being greased.
Orion grease pumps are pre-lubricated at the factory
and therefore do not require an additional airline lubricator. Should the air
be particularly contaminated, or contain excessive water, then an air line
lubricator may be used. Once installed a lubricator must continue to be used as
the ”permanent” lubrication is washed away. Pumps are
connected to the pipe work by hoses. Shut-off valves should be installed in
both the air and lubricant line for all pumps. This facilitates disconnection
of the pump for maintenance purposes.
Connection
Hoses
Normal PVC or rubber hoses may be used for connecting
the air supply. High-pressure hoses corresponding to the pump working pressure
must be used for grease. The hoses we supply are made of steel reinforced
rubber.
Pipe work
As stated under ”Pressure
drop and pump selection” it is important that the pipelines do not create
excessive backpressure. Some general recommendations are given below for use
with vehicle grease lubrication systems in the pressure range from 30-50 Mpa. They apply to hydraulic, seamless tubing (DIN1630 St
52.4) used with cutting ring couplings.
Pipe
length, (meter)
0-20
20-35 36-60
Pipe
dimension (mm)
ø20x2 ø25x2,5 ø38x4
Hose Reels
The use of hose reels keeps the floor area free from
hoses. The hoses hang above or beside the work area when not in use and can
easily be pulled down when needed and retracted afterwards. Hose reels can be
mounted on wall, ceiling or floor for easy access, without impeding normal
work. An adjustable hose stop enables the hose free length to be set to suit
the working application. Hose reels are available for oil, water, air,
detergents etc. as well as grease.
Installation
Kits
In order to assist our customers we have established
kits for complete installations. This enables all the components required for a
specific reel or pump installation to be ordered under a single part number.
Safety
Equipment
To prevent a pump from running dry, a pressure switch
can be installed in the grease pipeline. The air supply to the pump is
shut-off, the pump stops and an alarm can be activated (see the monitoring
section).
Dosage
Equipment
We supply metering equipment for repetitive, and
automatic, filling of small containers, bearing cups etc. This is connected to
a pump via metering elements and delivers preset quantities of lubricants. (See
the monitoring section).
Installation
Components
A full range of components and accessories required to
install a grease system are shown in the Grease section.
How are
bearings lubricated?
The simplest form of lubrication is carried out using
manually operated pumps. Lubricant is forced through a fitting into a bearing
by use of a high-pressure pump or gun, e.g. of lever type. The larger the
numbers of lubrication points are, the greater the risk is of overlooking some
of them during regular maintenance, especially if they are not easily
accessible.
This risk can be partially eliminated with pipes
routed from various lube points to a manifold block with the fittings easily
accessible.
Pneumatically or electrically powered pumps ease the
work of maintenance personnel, especially if the grease container is of the
mobile type, being mounted on wheels or installed on a trolley.
Apart from the risk of omission there is the problem
of delivering the exact volume of lubricant required and the right interval
between lubrications at each point.
To overcome these difficulties centralized lubrication
systems are becoming more widely used in the industries.
Types of
fittings
The three main types of lubrication fittings are shown
below. Type 1 is the most common, types 2A and 2B are becoming less popular.
Type 3 is normally used where lubricant requirement is higher, for example with
construction machinery.
Information, Grease Fittings, Pump Nozzles and Hoses
To connect the pump to the fitting various nozzles,
shown below, are used. Types 1 and 3 grip direct to the fitTypes
2A and 2B need to be pressed against the fitting.
A rigid tube or a flexible hose may be used to connect
the pump or grease gun with the nozzle. All the hose fittings illustrated
employ taper threads in order to give a mechanical seal. Only use fluid
sealants as thread tape or similar may enter the hose if incorrectly applied.
Hand pumps
Apart from the simple manual pumps there is also an
air-operated grease gun, (see Section 2), and also larger, portable and mobile
pumps.
Loader
pumps
Loader pumps provide a clean and convenient way of
filling manual pumps. They also reduce the risk of contamination of the grease.
Loader pumps can be mounted directly onto drums of different sizes and are
equipped with filler valves. The lubricant is pumped through a filler adaptor
into the manual pump.
Mobile,
air-driven grease pumps
When large quantities of lubricant are needed at
various locations the use of mobile air operated grease pumps is recommended.
Compressed air must be available at each point where the mobile grease pump is
to be used. By using a mobile grease pump in conjunction with the original
refinery drums, the best possible cleanliness is achieved by avoiding the need
for transfer of grease from one container to another.
Hydraulic Fitting
Principle
Jaws grip the fitting head and the seal may be
mechanical or made by rubber. The nozzle is ”twisted”
off the fitting when lubrication is completed.
Lub fitting, zerk type
Principle
The pump nozzle is pressed against the dome shaped
head of the fitting thus providing a mechanical seal.
Lub fitting,
flush type
Principle
The pump nozzle is pressed into the fitting -
mechanical seal.
Button Head
Fitting
Principle
The nozzle grips the flanged head of the fitting when
hooked or thrust into position - metallic or rubber seal.
Information.
Compressed Air Equipment. Compressed
air as an energy source.
Compressed air is especially suitable as a power
source for pumps. In our field it is especially suitable for piston pumps for
oil and grease.
Air-driven pumps
Traditionally, reciprocating piston pumps for grease
and oil are air-operated. Air motors have a special feature not available with
electric motors. Air operated pumps stall when a certain predetermined
backpressure is reached in the system. No further control equipment is needed.
When the backpressure decreases the pump speed increases and conversely, when
back- pressure increases the speed decreases. This in itself is a benefit,
especially in centralized lubrication. Connected pipe work, hoses, meters etc.
are not exposed to sudden surges in pressure. Air-driven pumps do no present
any explosion hazard. Electric pumps require pressure switches, accumulators
and/or by-pass valves, which open when the set pressure is reached. Compressed
air is available in most service stations and factories and installation of an
air pipe work is a straightforward matter.
Pipe work
systems
The design of the pipe work system depends on many
factors, size of the building, type of work to be
carried out and number of outlets for example. Generally pipes are fitted to
ceilings or walls. Ring mains are advisable, especially in larger systems. If
an air dryer is not installed condensed water separators, preferably with
automatic drain facilities, should be installed at all low points. Branch pipes
should always be connected to the top of the main pipe and drainage should of
course be from the underside.
Pipe
dimensioning
The air volume required and the permissible pressure
drop, which is in turn affected by pipe length, determine the dimensions of the
main airline. Your local compressor dealer will usually assist you with the
calculations. As a rule, pumps etc. should not be connected to a feed pipe of
lesser diameter than the inlet thread of the unit. The size of the main line in
e.g. pump rooms depends on total air consumption and frequency of use.
Shut-off
valves
A shut-off valve followed by an airline
filter/regulator should be installed in each branch line. Brass ball valves are
recommended.
Airline
filters
Air from the compressor is in principal clean.
However, contamination can enter the system from pipe walls, line components
etc. Thus equipment connected should be protected against wear and damage by an
airline filter. Different degrees of filtration can be achieved by using filter
elements of varying porosity. Particles smaller than the
rated porosity cannot be separated but will pass through. Compressed air
always contains water vapour. If not drained it will settle and may cause
corrosion or malfunction of connected components.
Airline
regulators
Equipment connected to ordinary airlines will often
work at a variety of pressures. Excessive pressure may lead to malfunction,
increased air consumption and abnormal wear. On the other hand insufficient
pressure will cause low efficiency and inadequate power. Thus the main supply
pressure is set higher than the necessary working pressure and is reduced by
means of an airline regulator/reducing valve.
A regulator consists essentially of a diaphragm
controlling a valve. Secondary pressure and a spring balance the diaphragm. As
long as the secondary pressure is equal to or greater than the set pressure the
valve remains closed.
Airline
Lubricators
Air operated devices do need some form of lubrication
if they are to work efficiently and with the minimum of wear and breakdowns.
This can be achieved by adding oil to the compressed air in small drops by
means of an airline lubricator or by pre lubrication with certain types of
grease during manufacture. An airline lubricator creates an oil film on wear
surfaces, which also helps to prevent corrosion. Today most air-driven
equipment is ”permanently” lubricated with grease and
requires no further lubrication under normal conditions. Nevertheless it is important
to note that once an airline lubricator is used, this must continue as the
original grease is washed away.
Tests have shown however that an oil film does
increase the efficiency and working life of equipment.
An airline lubricator operates at full working
pressure and high air velocity. It creates relatively large oil droplets, which
do not travel long distances. Thus airline lubricators should be installed
close to the equipment being lubricated.
Quick-couplings
are very convenient for connecting air hoses to pumps.
Blowguns
A blowgun is used for cleaning with compressed air.
Quick-couplings and adapters facilitate quick change of tools and appliances
used with airlines.
Hose reels
The use of hose reels keeps the floor area free from
hoses. A hose for example fitted with a blowgun hangs above or beside the
working area when not in use and can easily be pulled down when needed, and
retracted afterwards. Hose reels can be mounted on ceiling, wall or floor for
easy access, without impeding normal work. Hoses are fitted with a hose stop,
which can be positioned according to the length, which should hang outside the
reel casing. There are hose reels available for oil, grease, water, detergents
etc. as well as for air.