Pumps handle ferric chloride safely

Magnetic drive pumps lend themselves to handling ferric chloride, which can easily contaminate the surrounding area with the slightest leak.

CDR Pumps has a long history in the safe, effective handling of ferric chloride.

Ferric is used throughout industry in applications in, for example, the chemical milling industry.

Ferric chloride is heated and maintained at 50C and sprayed at 2.5bar against materials such as stainless steel, brass, aluminium and steel to etch the surfaces chemically.

This process produces items such as microchip bases, printed circuit boards, stencils, nameplates and other highly intricate parts.

CDR magnetic drive pumps can handle this aggressive liquid, which can easily contaminate the surrounding area with the slightest leak.

The magnetic drive pump removes the need for traditional mechanical seals, which by their design suffer from wear due to heavy contact of the mating seal faces.

The magnetic drive coupling ensures that these seals are removed, which means a totally sealed pump unit is in operation, and the only opportunity for leakage is in the case of catastrophic failure.

To protect against this, a digital load monitor should be installed which trips the motor if adverse operating conditions occur.

CDR has a single source agreement for the pump with chemical milling machine maker P and G Processors, which has installed over 75 pumps on these applications over the past four to five years.

Paul Kelland, Managing Director of P and G Processors, said: "We have put the CDR pump units under severe operating tests, and the units have handled the applications fantastically".

"Some lines are operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and have been doing so for three years now, with no sign of any issues or problems".

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