New slurry pump wear monitoring technology is said to be transforming the way pump wear is detected and managed, leading to improved pump performance with longer equipment lifespans.

KSB Pumps and Valves market area manager: mining Jacques Pretorius explains that slurry pumps transport abrasive and corrosive mixtures in mining operations and that the inevitable wearing of sacrificial components must be managed to maintain optimum pump efficiency. Traditional methods of monitoring and managing pump wear through manual inspections and scheduled maintenance can be costly and time consuming.

“Additionally, such approaches are reactive, meaning wear is often only identified after it has impacted pump efficiency leading to higher maintenance costs and potential downtime. Therefore, there is a pressing need for more advanced solutions that can offer precise and timely insights into the wear status of slurry pumps, enabling a more proactive approach to maintenance,” says Pretorius.

He explains that KSB GIW SLYsight technology uses custom sensors, placed in strategic locations to measure the actual wear rate of a slurry pump’s parts including the internal clearance between the suction liner and the impeller, also known as the ‘nose gap’. The data collected by the sensors while the pump runs is shared through periodic reports.

“This enhanced monitoring system delivers data during nose gap adjustments that not only contributes to the pump’s maximum wear life but also enables operators to make an efficient and safe adjustment while the pump is operating,” says Pretorius.

Integrating this technology can help prevent unforeseen shutdowns and streamline operations while also helping to avoid premature replacement of sacrificial components before they reach their maximum service life. The technology enhances the understanding and management of pumping equipment wear by providing visual data reports and monitoring capabilities, improving accuracy to address potential wear and tear issues before they escalate.