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Recommendations on a hobby sized pump for slurry

edited February 2017 in General

I am experimenting with a lot of different grain flour slurry 'washes' and looking for input on a decent pump that doesn't mind high viscosity and temperature. Currently using a little giant, but that limits me to thinner grain to water ratios and control is limited to restriction on the output which I don't love.

Flow rate doesn't have to be huge, max total batches wont exceed 30 gal on this system. Budget also needs to be in the hobby range, anyone have any success stories?

Thanks, Cheers!

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Comments

  • Washing machine pump will do it. They are cheap as anything for a generic replacement, will handle hot liquids, solids and air. Last time i priced on here in Australia they were under $20.

    They are not self priming but that shouldn't matter in this instance.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited February 2017

    A 5 gallon pail is going to be hard to beat.

    Not being facetious, it's just that even a small displacement pump that can handle decent sized solids is going to be pricey.

    Realistically, if you have a compressor, a small air operated double diaphragm pump might be doable. Something in the 3/4-1" range that can also handle larger diameter solids would work. But, you are probably still looking at a couple hundred bucks, and even more if you don't have air. The only nice thing is that you can run them slow. I'd say try a half inch version, but I suspect that's going to be somewhat limiting to anything but washes ground to flour.

    No centrifugal is going to really work well.

  • I did some research and double diaphragm air operated pumps are a couple of hundred bucks for the diameter that @grim is talking about.

  • What temps are you working at. Full boiler ones? 211f. 99.9c?

  • edited February 2017

    Compatible seals/diaphragms for full temperature would be:

    EPDM, Viton, Santoprene, and PTFE/Tefon.

    In terms of body material - stainless is preferred - while Polypropylene isn't recommended at 212F/100C - for short runs you should be absolutely fine.

    Stainless with teflon seals and diaphragms is the ideal. Teflon seals, body, diaphragms works as great, but is prohibitively expensive. PVDF is better than PP when it comes to temperature, an option as well.

    You can find on the used market, teflon seals/diaphragm on a polypropylene body for good prices - these are common. I would imagine aluminum is fine as well - although I suspect some people would have a major issue with aluminum.

  • Like i said, talk to a washing machine repair centre. They'll have something that will do it for $20.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Thats how i do my beer, move the strike water, and the sweet wort by bucket. 40 gallons knock out per brew day.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited February 2017

    @FullySilenced I was hoping for full temp, but I may end up modifying my process.

    Thanks for the input all. Now that I know what to look for I'll keep my eyes peeled on the used market and see what I can find. Cheers!

  • @punkin said: Like i said, talk to a washing machine repair centre. They'll have something that will do it for $20.

    I'm with Punkin on this. Although I haven't done it for decades, I used to use a Kenmore washer pump driven by the washer's motor with the washer's belt, all bolted onto a board. I bought it at a junkyard for $.10 a pound. I just might do it again, but this time I'm hoping for one where the pump is mounted directly on the motor. I think I've seen them like that.

    The old one worked perfectly , but I think it got lost in a move.

    Using JBWeld, you can adapt it to any hose fitting.

    Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller

    my book, Making Fine Spirits

  • edited February 2017

    Let's look at the pros and cons:

    Pretty typical HDPE Bucket

    Handles any size solids with no issue.

    Handles pretty much any viscosity with no issue.

    Explosion proof.

    Simplistic design not prone to breakdown or fouling.

    No issue with incompatible plastics or seals.

    No mechanically complex drive-trains, motors, gear reductions, or pulleys.

    Highly sanitary design, easy to clean and sanitize.

    Cost effective enough to always have a spare on hand.

    Lightweight.

    Requires no expensive high-temperature hoses and costly fittings.

    Cheap to purchase, cheap to replace.

    Air-Operated Double Diaphragm Pump

    Fairly expensive to purchase, buying used is usually the only way to acquire one at a reasonable price - always a risk based on what was being pumped previously (fuel, oil, etc).

    Pumps are very complex, purchasing is complicated due the the nearly infinite number of combination of brand, size, body material, diaphragm material, seal material, and other variants.

    Requires compressor and a way to regulate flow to control speed.

    However, air flow regulation allows you to very easily control pump speed over a very wide variety of conditions.

    Fairly sanitary design - other than threaded fittings - they can be effectively sanitized.

    Tend to be big, heavy, and if not bolted to a base tend to fall over due to the hose connections.

    Pro - will self-prime and pull suction.

    After the third use you will question why you bothered spending all the money on this, since a bucket was easier than dealing with all the hoses, fittings, and cleaning required to run the pump for 3 minutes.

    Washing Machine Pump

    Requires elaborate Rube Goldberg mechanical system.

    Plastics probably not compatible, chances are it will eventually embrittle and break, probably at the worst time possible. Pretty sure you will get burned, and lose half a batch, in the process.

    Really cheap, though not as cheap as a bucket.

    All of the downsizes of the AODD as it applies to needing expensive hoses, fittings, and all of the associated cleaning necessary to run the pump for 3 minutes.

  • :))

    you're missing the broken back on the bucket side

  • edited February 2017

    I thought they called that "Cross-Fit" these days, and people paid their cross-fit gyms $150 a month for the privilege of lugging buckets around.

  • :))

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • I see a new opportunity for the "Cross Fit Distillery"!

  • Cross Schlitz?

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