PP body for spirit transfer pump

[vsaks]

I am wondering if it is okay to use polypropylene body for spirits transfer pump.
People have recommended Flojet G70 pump in the past which is polypropylene.
I have been looking at Yamada pumps, and if I get polypropylene body with Teflon elastomers, I can get a 13.5 gpm pump for the same price as Flojet G70.

[Silk City Distillers]

Yep.

No matter what you use, you should flush and rinse with water, including hoses.  It’s just best practice and will ensure long life with minimal degradation of seals. 

[Lenny]

Lot's of folks use polypropylene pumps. We try to use stainless wherever we can, but so long as ethanol is compatible with whatever material you are considering (https://www.coleparmer.com/Chemical-Resistance), you're good to go. Out of curiosity... which Yamada pump you're considering. I need to pick up a few smaller aod pumps.

[MichaelAtTCW]

19 hours ago, vsaks said:

I am wondering if it is okay to use polypropylene body for spirits transfer pump.
People have recommended Flojet G70 pump in the past which is polypropylene.
I have been looking at Yamada pumps, and if I get polypropylene body with Teflon elastomers, I can get a 13.5 gpm pump for the same price as Flojet G70.

To ensure you're comparing apples to apples: part of the reason the G70 is more expensive is because it uses conductive materials that allow the pump to be fully groundable, thus granting it ATEX certification for safe pump operation in potentially dangerous or explosive atmospheres. Air diaphragm pumps have a lot of rapidly moving parts that can cause static build-up and discharge unless they're grounded, making them potentially unsafe if used around flammable products or vapors.

Most air diaphragm pumps are not designed to be fully groundable. The ones that are groundable usually broadcast it pretty loudly by proclaiming ATEX/UL certification, or something like that. Groundable pumps are also usually more expensive than non-groundable pumps, as you've discovered.

I'm sure Yamada makes some groundable pumps—they talk about having select ATEX and UL certified pumps here on their website. I'd be surprised if the Yamada you're comparing with the G70 is one of them.

[vsaks]

8 hours ago, MichaelAtTCW said:

To ensure you're comparing apples to apples: part of the reason the G70 is more expensive is because it uses conductive materials that allow the pump to be fully groundable, thus granting it ATEX certification for safe pump operation in potentially dangerous or explosive atmospheres. Air diaphragm pumps have a lot of rapidly moving parts that can cause static build-up and discharge unless they're grounded, making them potentially unsafe if used around flammable products or vapors.

Most air diaphragm pumps are not designed to be fully groundable. The ones that are groundable usually broadcast it pretty loudly by proclaiming ATEX/UL certification, or something like that. Groundable pumps are also usually more expensive than non-groundable pumps, as you've discovered.

I'm sure Yamada makes some groundable pumps—they talk about having select ATEX and UL certified pumps here on their website. I'd be surprised if the Yamada you're comparing with the G70 is one of them.

Michael,
  You make a valid point. Their PP pump is not groundable, so can't use it with high proof. But wondering if it still might be okay with low wines (20% ABV). And use G70 to move high proof alcohol (55-70%).

[vsaks]

9 hours ago, Lenny said:

Lot's of folks use polypropylene pumps. We try to use stainless wherever we can, but so long as ethanol is compatible with whatever material you are considering (https://www.coleparmer.com/Chemical-Resistance), you're good to go. Out of curiosity... which Yamada pump you're considering. I need to pick up a few smaller aod pumps.

Lenny,
   I was looking at NDP-15 pumps. Either NDP-15BPT or NDP-15FPT. Both are PP body with Teflon seals for about $400. The difference is flat vs ball valves. They'll do about 13.5 gpm .

[Classick]

On 10/4/2017 at 12:26 PM, MichaelAtTCW said:

To ensure you're comparing apples to apples: part of the reason the G70 is more expensive is because it uses conductive materials that allow the pump to be fully groundable, thus granting it ATEX certification for safe pump operation in potentially dangerous or explosive atmospheres. Air diaphragm pumps have a lot of rapidly moving parts that can cause static build-up and discharge unless they're grounded, making them potentially unsafe if used around flammable products or vapors.

Most air diaphragm pumps are not designed to be fully groundable. The ones that are groundable usually broadcast it pretty loudly by proclaiming ATEX/UL certification, or something like that. Groundable pumps are also usually more expensive than non-groundable pumps, as you've discovered.

I'm sure Yamada makes some groundable pumps—they talk about having select ATEX and UL certified pumps here on their website. I'd be surprised if the Yamada you're comparing with the G70 is one of them.

Hey Michael,

I seem to recall us having this conversation before...but would it be possible to track down any documentation that indicates a UL rating (specifically NOT ATEX, which our fire guys do not accept as a recognized rating) for the SimpleSpirits AOD pump TCW sells?

I managed to find the attached datasheet, but there's nothing that indicates which model this is for.

Distillery Pump - UL Sheet.pdf

[MichaelAtTCW]

2 hours ago, Classick said:

Hey Michael,

I seem to recall us having this conversation before...but would it be possible to track down any documentation that indicates a UL rating (specifically NOT ATEX, which our fire guys do not accept as a recognized rating) for the SimpleSpirits AOD pump TCW sells?

I managed to find the attached datasheet, but there's nothing that indicates which model this is for.

Distillery Pump - UL Sheet.pdf

Yep. I think I recall having this conversation with you. You're not too far from us in Northern California, correct? Give me a call. I should be able to set you up with the documentation. 707-963-9681.