Kiron Hydraulic Needs, in collaboration with March Pumps, offers a broad range of saltwater pumps. March Pumps has been a prominent manufacturer of saltwater pumps since 1977, with products designed to meet the industry’s specific needs. March Pumps has successfully handled thousands of saltwater pumps in a wide range of pumping applications.
We all know that water covers more than 70% of the earth’s surface, but did you realize that saltwater accounts for more than 97% of that total? As anybody who works in or near a body of salt water will tell you, salt water presents unique problems to the materials you use in your daily life that fresh water does not—especially when you have to pump it! When choosing a water pump, it is critical to evaluate the finest pump materials for salt water.
Saltwater corrodes items considerably faster than fresh water does. And it’s not just salt; other compounds, including sulphides, may accumulate in stagnant salt water and eat away at your pump’s impeller. Even something as basic as the hardware on a park seat might corrode more quickly when exposed to salt water if it is not made of the proper material.
If you’re utilizing a water pump in a saltwater environment, or if you’re deliberately pumping salt water, you should utilize a water pump built of corrosion-resistant materials. Choosing the proper pump for your saltwater application requires consideration of both cost and application.
Cast iron is a crucial component in many pumps, however, it is prone to rusting, which is accelerated by saline water. As a result, it is never recommended to utilize a cast iron pump for saltwater pumping. So, what other materials can better resist the corrosive effects of salt water?
Aluminium is an excellent corrosion-resistant material. In addition to being corrosion-resistant, aluminium is much lighter than iron and steel. This makes pumps more portable, but it may have an impact on their longevity and durability. Aluminium pumps are extremely rare and difficult to find.
Copper and its related alloys, such as brass and bronze, are commonly used in corrosion-resistant pumps. Brass and bronze are particularly valuable because, once oxidized, they will not rust since they are non-ferrous or do not contain iron. However, this does not exclude them from reacting to salt water. After all, there’s a reason why the Copper Statue of Liberty is green.
Plastic is a popular corrosion-resistant material that is frequently used in conjunction with any or all of the materials listed above, particularly stainless steel, an alloy of steel and additional metals such as chromium and molybdenum. There are several varieties of stainless steel, which vary depending on the precise metals and percentages that make up the alloy. The majority of stainless steel goods you encounter in everyday life, such as food preparation tables, are type 304, which is an alloy containing chromium and nickel that is very resistant to corrosion.
This may not always be the ideal alloy to use, and a number of criteria must be considered when selecting the appropriate alloy. 316 stainless steel contains a greater amount of molybdenum, which increases corrosion resistance, making it the superior choice for saltwater pumping.
Ideal Characteristics for Saltwater Pump Material
When selecting a Saltwater pump, the most important factor is how resistant the building components are to corrosive elements. The quantity of salt in saltwater corrodes metal five times faster than in fresh water. Airborne salt corrodes metal 10 times quicker than that. This is owing to the chemical characteristics of salt in water; ions float easily in salt water, causing metals to become more neutral (or corroded). In a similar vein, floating sand in the water threatens to erode the wetted interiors of pumps, particularly in high-velocity applications.
In addition to corrosion resistance, the proper material should be able to withstand temperature fluctuations, particularly for heating and cooling purposes aboard. Submarines and other submersible applications will also require materials that can tolerate stress from high-pressure operations. Another attribute of an excellent Saltwater pump material is its durability. Being at sea limits the equipment available to fix damaged pumps and eliminates the chance to transport these pumps to the nearest repair shop until the ship docks.