How to prevent air lock in the eye of your froth pump

The biggest issue with pumping slurry is that air centrifuge into the centre of the froth pump, the eye of the impeller. Air will prevent the slurry from passing the froth pump. Excessive slurry forces air through the pump, which can cause significant strain loads on the froth pump's bearings as they pass, as well as on the froth pump's impeller and shaft, reducing their wear life.

Firstly, it’s important to ensure the froth pump’s discharge pipe is either at the top or positioned at a 45° angle to allow air that has been trapped in the froth pump’s casing to escape outwards. Froth pumps using the horizontal discharge at the bottom will quickly build up the air inside the casing, rendering them ineffective.  

When this isn’t enough, the most effective way of alleviating this problem is using a pump with an integrated Continual Air Removal System (CARS). the froth pump uses vent holes in the impeller to move gas into a dedicated collection chamber in the back end of the pump. From here a flow inducer facilitates the movement of the air through the vent pipe and out of the pump. This continuous removal prevents air build-up in the impeller’s eye and promotes efficient slurry transport.