3 Must-Have AODD Pump Accessories That Will Increase Efficiency

As a plant maintenance manager, you understand the importance of keeping all systems and machinery running smoothly, and in turn, keeping production stoppage as low as possible. Downtime is not an option, as it leads to lost revenue.

While air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pumps are known for reliability and versatility, there are ways to make them perform even better. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss the three must-have AODD accessories that will improve performance and extend the life of your pumps. 

Pulsation Dampeners

What Are They?

Pulsation dampeners/surge suppressors are easily installed tools to help deliver virtually pulsation-free flows and steady liquid pressures.  

How Do They Work?

All AODD pumps create pulsations of product fluid as they operate. This is due to the column of fluid traveling with each stroke of the pump. A pulsation dampener uses a flexible diaphragm to separate a liquid chamber from a compressed air chamber. 

As the product fluid pulse enters the dampener’s liquid chamber, it displaces the diaphragm upward into the compressed air chamber. The displacement of the diaphragm absorbs the surge and fills the pressure void and effectively dampens the fluid pulsation.

Why Are They Important?

Pulsation dampeners give you a more smooth, consistent flow so you don’t have pressure variation. Consistent pressure and flow downstream will help instrumentation such as flow meter read more accurately. 

Because monitoring pump efficiency is critical in a production facility, you want to make sure you’re protecting those tools. Pulsation dampeners protect downstream equipment from damage caused by pressure spikes. If you use pulsation dampeners on the suction side of the pump, it will make the flow into the pump more consistent and smooth, helping control water hammer and extending your diaphragm life. 

Filter Regulators

What Are They?

Filter regulators play a crucial role in the performance of AODD pumps. They prevent wet, dirty and often unregulated air from entering the pump. The combination of dirty and unregulated air can damage and/or shorten the life of downstream equipment, such as AODD pumps. 

How Do They Work?

Filter regulators protect the air valve of the pump by removing solids and liquid contaminants from the air lines while providing additional precise pump control.

Why Are They Important?

Filter regulators are essential in ensuring clean, dry air is powering the pump. With both O-ring seals on the pilot valve assembly and energy-efficient, tight tolerances on the main air valve, it’s important to keep the compressed air dry and debris-free.

Clean, dry air is critical. Clean air helps the valve components last longer, and dry air helps the pump to not experience icing on the muffler. When outside air is drawn into the compressor, it naturally contains moisture that can freeze when compressed air rapidly expands inside the pump. The resulting ice can cause the pump to stall. Filter regulators protect the air valve of the pump by removing solids and liquid contaminants from the air lines while providing additional precise pump control.

Additionally, an air filter regulator can also help you start the pump in a gradual “soft” manner, which creates less stress on the pump’s components, such as diaphragms, diaphragm plates and the main diaphragm shaft. 

Liquid Level Controllers

What Are They?

Liquid level controllers are just that—devices used to monitor the level of liquid and ensure that the liquid is maintained at the desired level. Liquid level controllers are useful in sump, dewatering, fluid transfer or tank-filling applications. 

How Do They Work?

Liquid level controllers operate entirely by mechanical and pneumatic means. A float-operated air pilot valve controls the opening and closing of an air valve. It admits or exhausts air through a special regulator to turn an air-operated pump on or off.

Why Are They Important?

Liquid level controllers enhance AODD pump performance by automatically opening and closing the pump’s air supply. Completely air-driven (i.e., pneumatic) and ATEX-approved for simple, safe pump control, liquid level controllers protect AODD pumps from inefficient dry running conditions. They automatically turn pumps on and off for intermittent applications.  

Trusted AODD Pump Accessories

When it comes to optimizing pump and system performance to increase efficiency and provide additional protection of your critical equipment, SANDPIPER has you covered. Our pulsation dampeners, filter regulators, liquid level controllers and other accessories are tested and approved control components, which when used with your SANDPIPER pump, can improve your system performance and extend the life of your pump. 

Partner with us to learn how to apply SANDPIPER genuine accessories to your system to keep it running smoothly and achieve optimal performance.