High Flow Centrifugal Pump for Diesel Tanker Refuelling

Solving an Issue for a Fuel Depot Experiencing Issues Refueling their Tankers

We were contacted by an engineer at a fuel depot that was experiencing problems with their current pump that was being used for refuelling tankers. The pump was taking far too long to refuel the tankers, causing other lorries to queue for long periods, leading to lost time and higher costs. The cause of the reduction in flow rate was due to the back pressure in the system being too high. The original pumps were able to produce 1500 Litres per minute, however they were only capable of producing this flow rate at around 1.5 Bar. The actual back pressure in the system was 3 bar, this significantly reduced and flow rate from the pump and also caused cavitation.

Selection of our XCN Close-Coupled Centrifugal Pump Suitable for High Flow Rates with Low NPSH Requirement

We have been involved in many products like this and knew the best pump to specify. We selected one of our XCN close-coupled centrifugal pumps that can deliver 1500 Litres per minute at 3 bar. The existing pumps were constructed from cast iron, we recommended that the materials be upgraded to ductile iron. We advised this, as ductile iron is a stronger material, this reduces the chance of the casing cracking after any impact, therefore lowering the risk of any potential fuel leakages. We also advised the customer to increase the size of the loading arms to 4”, therefore helping to reduce the back pressure. 

This model of centrifugal pump was also chosen due to its ability to deliver high flow rates with a low NPSH requirement, meaning should the inlet tank levels drop, the required flow rate can still be achieved.

Below is the specification of the pump that was installed: