RP-200: Design of PD pump for pumping of molasses

Abstract

Abstract Motivation There is, at the present time, no submerged molasses pump on the market that is designed specifically for cargo tankers. Due to this I, find it interesting to look into the possibilities of installing a molasses pump in cargo tankers to transport molasses instead of transporting molasses in containers as it is done today. It is challenging to come up with a new product, and the motivation of actual be able to release a pump for the international marked is indescribable. Problem The goal is to make a prototype of a submerged pump specifically made for pumping molasses that can fulfill the customer requirements for flow and pressure. Obtaining reliable test result and demonstration of the pump is desirable before the new product is set into production. Approach Molasses is a very special and complex cargo, due to the complexity, 8cdot10^{3}kg of molasses was ordered from Australia. Then it was possible to do several tests on the actual molasses which the current market is for. Different pump designs have to be evaluated and then some design can be put into prototyping. The prototypes needs to go through several test so as much knowledge as possible can be gained before the pump is released on the market. Conclusion There is definitely a large market for transporting molasses by cargo tankers. There are already several orders for a molasses pumping system. Molasses seems to be a more complicated cargo pump then first assumed because of its big variations in viscosity due to temperature and different batches. There are many unknown factors involved in pumping molasses and as further it was dogged in to the problems new ones occurred. But the problems have been solved, some has been hard to solve. After three prototypes the customers requirements were finally achieved, and then all the hard work has finally given result. Even if the pump design is ready for the first order, many new question have arrived and this is the motivation to continue with the process that has already started. Especially interesting is the new technology that will be available next year regarding CFX a motivation factor to keep trying to rise the efficiency.