Okay, so check it out, recently I was messing around with an acid metering pump. It all started ’cause I needed to get a handle on how much acid we were using in this one process, right? Thought, “Hey, metering pump seems like the way to go.”
First thing I did was grab a pump. It’s a pretty standard one, you know, the kind with the adjustable stroke length and frequency. I made sure it was rated for the type of acid I was using. Safety first, always!
Next up was setting it up. I grabbed a container for the acid, hooked up the suction line, and ran the discharge line to where it needed to go. Made sure everything was tight, no leaks! That’s super important when you’re dealing with acid.
Then came the fiddly bit – calibrating the pump. This took a bit of trial and error. I started by setting the stroke length and frequency to some middle-of-the-road values. Then, I ran the pump for a set amount of time, like a minute, and measured how much acid it dispensed.
Here’s where it got interesting. I noticed the flow wasn’t consistent. Sometimes it would be a little more, sometimes a little less. I suspected it was the viscosity of the acid changing with temperature. So, I rigged up a way to keep the acid at a more consistent temperature. Helped a bunch!
After that, it was just a matter of tweaking the stroke length and frequency until I got the flow rate I wanted. I used a graduated cylinder and a stopwatch to measure the output accurately. Took a few tries, but I eventually dialed it in.
Pro Tip: Keep a log of your settings and the corresponding flow rates. This way, if you ever need to change it, you have a reference point. I used a simple spreadsheet to keep track of everything.
I ran the pump for a few hours, just to make sure it was stable and the flow rate wasn’t drifting. Happy to report, it held steady!
Here’s a quick rundown of the things I learned:
- Make sure your pump is rated for the acid you’re using. Seriously, don’t skimp on this.
- Temperature can affect the viscosity of the acid, so try to keep it consistent.
- Calibrate, calibrate, calibrate! It’s worth the effort to get it right.
- Keep a log of your settings. You’ll thank yourself later.
Overall, it was a pretty straightforward project, but it taught me a lot about metering pumps and how to get them to work accurately. Plus, now I have a much better handle on how much acid we’re using. Worth the effort, for sure!