Unique Pump Systems, Kailash Industrial Complex, Vikhroli (W)
Bitumen and asphalt are extremely viscous and only flow when kept hot, typically 150–200 °C, which makes a jacketed gear pump the standard choice for moving them. A steam- or thermic-fluid jacket keeps the pumping chamber warm so the product never congeals and stalls the gears. Cold bitumen can seize a pump solid, so heating design matters more here than raw motor power.
Sealing hot bitumen is its own problem, and the mechanical seal you choose has to survive both the temperature and the tendency of the product to set on the faces. Get the jacket, the clearances and the seal right, and a gear pump will move bitumen reliably for years.
Specify a jacketed casing and jacketed end covers so heat surrounds the whole pumping chamber, not just the body. Internal clearances are opened slightly compared with a cold-oil pump, allowing the gears and shaft to expand with temperature without binding.
High-temperature mechanical seals with metal bellows and graphite faces suit hot bitumen. A heated seal chamber or steam quench keeps product from solidifying on the faces. Gland packing with a lantern ring and flush is a lower-cost alternative acceptable on batch plants where a small controlled weep is tolerable.
Bitumen and asphalt duty is as much about the surrounding system as the pump. Keep the suction line short, fully jacketed and continuously heated, because a cold pocket anywhere upstream will choke the pump before the product ever reaches the gears. Trace-heat the valves and fittings too, since an unheated valve body sets solid and blocks the line. Size the motor generously: cold-start torque on partly stiff product is far higher than the running load, and an undersized drive will trip on every winter start-up.
Wear is the other long-term factor. Some asphalts carry mineral filler that abrades the gears and bushes, so hardened internals and a slightly slower running speed extend service life. Inspect the clearances at every major shutdown and keep a jacketed spare on hand for continuous plants. Because Unique Pump Systems builds these units in Mumbai to suit local road-construction and waterproofing plants, replacements and spares are available without long import lead times, which keeps a hot-mix or coating line running through the season.
Both work. Thermic fluid holds a steadier high temperature and suits continuous plants, while steam is simpler and common on batch operations.
With correct heating, a gear pump handles bitumen at its working temperature. Cold handling is not advised, because the product resists filling the gears and can seize the pump.
A high-temperature metal-bellows mechanical seal with a quench is the most reliable option; packing with a flush is the budget alternative.
Unique Pump Systems designs and manufactures gear pumps in Mumbai for Indian and export customers, including import-substitute builds matched to the footprint and performance of common imported pumps. If you need help selecting, sizing or replacing a unit for your fluid, duty and temperature, share your flow, viscosity and pressure and our engineers will recommend the right configuration and spares. Call +91 98198 30689 or +91 98206 25476, or request a quote through our contact page, and keep a seal and bush kit on the shelf so any future change-out is quick.
