Frequently asked Questions about Piston Diaphragm Pumps
Welcome to the question and answer section for piston diaphragm pumps type HMD and CM.
If you have not found an answer to your question, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
General Questions
ABEL piston diaphragm pumps feature a hermetically sealed design, which minimizes the risk of leaks and contamination.
Piston diaphragm pumps can handle a wide range of media, especially corrosive and abrasive liquids and slurries, without the pump suffering excessive wear. Due to their robust design and the small number of parts that come into contact with the pumped medium, piston diaphragm pumps are very low-maintenance.
Finally, compared to other types of pumps, such as centrifugal pumps, piston diaphragm pumps are very energy efficient.
General: The medium to be pumped must be free-flowing and must not settle out inside the pump.
pH value: There are no fixed limits for pH values for certain materials. However, it is possible to test for resistance if the type of acid or base is known in addition to the pH value (or alternatively the concentration). With regard to the resistance of materials, the medium temperature also plays a very important role.
Temperature: up to 80°C – for pumps with polypropylene housings up to 60°C
Particle sizes: For ball valves, the maximum particle size is 15 mm. The maximum particle sizes are to be understood as diameters. Long, fibrous solids may well exceed the above values.
We will be happy to check whether our pumps can convey your product.
The pumps are generally produced to order. However, some pumps have relatively short delivery times of approx. 6 weeks ex works. Spare parts are usually in stock.
Yes, we have several thousand piston diaphragm pumps in use worldwide. CM and HMD pumps are particularly well represented in filter press feeding and the transport of industrial wastewater, abrasive and corrosive slurries.
First and foremost the enclosed operating manual. Our pumps can be adapted to different operating conditions, e.g. through the choice of material. However, there are also application limits in terms of temperature, particle size and maximum pressure. It is important to know that our pumps are “genuine” positive displacement pumps that must not be operated against a closed valve.
As a rule, testing is not possible. However, thanks to our experience, we can make reliable statements about the operation of an ABEL pump for your specific application. We configure the pump according to your requirements and carry out a test run before delivery to put the pump through its paces. You will receive the test report together with the pump documentation.
On request, we can organize a visit to a reference plant to see an ABEL pump in operation.
ABEL specializes in oscillating positive displacement pumps with particular expertise in piston diaphragm pumps. Our pump expertise and practical experience are unique, and we have our own research and development department and pump service team. After your purchase, you can therefore rely on our on-site support. We manufacture our pumps according to high “Made in Germany” quality standards, which is reflected in the durability and reliability of our pumps.
We manufacture all pumps at our headquarter in Büchen near Hamburg, Germany. Our quality management system is ISO 9001 certified, and we continuously invest in the sustainability of our location to reduce our CO2 emissions. Learn more here.
This group of substances is only used if the application/pumped medium requires a perfluorinated or polyfluorinated material (resistance).
Technical Data & Performance
For HMD piston diaphragm pumps, the maximum operating pressure is 100 bar for the iron or stainless steel versions, and 25 bar for the CM. For both pump series, the upper limit is 25 bar for rubber-coated versions and 16 bar for polypropylene versions.
In conventional transport applications, the maximum delivery rate of the HMD pump is 70 m³/h – and in filter press feeding, it is 90 m³/h.
The CM series achieves up to 30 m³/h.
Piston diaphragm pumps can easily suck up to 2 m (at a density of 1 kg/l) without significant loss of flow, but in this case they should be equipped with a suction flow stabilizer (suction-side pulsation damper). Suction heights in the range of 2 to 5 are associated with a flow rate loss of approx. 10% per additional meter.
CM piston diaphragm pump
- Housing: ductile iron, stainless steel (1.4581), rubber-coated, polypropylene
- Diaphragms: Polyurethane, TPE, FPM, PTFE, EPDM
- Valve balls: Polyurethane, EPDM, FPM, PTFE, polypropylene, stainless steel
- Valve seats: Polyurethane, HD-PE, hardened steel, stainless steel
Piston diaphragm pump HMD
- Housing: ductile iron, stainless steel (1.4581), rubber-coated, polypropylene
- Diaphragms: NBR, TPE, FPM, PTFE, EPDM
- Valve balls: Polyurethane, EPDM, FPM, PTFE, polypropylene, stainless steel
- Valve seats: Polyurethane, HD-PE, hardened steel, stainless steel
ABEL piston diaphragm pumps are characterized by a very high overall efficiency, which is usually (depending on the application) in the range of 85-87%.
This depends on the hydraulic power and varies between 1.5 and 45 kW.
ABEL piston diaphragm pumps generally operate at low stroke rates. This promotes smooth running. In addition, the pumps can be equipped with pulsation dampers to reduce vibrations to a minimum.
Pumps for smaller flow rates tend to require less space. The smallest pump in the CM series is approx. 1 m long, 0.4 m wide, and 1.3 m high. Larger pumps in the HM series measure approx. 4 m long, 1.5 m wide, and 3 m high.
If these basic dimensions exceed your local conditions, the dimensions can be adjusted by making design changes. We would be happy to review your application.
The smallest CM pump weighs approximately 215 kg. The weight of larger HM pumps, on the other hand, can exceed 3000 kg.
As standard, the pumps are primed with an epoxy-based primer and then painted with a polyurethane-based ABEL Blue paint (RAL 5015). Other colors are available on request. The coating thickness is 80 µm in total as standard.
Configuration & Operation
Yes. For very low speeds, however, motors with external fans are required.
Bus connections are also possible in combination with appropriate frequency converters.
The motor voltage depends on the available three-phase power supply (voltage, frequency). The control voltage is normally 230 V AC or 24 V DC.
The drive motor must be protected accordingly (overcurrent). Operation against closed shut-off devices must be avoided! The pumps are additionally protected on the hydraulic side with a safety valve.
Yes, pumps can in principle be used both indoors and outdoors.
However, certain aspects must be taken into account, starting with the design of the pumps. Especially in outdoor areas, additional protection against direct weather influences is required and the motor must be suitable for the temperature range.
You will receive comprehensive pump documentation. This includes the operating manual, dimensional drawing, sectional drawing, parts list and declaration of conformity.
CM and HM pumps are also available in ATEX versions on request, not only for ATEX zones at the installation site, but also taking into account a possible ATEX zone inside the pump when pumping flammable liquids.
Optional accessories for our pumps include, for example, air supply for the suction and pressure sides, electrical diaphragm monitoring, suction flow stabilizer, pulsation damper, frequency converter, or control cabinet.
Our monitoring system “Smart Pump Assistant” is highly recommended. It includes various sensors that are installed on the pump and a digital software component with AI for monitoring pump health and efficiency.
We recommend the ABEL Smart Pump Assistant for pump monitoring. This not only makes it easy to monitor important operating parameters such as pressure, flow rate, and temperature, but also digitizes data on pump health. The pump data is evaluated using AI and clearly displayed in the ABEL app. Even predictive maintenance is possible.
HMD and CM pumps can be controlled via a frequency converter. In filter press feeding, the CM can also be controlled by diaphragm stroke control. Thanks to this pressure-dependent stroke control, it automatically reduces the flow rate as the filtration pressure increases.
Yes, feeding membrane filter presses is possible without any problems.
Costs
The two main components of operating costs are energy costs and maintenance/repair costs.
Energy costs: Due to the high overall efficiency of the pump, energy consumption is correspondingly low, as are the resulting energy costs. This advantage is particularly noticeable during long operating times.
Maintenance costs: With the help of the Smart Pump Assistant, you can also reduce operating costs by up to 25%. This is achieved with the help of efficiency monitoring and optimized maintenance planning. Maintenance is carried out based on actual wear. Maintenance intervals are thus fully utilized and unplanned downtime with consequential costs is reduced.
ABEL piston diaphragm pumps therefore create the ideal conditions for keeping operating costs as low as possible.
As a rule, spare part costs are manageable, as piston diaphragm pumps are comparatively low-maintenance. The main components that should be replaced regularly are diaphragms, valve seats, and valve balls.
Energy consumption depends on the pump size (motor used) and operating hours. In general, ABEL piston diaphragm pumps are extremely energy-efficient due to their high overall efficiency. Generally speaking, the higher the operating hours, the higher the potential energy cost savings.
Here are two practical examples:
- CM pump: An ABEL customer in soil treatment feeds membrane filter presses with ABEL compact diaphragm pumps. These are fed with abrasive drilling sludge. In 2023, this customer consumed less than 1 kWh per ton of filter cake.
- HM pump: A European mining customer was able to reduce its energy costs by almost 75% (from 440,000 kWh/year to 116,000 kWh/year) by integrating an ABEL pump into the filter press process.
Maintenance
The service life naturally depends on the location (e.g., weather conditions) and operating conditions (daily operating hours, properties of the product to be pumped). However, with good care and regular maintenance, the service life of an ABEL piston diaphragm pump can easily be up to 30 years. ABEL pumps are very durable and we guarantee the availability of spare parts even for older pump models.
The service life naturally also depends on the medium, the application and the daily operating hours. Highly abrasive and corrosive media generally put more strain on wearing parts. With normal use and normal run time, valve balls, diaphragms and valve seats generally need to be replaced once a year.
Average maintenance work can usually be completed within a few hours.
Scheduled maintenance is usually straightforward. If you have your own maintenance team, we will be happy to show you what to do in advance during a training session. If you do not have a maintenance team, an ABEL service technician can carry out the maintenance.
Special tools may be required, particularly for maintaining the HMD piston diaphragm pump. If you did not purchase these with the pump, you can order them from us at a later date.
