Reduce energy consumption and costs with electric paint mixing pumps

Electric paint mixing pumps have many benefits and are showing promise as an energy- and money-saving technology. They can help you to improve efficiency, while delivering a high-quality paint finish. No wonder more and more manufacturers are making the switch to electric mixing pumps.

Responding to the rise in energy costs and environmental concerns, manufacturers are being prompted to look at alternative technologies and processes to achieve sustainable finishing operations. This has particularly been true on the paint line. Since the dawn of centralised mix rooms, new strategies have been developed to improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and minimise environmental impact, all while delivering a world-class paint finish.
 

The beginning of pump technology

These changes include advances in mix room equipment, especially pumps. Although pumps have been a staple in mix rooms for decades, the technology has changed considerably. Up until the late 1960s, most automotive manufacturers were using 2-ball pneumatic pumps, until paint plants became standardised and they started using centrifugal pumps.
 

Pneumatic 4-ball pumps

Over the next 10 to 20 years, pump technology continued to evolve and many operations shifted to pneumatic 4-ball pumps because they reduce degradation and extend paint life. This made them a great replacement for centrifugal pumps and ideal for industrial applications. For more than 30 years, pneumatic systems have been the accepted choice of most mix rooms because they are intrinsically safe, easy to operate, less expensive to purchase and use an existing power source in the plant.
 

Hydraulic pumps

Another option that never gained much traction is hydraulic pumps. Although they are more cost-efficient than pneumatic systems (approximately 25%), they have a reputation for being messy. Hydraulic pumps are generally expensive to retrofit into existing operations, but can be a good option if installing in a completely new paint line.
 

Electric pumps: a choice for long-term energy consumption

Perhaps the most important emerging technology to reduce long-term energy consumption, especially in large plants that are building new mix rooms, has been the use of electric pumps.

With typically a higher up-front capital expense, electric 4-ball pumps provide many advantages:

• Largest possible energy savings in a typical finishing operation
• Direct conversion of electrical energy to mechanical pumping
• No need for inefficient compressed air systems
• Improved control and automation potential

Pumps often run during off-shifts or non-peak operating modes. By automating the pump using off-production settings, the system can be set to operate only when absolutely needed, greatly reducing or eliminating energy consumption.
 

Graco’s E-Flo DC increases efficiency by up to 5 times

One particular electric circulating pump, manufactured by Graco, demonstrates these benefits. The E-Flo DC  has the ability to maintain constant fluid pressure like a pneumatic pump while delivering cost savings through the use of a highly efficient electric motor. This unique technology not only provides less pulsation at changeover for consistent finishes, it uses less energy – making it up to five times more efficient than similar-sized pneumatic pumps. It is also rated for use in hazardous locations.

To protect the pumps from premature wear, the E-Flo DC has an integrated runaway protection system that is standard on all models. If the pump exceeds a certain flow rate, it automatically shuts off. This safety mechanism not only prevents costly material loss, it also reduces maintenance and increases longevity of the product.

Table 1

^{Based on an average mix room with 10 circ lines at $1,225 (approx. £900) per line per year, switching from pneumatic to electrical pumps can yield $12,050 (approx. £8,840) per year in savings for finishing operations}