DOMO Chemicals Offers Sintered Carbon Solution for Submersible Pumps

DOMO Chemicals has expanded its THERMEC™ advanced polymer range with a new solution to replace sintered carbon in submersible pump thrust bearing applications. THERMEC™ S is a glass and mineral-filled, lubricated polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) based material that offers exceptional wear and abrasion resistance properties to extend tool life. The product is not only cost-effective but also delivers superior performance advantages compared to sintered carbon. Due to its excellent machinability, THERMEC™ S is suitable for both injection molding and extrusion applications. Tushar Parida, Country Manager DOMO India, states: "Sintered carbon thrust bearings have a long tradition of use in submersible pumps, but there is also a risk of easy breakage during operation." He adds: "THERMEC™ S overcomes these challenges by offering high pressure resistance and temperature resistance while also delivering excellent mechanical performance and low creep. This product is an excellent addition to the THERMEC™ portfolio." [caption id="attachment_104651" align="aligncenter"] THERMEC™ S: DOMO Chemicals launches sintered carbon replacement for submersible pumps. (Photo: istock.com/artas[/caption]

Submersible pumps, used primarily for agricultural irrigation, are typically installed several meters below ground level to extract water. Thrust bearings are extremely important for the service life and performance of these pumps.

Since these bearings rotate continuously, they will friction against sand, sludge and the metal fixed surface of the bearing housing. This causes an increase in temperature during operation. Additionally, due to very high underground pressure (1 bar per meter), these components are exposed to high temperature and pressure conditions during operation. Sintered carbon thrust bearings are among the best non-metallic products currently available for submersible pumps due to their exceptional wear performance at high temperatures and cost-performance ratio. However, the disadvantage of this material is its brittleness, which means that parts containing it are typically fragile. Processing these solutions is also not easy, which can result in longer waiting times, cooling temperatures, and consequently lower productivity. DOMO's THERMEC™ S is designed to replace sintered carbon in submersible pumps exposed to continuous application temperatures of up to 200°C. Combining PPS, glass, mineral fillers and lubricating additives results in a synergistic effect that provides excellent wear resistance. This delivers a final product with superior mechanical properties compared to sintered carbon samples. DOMO plays a strong role in the high-performance polymers market. Its comprehensive THERMEC™ product range has been developed to meet the demands of specialized application requirements. The advanced polymer solution range includes new solutions based on polyamideimide (PPA): THERMEC™ N; polyphenylene sulfide (PPS): THERMEC™ S; and polyetheretherketone (PEEK): THERMEC™ K).