How to Select a Lutz Drum Pump: Electric, Air, Explosion-Proof or Progressive Cavity
Do not begin Lutz drum-pump selection with motor wattage. Establish whether the liquid is flammable, its viscosity and chemical compatibility, the required duty point, container depth and available power. Flammability determines the approved construction and grounding requirements; viscosity determines whether a centrifugal or progressive-cavity pumping principle is appropriate.
1. Choose the pump family
| Solution | Typical duty | Main selection questions |
|---|---|---|
| Standard electric or air-operated drum pump | Water-like to slightly viscous, non-flammable liquids | Tube material, seal arrangement, axial rotor or radial impeller |
| Explosion-proof drum pump | Solvents, fuels and flammable liquids | Approved motor and tube combination, conductive accessories and grounding |
| HD-E medium-viscosity screw pump | Approximately 500–4,000 cP | Sanitary construction, pressure and cleaning method |
| High-viscosity screw pump | Resins, glycerine, honey and similar media, up to 120,000 cP | Flow behaviour, rotor/stator materials, solids and shear sensitivity |
2. Treat flammability as the first safety gate
An air motor alone does not make a transfer system explosion-safe. The pump tube, hose, couplings, nozzle and container must form an approved conductive and grounded system. Lutz offers stainless-steel tubes and drive combinations for low-viscosity flammable and explosive liquids under ATEX configurations. Confirm the zone, temperature class and every accessory against the project documentation.
Do not combine an ordinary PP, PVDF or aluminium tube with an explosion-proof motor and assume the result is approved. For flammable service, use a complete manufacturer-approved configuration.
3. Select tube material from the complete chemical duty
- PP: economical for many ambient-temperature acids, alkalis and aqueous liquids.
- PVDF: considered for more aggressive chemicals and higher temperatures, subject to concentration limits.
- Aluminium: common for mineral oils and compatible neutral, non-flammable liquids.
- 316 stainless steel: strong, cleanable and available for approved flammable-liquid configurations, but not universally resistant to chlorides or strong acids.
- Hastelloy C: used where stainless steel lacks corrosion resistance, at higher cost.
Provide every liquid component, concentration, normal and maximum temperature, and the cleaning fluid. A generic description such as “acid,” “solvent” or “oil” is not enough.
4. Rotor choice changes the duty point
With the same drive, different pump tubes and hydraulic elements can produce very different results. An axial rotor favours higher flow at lower head; a radial impeller favours lower flow at higher head. Hose length, diameter, fittings, filters and nozzles all consume head, so catalogue free-flow capacity is not the delivered flow.
5. Electric or compressed air
- Electric drives are convenient for continuous duty and speed control where reliable power is available.
- Air drives suit wet locations, mobile use and plants with an adequate compressed-air supply.
- In hazardous areas, either drive still requires verification of the complete system certification and grounding.
6. Information required for selection
Specify liquid and concentration, temperature, viscosity, density, flammability, flow, head, drum opening and depth, hose length, operating hours, available power or air, and whether batch measurement is required. For totalizing or batch control, see the Lutz TR/TS flow meters.
Start at the Lutz drum pump overview. Technical principles are cross-checked against the official Lutz drum and container pump range; final performance and approvals depend on the selected configuration.