What is a Magnetic Drive Pump?

What is a magnetic drive pump? Magnetic drive pumps are used in industrial, agricultural, municipal and other markets that require the transfer of clean, low viscous fluids with no solids content. Solids in the liquid would cause quick failure of the pumps sleeve bearings and thrust surfaces.

Magnetic drive pumps are mostly considered centrifugal pumps, though there are some magnetic drive rotary positive displacement pumps.

Mag drive pumps are driven by the force of magnetism rather than being directly coupled to a motor like traditional centrifugal pump types. One key benefit to mag drive pumps is that they eliminate the mechanical shaft seal. Mag drive pumps are also completely leak-proof.

Magnetic drive pumps are complicated equipment and must be carefully selected for a specific application. It’s important to understand several key elements of the pump, including the radial and thrust loads that the pump impeller creates. These loads must be carried by sleeve bushings and rubbing thrust surfaces located inside the mag drive can.

The bushings and thrust surfaces are made of special materials (such as such as silicon carbide, ceramic, or carbon) designed to be rub against each other in a pump. The wear surfaces must be lubricated, so a small portion of the pumped liquid is normally diverted into and through the can, returning to the pump inlet. This fluid serves to lubricate the rubbing surfaces of the radial bushings and thrust surfaces, similar to the way that seal faces are lubricated by a seal flush liquid.