Pumping resinous glue at high temperatures presents a sticky problem for certain types of pump, especially when there is an added complication of the glue containing particulates. This is the case with the manufacturing of Oriented Strand Board (OSB), a timber-based building product similar to plywood. However, Hydra-Cell sealless positive displacement pumps, from Michael Smith Engineers have proved to be successful on this application.
OSB is manufactured by compressing strands of wood with resins at high temperature to create strong and versatile panels. Originally gear pumps were used to deliver the resinous glue into a mixing chamber, where it is sprayed onto wood fibres in the early stages of the manufacturing process. But these pumps leaked through mechanical seals causing damage.
A Hydra-Cell pump provided high-pressure pumping of the resinous glue. The sealless design means no dynamic seals to leak, wear, or replace and their spring-loaded, horizontal disk check valves enable the pump to process liquids which contain particulates up to 500 or greater microns.
