Reducing downtime and maintenance costs in slurry pump systems

In the slurry pump house of a major ore-handling facility, pipeline bends made of mild steel were frequently failing due to extreme abrasion from high-velocity iron ore slurry. These bends typically wore out and punctured within just 20–25 days.

Replacing pipe sections every 20 days incurred high costs from both downtime and component replacement. Welding repairs often led to leakage due to porosity, and frequent manual inspections across different zones consumed significant manpower.

When called in to address the issue, Henkel’s application engineer recommended the use of Loctite^® PC 7332 Silicone Carbide Wearing Compound, specially designed for wet surfaces—making it ideal for this slurry environment.

A 6 mm internal coating of Loctite^® PC 7332 was applied inside the pipe bends, forming a protective barrier designed to shield the parent metal from direct slurry impact and wear.

• Increased Pipe Lifespan: The coated bends now last an additional 60 days, significantly reducing the frequency of replacements.
• Reduced Downtime: The solution eliminated the need for two shutdowns, resulting in a total of 20 hours of avoided unplanned downtime.
• Cost Savings: The reduction in downtime and maintenance translated to a savings of USD$24,000.
• Operational Efficiency: Lower maintenance demands also reduced the need for ongoing manual inspections, freeing up manpower for higher-value tasks.