When liquids such as oil, water, or cleaning solvents are shipped from the factory, they typically arrive at the manufacturers in 55 gallon drums. It takes drum pumps to safely and cleanly empty these huge, heavy drums. If the term sounds unfamiliar, drum pumps are a sort of mechanism that can pump a liquid of varying viscosity by using two hoses, one to reach the bottom of the drum and one to be the outflow. While drum pumps are a simple enough mechanism, they come in different types when needed, such as diaphragm pumps and sanitary pumps. The type needed is determined by convenience and safety.
It’s Liquid! Can’t We Just Pour It?
Drum pumps are clearly easier to use than the alternative, which is to tip a 55 gallon drum of liquid over to empty its contents. To put that scenario in perspective, one gallon of water weighs about eight pounds, so a 55 gallon drum would be about 440 pounds. The risk of spilling some of the contents is too great. But the beauty of drum pumps is that they come in different sizes and can fit a 30 gallon drum or even a drum as small as five gallons. While a 40 pound five gallon drum is easier to handle, a drum pump still eliminates the chances of an accidental spill.
How Sanitary Is a Drum Pump With Food Items?
Drum pumps are commonly used for liquids to make transfer easier, but they can help keep things sanitary. Food products such as soda syrups and other thick liquids are shipped via drums. By using a diaphragm pump that forms a tight seal to keep air out when pumping, the food item can be uncontaminated from outside air, keeping it fresh.
Drum pumps are a convenient tool to have when your job includes receiving drums. It is less a question of how heavy the liquid-filled drums are (though they are very heavy), but of safety. It is not a good idea to have workers handling heavy equipment with a high risk of spillage of thick liquids. Especially when the liquids in question might be oil, or even fuel. Drum pumps should be a handy tool where ever liquids are manufactured in bulk.