What makes bitumen difficult to pump
It must be heated before start-up and kept at temperature through the whole pumping chamber, seal area included.
The pump is sized at the coldest working temperature and turns slowly, so the gear teeth fill completely.
How we build the pump for bitumen
| Recommended series | CR · SB · SEF |
|---|---|
| Flow range of these series | 15 – 4,292 l/min (0.87 – 258 m³/h) |
| Body material | Cast iron as standard; stainless steel NAV for aggressive variants |
| Heating | Required — CR jacket on thermal oil, steam or superheated water; hot-spot kit without boiler; or electric cartridges in the body |
| Speed | Low speed: a larger pump turning slowly, often with a gear motor or inverter |
| Shaft seals | Selected for the working temperature, in the heated zone |
| Drive protection | Electronic torque limiter recommended (wattmetric relay or inverter function) |
| Connections | SB: flanged onto the tank |
Bitumen in plants that start and stop every day
In many road-building markets an asphalt plant runs a single shift and the bitumen line goes cold overnight. The most common failure we see on site is not wear but a cold start: the operator switches on the pump before the jacket has melted the product in the chamber. On plants without a central thermal-oil boiler we fit our hot-spot heating kit — thermal oil in the jacket, heated by up to three 300 W immersion heaters and circulated by a small 8 ZV pump — and we tell the operator to switch it on hours before production.
Plant pump or tank pump?
Inside the plant we install the CR Series with its full jacket. On sprayers, distributors and mobile tanks the SB Series is flanged onto the tank itself, with the pump body inside the hot product, and two selector valves handle loading, recirculation, spraying and tank-to-tank transfer.
Where bitumen pumps work
Applications: Asphalt mixing plants (burner feed and bitumen dosing to the mixer), bitumen storage terminals, drum and IBC melting stations, road tankers and bitumen sprayers, membrane and roofing plants.
Typical markets: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines. For these sites we size for local conditions: the coldest night temperature, 50 or 60 Hz power, heating available on site and spare parts that can be kept in stock locally.
Recommended pump series
Data we need to size your bitumen pump
- Product name, producer or data sheet of the bitumen
- Viscosity at the pumping temperature, and the lowest temperature on site
- Flow rate required (l/min, m³/h or bbl/h)
- Discharge pressure, or line length, diameter and height
- Suction: tank, line length and diameter, liquid level
- Heating available on site: steam, thermal oil, hot water or electricity only
- Power supply: voltage and 50 or 60 Hz
Frequently asked questions
Which gear pump do you recommend for bitumen?
We normally propose the CR, SB or SEF Series. The CR is heating jacket wrapped around the whole pumping chamber. The final model depends on flow, viscosity at temperature and suction, and is confirmed by our technical office.
Does a pump for bitumen need heating?
Yes. Without heat the product sets in the chamber and the pump cannot start. We use the CR jacket on the plant heating circuit, the hot-spot kit where there is no boiler, or electric cartridges in the body.
Do you supply pumps outside Italy?
Yes. The pumps are built in our Bologna workshop and quoted for export. Write your country in the form and we will size the pump for your power supply (50 or 60 Hz) and site conditions.
This page also covers: Bituminous fluids, Paving bitumen, Penetration grade bitumen.