Flow conditioners enhance pump efficiency and life

The efficiency and service life of pumps can be greatly extended by following the manufacturer’s installation recommendation for a straight pipe run entering the pump. When cramped pump houses or restricted pipe runs make this impractical and costly, flow conditioners overcome this challenge by delivering a uniform, swirl-free flow profile to the pump inlet in as little as three pipe diameters.

Upstream flow disturbers, such as elbows, expanders or reducers, and valves, often produce non-uniform, non-repeatable and swirling fluid flow entering the pump that can lead to pump cavitation and other issues causing premature wear. The result is extra maintenance, expensive repairs and/or premature replacement, which can take equipment offline.

The Vortab Company’s product line of process flow conditioners correct flow disturbances to mimic adequate pipe straight runs and produce a highly repeatable, symmetrical flow profile. Their use also eliminates the extra pipe cost and technician labour for additional lengths of pipe straight run and/or moving equipment around to accommodate new pumps.

Swirl reduction and velocity profile correction occur naturally in long lengths of straight pipe due to diffusion, friction and turbulent mixing. The Vortab flow conditioner’s anti-swirl and inclined vortex generating profile correction tabs, projecting from the inside pipe surface, generate vortices that accelerate these natural pipe effects to create a uniform, non-swirling, symmetrical flow profile in a much shorter section of pipe. 

The simple, flexible designs of the Vortab Elbow and the Vortab Insertion Sleeve configurations provide a cost-effective, easyto-install solution that supports proper pump installation. They can be made from carbon steel, 316L stainless steel or Hastelloy C-276 and in almost any pipe size. A variety of process connections are also available – ANSI flanges, male NPT threads, butt welded preps or retaining wafers.