Peristaltic Pump for Mining: SoloTech on Reagents, Slurries, and Abrasives
In the Graco SoloTech design, the process fluid contacts the hose and barb fittings rather than the pump casing or roller — no dynamic shaft seal or wetted check valves. This concentrates wear into the replaceable hose component, eliminating several common failure mechanisms in difficult chemical metering applications.
| Maximum fluid working pressure | 125 psi (0.9 MPa) |
| Maximum flow | Up to 17.7 gpm (67.0 L/min) on i/h32 |
| Published suction lift | Approximately 31 ft |
| Hose materials | Natural Rubber, CSM, EPDM, NBR |
| Barb materials | Stainless Steel, PVDF, Hastelloy |
Cyanide Solution Dosing (Gold & Silver Processing)
Low-to-moderate-flow dosing when hose and barb materials match exact chemistry and concentration.
Lime Slurry Metering (pH Adjustment)
Eliminates plugging risk from wetted check valves; requires verification of solids percentage, particle size, and line velocity.
Flocculant Addition (Tailings Thickening)
Handles viscous, shear-sensitive polymers with gentle positive displacement.
Xanthate and Frother Delivery (Froth Flotation)
Controlled reagent delivery for collectors, frothers, and modifiers.
Reagent Transfer
Benefits from self-priming capability and reversible flow for bulk-to-process movement.
| Pump Technology | Potential Failure Path | SoloTech Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Centrifugal pump | Wear to impellers, casings, and dynamic seals in abrasive service | Positive displacement with no dynamic process shaft seal |
| Diaphragm metering pump | Diaphragms and check valves wear, stick, or plug in high-solids service | Removes wetted inlet/outlet check valves; hose becomes primary wear component |
| Gear pump | Close-tolerance gears may be damaged by abrasive particles | Fluid moves through flexible hose rather than tight gear clearances |
Critical limitation: Peristaltic technology is not appropriate for mainline slurry, large particles, high-volume thickener underflow, or duties exceeding the SoloTech flow range.
Does only the hose contact the fluid in a SoloTech pump?
The hose isolates fluid from the casing and roller, but the complete wetted path includes hose barb fittings and connected process fittings — both require verification for the chemical, concentration, temperature, pressure, solids, and duty cycle.
Can SoloTech pump abrasive mining slurry?
SoloTech fits selected abrasive slurry and reagent duties within its practical flow, pressure, particle, and material limits. It should not be treated as a default mainline slurry pump for high-volume thickener underflow or severe abrasion without specialist review.
What mining reagents can a peristaltic pump handle?
Potential duties include cyanide solution dosing, lime slurry metering, flocculant addition, flotation chemical delivery, and bulk-to-process reagent transfer. The exact formulation, concentration, temperature, contaminants, and hose/barb materials must be verified.
Is SoloTech officially marketed by Graco as a mining pump?
Graco presents SoloTech for water treatment and general industrial metering and transfer of caustic, abrasive, or sensitive fluids. The mining applications described here represent capability-based engineering inferences by LibertyCES requiring project-specific verification.