The Pumping Mechanism of a Concrete Slurry Pump
A concrete slurry pump is a positive displacement pump specifically designed to move high-viscosity, abrasive concrete mixes. It does not use a centrifugal impeller. The most common mechanism is the S-tube or swing tube valve.
This system uses two reciprocating pistons in parallel cylinders. On its suction stroke, one piston draws the concrete mix from a hopper into its cylinder. Simultaneously, the other piston is on its discharge stroke, pushing concrete from its cylinder into the outlet pipeline. The S-tube valve is synchronized to pivot between the two cylinders, connecting the discharging cylinder to the outlet while the other cylinder reloads from the hopper. This continuous, alternating action creates a steady flow of concrete. The high pressures generated are necessary to overcome the significant friction losses of moving dense, semi-solid material through long pipelines at a construction site.
