Progressing cavity pumps are rotating positive displacement pumps that are robust and versatile and are used in various hygiene and industrial sectors. They stand for low-shear and virtually pulsation-free pumping and are also suitable for abrasive, viscous, sticky, particle- or gas-laden substances. These pumps can be used for pumping tasks with fluids ranging from free-flowing to solid media.
How the progressive cavity pump works
The rotor is a screw conveyor with a pitch x, which rotates eccentrically in the stator. The stationary counterpart is a matching internal screw with double pitch 2x. The rotation creates sealed conveying chambers that transport the medium from the inlet to the outlet side with a uniform flow rate and low shear forces. The conveying direction can be reversed by changing the direction of rotation - however, this flexibility is not available on all models and depends on the specific design.
Dosing, conveying, emptying and reversing of small dosing quantities
to abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden media
Dosing, conveying, emptying and reversing of small dosing quantities
Up to abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden media
Dosing, conveying, filling, emptying and reversing
abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden
Pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals & cosmetics
Industry
Construction and transportation
Waste water, recycling and the environment
Fire department, flood & disaster control
Agriculture and biogas
Chemistry and surface technology
Dosing, conveying, filling, emptying and reversing
to abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden media
Food
DrinksChemistry and surface technology
Emptying, dosing and conveying
to abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden media
DrinksPharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and cosmeticsFood industry
Emptying, dosing and conveying
to abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden media
Waste water, recycling and the environmentChemistry and surface technologyAgriculture and biogasIndustry
Dosing, conveying, feeding, feeding and emptying - mostly used for dosing dewatered sludge
to abrasive, corrosive, pasty and particle-laden media
Waste water, recycling and the environment
Dosing, conveying, emptying and reversing
Up to abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden media
Chemistry and surface technologyIndustryConstruction and transportation
Dosing, conveying, emptying and reversing
Up to abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden media
FoodPharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and cosmetics
Central pump for feeding substrates into biogas plants. Mostly used for feeding substrates into fermenters.
Conveying abrasive, corrosive, gaseous and particle-laden media
Agriculture and biogasProgressing cavity pumps impress with very high dosing accuracy and an almost pulsation-free volume flow with large adjustment ranges. The flow rate can be adjusted in proportion to the drive speed - the flow rate remains stable even with fluctuating pressure, changing temperatures and viscosities. Cleaning is easy for food versions thanks to the low dead space design and CIP/SIP. Large feed hoppers for throat versions also allow a wide variety of media to be processed with discontinuous feed.
Progressing cavity pumps are versatile and are used in the chemical industry as well as in other areas where hygiene requirements apply. In the food and beverage industry, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, they are used for various pumping tasks. They are suitable for slurries, suspensions, concentrates, molasses, spent grains or tomato paste, for low-viscosity liquids as well as for media with high viscosity. They also work gently with abrasive media and highly viscous and abrasive substances. As a result, progressive cavity pumps are used wherever uniform dosing, continuous delivery and controlled handling of sensitive or viscous media are required.
The reliable function and low energy consumption of the pumps depend to a large extent on the correct design. In addition to process data such as flow rate, pressure and operating conditions, specifications for the pumped liquid such as temperature, density and solids content determine the choice of pump unit and its size. The materials used and their surface quality must also be suitable for the respective application. Optional requirements such as explosion protection, necessary certificates or special standards are also crucial.
Structured recording of these parameters ensures that the solution is technically suitable, reliable and efficient in the long term.
When integrating a progressive cavity pump into an existing system, the focus is on smooth integration into the system. Existing pipelines, connection standards, space conditions and existing drive and control concepts are specifically taken into account in order to minimize adaptation costs and downtimes.
As part of retrofit projects, we replace your existing components or optimize your pumps, for example to improve efficiency, operational reliability or maintenance. A careful analysis of the current situation ensures that the new solution is technically compatible, existing processes continue to run stably and future requirements are taken into account.
We offer you professional design, commissioning and training for progressive cavity pumps as well as manufacturer-specific maintenance. You can also obtain original wear parts, lubricants and accessories, including documented quality control, from our spare parts specialists. On request, we can supply certificates of conformity and material certificates as well as CE documentation. Clear service agreements, fast response times and traceable test protocols create predictability and security for your business.
Rototec supports you throughout the entire life cycle of your progressive cavity pump, from consultation and design to commissioning and ongoing operation. The aim is a technically sound implementation that focuses on reliability, ease of maintenance and cost-effectiveness right from the start. The advantages of progressive cavity pumps lie in the flexible installation options, gentle pumping and good adaptability to different media and processes. We will find the optimum solution for your application.
When selecting the stator material (e.g. NBR, EPDM, FKM), attention is paid to several aspects in order to maximize the service life. Chemical compatibility, abrasiveness of the medium and operating temperature play a key role in determining the optimum choice of material - especially for chemically aggressive media.
A rising differential pressure increases the backflow at the sealing points, which leads to increased wear. Correctly sizing the pump to the required operating pressure is crucial to maximize service life and minimize downtime.
The optimum speed depends on the viscosity, the solids content and the shear sensitivity of the medium. Low speeds reduce wear and protect the product, while higher speeds increase the pump performance but can affect the service life.
A hopper pump is ideal for non-free-flowing, highly viscous or solid media such as industrial sludge or dewatered sewage sludge. The feed hopper and a pre-feeding screw improve the feed.
The number of stages directly influences the achievable pressure. Multi-stage pumps enable higher differential pressures, while single-stage versions are designed for lower pressures.
Dry running leads to damage to the stator within a very short time. Protective measures include dry-running protection sensors, temperature monitoring or flow measurement to automatically switch off the pump if there is no medium.
The delivery rate is directly proportional to the speed and can be precisely controlled via frequency converters. This allows the medium to be metered precisely - ideal for demanding metering tasks.
The functional principle is based on an eccentric rotating rotor that turns in the stationary stator and transports the medium continuously and gently from the inlet to the outlet side via the sealed cavity of the threaded structure.
The service life is significantly influenced by medium properties (abrasiveness, viscosity), operating parameters (pressure, speed) as well as maintenance and choice of material. Correct design and regular inspection are crucial for economical operation.
There are also various technical solutions for confined spaces:
Compact design: A pump can be equipped with a bevel gear motor. This makes the design significantly more compact.
Flexible assembly: Rotary lobe and progressive cavity pumps can also be wall-mounted and therefore require less floor space.
There are several possible causes for insufficient delivery capacity:
Wear of components: In these cases, the necessary seal is often missing, which reduces the flow rate.
Incorrect pump design: The pump may be too weakly dimensioned for the application (e.g. back pressure too high, flow rate too high or unsuitable medium).
Universal precision dosing pump from Rototec (DE)
