Pump selection guide
Organize fluid, operating and installation data to compare FBCN, FBOT, FBE and FBEI. Each series is a starting point for the technical assessment of your application.
Assess FBCN for process liquids and FBOT for organic thermal oil circulation. For viscous fluid transfer, compare FBE and FBEI by model and configuration. Selection depends on flow, pressure, viscosity, temperature, materials and suction; a single viscosity or temperature threshold cannot decide every application.
The criteria work together. Start with the fluid, then check the process conditions.
1. Characterize the pumped product
2. Describe what the system requires
Assess the characteristics below against the configuration and documentation of each pump.
| Criterion | Criterion 1: fluid | Criterion 2: duty point |
|---|---|---|
| Clean or cloudy process liquids | FBCN · standardized centrifugal | Check curve, suction, materials and sealing; solids require consultation |
| Organic thermal oil circulation | FBOT · thermal oil | Provide oil type, start-up and hot operating conditions; no abrasives |
| Transfer of oils, resins and other viscous fluids | FBE · external gear | Check speed and pressure for the selected viscosity and size |
| Transfer using internal gears | FBEI · internal gear | Check size, sealing, protection and required flow tolerances |
| Fire protection water supply | Fire protection systems | Assembly and driver defined by the design and applicable requirements |
| Requirements beyond a catalogued execution | Engineered solutions | Submit requirements for feasibility and scope assessment |
Select the model for the actual process conditions: the range maxima are not simultaneous. Catalogues and manuals have different scopes. Where their information differs, confirm the execution in the proposal. FB Bombas documents are in Portuguese.
Start with the fluid data at actual conditions. Viscosity affects piping losses, suction, power and pump performance; a measurement at another temperature may not represent start-up. For a centrifugal pump, check the curve and viscosity effects. For a gear pump, assess speed, differential pressure and internal slip.
Then describe the service and its limits. FBOT has a documented organic thermal oil application. FBCN, FBE and FBEI require materials and sealing compatible with the process.
Provide flow, suction and discharge conditions, temperatures, composition, viscosity and any available drawing. Identify missing information so engineering can advise on data collection. The proposal should record the model, execution and assumptions; this guide prepares the enquiry and does not calculate an automatic selection.
Compare both at the same duty point and expected extreme conditions. Viscosity, suction, efficiency, power, materials, sealing and control are part of the assessment. An isolated SSU or cP value does not determine the best series; the unit and measurement temperature are needed.
FBE uses external gears; FBEI uses internal gears. Compare the required size, flow, differential pressure, viscosity, heating and sealing. If dosing or pulsation matters, state the required tolerance: the FBEI catalogue description of constant flow is not an accuracy specification.
Provide the trade name, composition, supplier data sheet and start-up and operating temperatures. These documents guide assessment and help identify whether measurement is necessary. State the unit used; SSU, cSt and cP are not interchangeable without the data needed for conversion.
Both duties must be assessed, including material and seal compatibility, flow, pressure, temperatures and cleaning between products. Specify the operating sequence and contamination risks. The decision depends on the configuration and process; neither a shared pump nor two dedicated pumps are always the best option.
Review the related product lines and technical resources before specifying the equipment.
Tell us the fluid, temperature, viscosity, flow rate and pressure. Our team can review the application with you.
