F 400 Series Heavy Duty Barrel Pump

Flux created the World’s first electric barrel pump, comprising a vertical pump tube and a separate electric motor, coupled to the pump by a hand-operated union nut. The basic operating principles of this pump have now been copied by many competitors. However, there are several reasons why the Flux barrel pump is considered to be the best. And why our barrel pumps continue to be specified by industry leading brands worldwide.  

The main reason why our pumps perform so well comes down to the patented design features that are unique to Flux. Everywhere you look in our product range, you will see special features that ensure our pumps deliver class-leading service life: 

Spiral bearing  

Our seal-less pumps utilise our unique spiral shaft bearing, even our light-weight F 300 series pumps. This bearing supports the centre section of the driveshaft. Its comparatively high surface area is designed to reduce deflection and vibration that occurs with lesser pumps with conventional bearings.  Vibration increases wear throughout the pump, eventually leading to failure. 

6 mm driveshaft 

Our FP 424 series seal-less barrel pumps are fitted with strong 6 mm diameter driveshafts, designed to minimise deflection at high speeds. The shaft is also reversible – when rotated, the shaft bearings will locate at different positions on the shaft, rather than continuing to wear the same areas of the shaft as before. Therefore, the service life of the shaft is effectively doubled. 

Oversized bearing housing 

The Flux FP 424 barrel pump has an oversized lower bearing housing with four thick bushing rings. This ensures radial loads are distributed across a large area when the impeller is spinning at high speeds.  

Steel-cored inner tubes 

Our F 430 plastic barrel pumps in polypropylene and PVDF have unique steel-cored inner tubes.  The steel core is over-moulded with plastic, giving the pump a huge advantage in terms of strength, bearing support and vibration resistance. In addition, the rigid inner tube provides optimal support to the mechanical seal assembly. The seal remains stable when running at high speeds, or when operating at high temperatures. When combined with a comprehensive range of spare parts, Flux can claim to manufacture the only truly serviceable plastic barrel pump.    

Special lengths 

Flux are experts in manufacturing vertical pumps. We have design expertise, manufacturing tooling and production experience that allows us to create pumps in special lengths. This includes short pumps for use where space is limited, such as emptying trays, or for incorporation into OEM products. In addition, our unique design features such as steel-cored inner tubes, allow us to manufacture pumps up to 3,000 mm long.  

These unique design features, combined with our manufacturing capability, class-leading durability and readily available spare parts, means that Flux leads the way in whole-life ownership costs. Why spend money replacing pumps when you can repair and save? We have proven that investing in a Flux barrel pump is a truly sensible decision for any business.  

Our barrel pumps comprise three main parts: the motor, the pump tube and the hose connection. Assembly is simple and user-friendly. First, unbox the products. Note that the pump tube is supplied with a captive union nut with female thread. The lower motor housing has a matching male thread. Attach the pump tube to the motor. The motor driver will automatically engage with the recessed coupling star in the top of the pump. Tighten the pump union nut to the motor by hand, ensuring a secure fit.  

Attach the discharge hose (can be supplied by Flux or others) to the hose connection and secure with a suitable hose clamp. The hose connection has a captive union nut with female thread. Connect the union nut to the male threaded discharge port on the pump and tighten. If the pump is to be used with low flash-point flammable liquids, or inside an ATEX zoned area, ensure that earth cables are connected securely (if required) and that earth bonding has been checked.  

Now the pump is ready to be placed into the barrel or IBC container.  

Once the pump is placed into the barrel, ensure the discharge hose is positioned securely in the container to be filled. Flux supplies various accessories for ensuring safe filling operations. These include hand nozzles, non-return valves, discharge spouts and fume cones. Each of these accessories will require separate consideration.  

The pump is now ready to be switched on, using the recessed on-off switch on the motor. Assuming the discharge hose is open-ended, flow will start immediately and liquid will begin filling the container. Some Flux motors have built-in speed control switch, which is used to vary the flow rate. Once the desired quantity has been dispensed, the motor can be switched off.  

Residual liquid left in the discharge hose will continue to drain into the container until the hose is empty. If this is undesirable, consider fitting a handle nozzle or non-return valve, both of which will ensure residual liquid remains in the hose. 

Our most common F 300 and F 400 series pumps are centrifugal designs. These pumps do not create suction, they can only work if the liquid level in the barrel is above the level of the impeller. The impeller is positioned approximately 7-8 mm away from the bottom of the barrel. Once the liquid reaches this level, air will enter the pump and it can no longer work.  

At this point, the load on the pump impeller will decrease and motor speed will increase. This van be noticed by an increase in noise output from the motor. The operator should turn off the pump to avoid dry running, otherwise it may overheat. This is particularly important when using pumps that are fitted with a mechanical seal.  

When the pump is switched off, residual liquid inside the pump tube will drain back into the barrel. The depth of the remaining liquid will correspond to the level of the impeller, ie. 7-8 mm. If drain-back is undesirable, for example, the liquid is of particularly high value, or disposal costs are high, consider our F 425 model with back-flow valve. This pump will ensure that 99.9% of the liquid is removed from the barrel.  

The Flux barrel pump range is used in every industry, however, they are commonly used in the manufacturing and dispensing of chemicals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, oils, lubricants and food & beverage products. In addition, you will find them in oil & gas production facilities, plus agricultural, marine and water treatment applications. They provide a safe and efficient method of handling of oils, acids, solvents and other liquids. 

Flux barrel pumps are a way of precisely and safely transferring liquids from barrels, drums and IBC containers. Delivery flow rate can be controlled by manual hand nozzle, or by the variable speed control knob on the drive motor. They can be used with a huge range of liquids. They are efficient, quiet, easy to use and require only minimal maintenance.  

Additionally, they can be used in hazardous environments containing corrosive fumes or flammable vapours (depending on model).  Flux pumps improve productivity and reduce the risk of operator injury through improved manual handling, along with reduced exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals.