Pneumatic Drum Pump | Air Operated Drum Pumps for Safe Liquid Transfer

Additionally, all Flux air-operated drum pumps are fully-serviceable, heavy-duty designs. F 416 series air motors can be used with any F 400 series pump tube. Our ATEX pumps are constructed from stainless steel 316 with a choice of o-ring materials, ensuring compatibility with any flammable liquid.

Flux air-operated drum and IBC pumps are widely used in industry for transferring flammable fuels and solvents. Examples include petrol, xylene, toluene, ethanol, MEK and acetone.

Additionally, the F 400 series pneumatic drum pump range can handle viscosities up to 1,000 mPas, increasing to 100,000 mPas for Viscopower F 500 series pumps. Therefore, our pneumatic barrel pumps cover a huge range of applications and are ideal for in use in the chemical, oil & gas and manufacturing sectors.

Compressed air motors for enhanced performance

Flux's pneumatic drum pumps are equipped with robust, air-operated, sliding-vane air motors that deliver exceptional performance while maintaining ease of handling. The motors are lightweight and compact, yet very powerful, therefore ideal for applications where portability and high efficiency are needed. In addition, all Flux air motors carry Ex-certification for use in Zoned areas where hazardous vapours may be present.

Two air motor designs are available:

The F 416 range for use with F 400 series centrifugal pumps
The FPM range for use with F 500 series progressive cavity pumps

F 416 Ex compressed air motor – Powerful, lightweight, and safe

The F 416 Ex compressed air motor is an ideal choice for applications requiring a compact yet powerful air-operated drum pump. Known for its lightweight design and ease of handling, the F 416 Ex motor delivers high performance without compromising safety. This motor is suitable for both our F 400 and F 570 Series pneumatic drum pumps. Its quiet operation and lube-free running, combined with variable speed control, makes it suitable for a variety of applications.

F 416 Ex is the most powerful motor in the F 400 range, with output power equivalent to approx. 900 W. All models are serviceable designs, suitable for continuous duty applications. Once again, Flux leads the way with the best quality and the lowest cost of ownership.

Three versions are available:

F 416 Ex with lockable finger trigger.
F 416-1 Ex without control valve - for remote operation only.
The F 416-2 Ex with manual ball valve for manual control.

Lightweight and portable: The F 416 Ex is incredibly easy to handle, weighing between 0.9 – 1.4 kg, therefore making it highly portable.
Extremely powerful: Despite its compact size, the motor delivers high power output of 900 W.
Quiet operation: With a built-in silencer, the motor operates quietly, subsequently reducing noise pollution in the workplace. Alternatively, you can fit a hose to channel exhaust air to a remotely mounted silencer.
Speed adjustment: Easily adjust motor speed by regulating the operating pressure or air volume, providing flexibility for different tasks.
Oil-free running: Most importantly, you can run all F 416 Ex models without lubricating oil. This is a benefit in sanitary environments, where oil could contaminate the product, or atmosphere.
Serviceable: Replacement vanes available for optimal service life and lowest whole-life cost.

Ex rating: II 2 G c IIC T6 – Suitable for Zone 1/2 area containing flammable gas or vapour
Silencer: Replaceable, supplied as standard
Operating Pressure: Max 6 Bar
Design Pressure: 20 Bar
Air consumption: 14 L/s at max flow rate
Output power: 900 W for optimal performance
Operating speed at max capacity: 10,000 RPM
Rated torque: 0.45 Nm
Starting torque: 0.54 Nm
Max ambient temp: 40 deg C
Air connection: 1/4 inch BSP female
Speed adjustment: Optional, depending on your requirements
Weight: 0.9 – 1.4 kg, making it both lightweight and portable
Noise: 82 dB (A) with standard silencer at 1 m distance
Suitability: All F 400 and F 570 series pumps

FPM Pneumatic motors – High-power, reliable performance

Flux FPM pneumatic motors are designed for heavy-duty pumping applications that require extreme power and reliability. These robust motors are used with our F 580 series progressive cavity pumps and are suitable for transferring high-viscosity liquids, up to 100,000 mPas.

Additionally, with a simple, low-maintenance design, these motors runs cool even under heavy load, ensuring long-lasting performance in even the toughest conditions. Furthermore, replaceable vanes and bearings ensure long service life.

Our high viscosity pneumatic drum pumps are available with Ex-certification, therefore suitable for handling a wide range of flammable media, such as resins, paints, varnishes and solvents. And the FPM motor is up to the task, delivering optimal efficiency and flexibility.

Three FPM models are available:

FPM 4 Ex: 0.6 kW at 6 bar, ideal for handling media up to 25,000 mPas.
FPM 6 Ex: 1.2 kW at 6 bar, designed for media up to 50,000 mPas.
The FPM 8 Ex: 2 kW at 6 bar, perfect for adhesive or highly viscous substances.

Extremely powerful: The FPM motor is available in a range of power options, from 600 W up to 2,000 W, meeting the demands of high-viscosity liquid transfer applications.
Low maintenance: Simple design with replaceable vanes and bearings minimises maintenance, subsequently reducing downtime and ensuring long-term reliability.
Cool running: Despite its powerful performance, the FPM motor runs cool, preventing overheating and ensuring consistent efficiency during prolonged use.
Versatile performance: You can easily adjust motor speed by regulating the air flow to the motor. Therefore, pump discharge flow rate is easily controlled. Reducing pump speed is sometimes necessary when transferring high viscosity, adhesive media. Air regulators and oil lubricators are available from our accessories range.
ATEX-approved: Suitable for use in Zone 1/2 areas where flammable vapours may be present.

Ex rating: II 2 G c IIC T5 – Explosion-proof for use in hazardous environments
Silencer: Replaceable, supplied as standard
Operating pressure: 6 bar max
Max speed: Ensure motor speed is limited to max 1000 RPM. Rotation counters available separately
Output power: 600 W – 2,000 W depending on model
Air consumption: FPM 4 – 20 L/s, FPM 6 – 25 L/s, FPM 8 – 40 L/s
Speed adjustment: Adjustable by controlling the air volume
Weight: 5 – 10 kg depending on model
Max ambient temp: 40 deg C
Air connection: 1/2 inch NPT female
Noise: 105 dB (A) with standard silencer at 1 m distance
Suitability: All F 580 series pumps and selected IBC mixers (model FPM 6 only)

Please call us on 01202 823304 or email sales@flux-pumps.co.uk for assistance

Pneumatic drum pump - FAQs

A pneumatic drum pump uses compressed air to power a vane motor, which in turn, drives the pump, thereby transferring liquids from a drum or barrel. Rotational force is transferred from the motor driver to the mating drive coupling of the pump.

Flux manufactures two types of drum pumps: centrifugal and progressive cavity types. Our air motors can spin at high speeds of up to 10,000 RPM. When using an air motor with a centrifugal pump, drive transfers directly to the pump shaft, spinning the impeller at the same high speed. Centrifugal force is created as the impeller turns, driving liquid up the pump tube and out of the pump discharge port.

Pneumatic progressive cavity drum pumps run much more slowly, between 250 and 1,000 RPM. Therefore, the air motor is either connected to a pump-mounted gearbox to reduce rotational speed (see our F 570 pump), or the pump is directly-driven (see our F 580 pump with FPM motor). The FPM motor may require throttling to reduce rotational speed, by reducing the air supply.

An air-operated drum pump, like a pneumatic drum pump, utilises compressed air to drive the pump motor. Air motors can be used with both our centrifugal (low viscosity) and progressive cavity (high viscosity) drum pumps. In both cases, the air motor turns the pump shaft, but different rotational speeds are required for each pump.

Centrifugal pumps are directly driven at the same speed as the air motor (up to 10,000 RPM), whereas progressive cavity pumps require a slow running air motor, or a gearbox, to reduce rotational speeds to below 1,000 RPM.

In both cases, the air motor's rotational force drives the pumping mechanism, discharging liquid from the pump into the desired container. You can adjust air pressure to control the flow rate, enabling controlled liquid transfer.

Compressed air motors work by converting the energy of compressed air into mechanical energy. When compressed air is released into the motor, vanes or lobes turn a shaft, which in turn powers the attached pump or machinery.

Flux air motors comprise three important components (amongst others): the housing, the rotor and the sliding vanes.

The rotor is positioned eccentrically in the housing. The vanes slide in and out of evenly spaced vertical slots cut into the cylindrical rotor. As the rotor begins to turn, centrifugal force drives the vanes out of the rotor, until they touch the wall of the housing. The vanes divide housing into distinct chambers of different sizes.

Thanks to the eccentric design, the vanes present different surface areas to the air flow, depending on their position in the operating cycle. Air expands as vanes move into the larger chambers (air pressure decreasing at the same time), however, force moves the rotor forwards as the vanes present a larger surface area. As the rotor continues to turn, the vanes are pushed back into the rotor by the eccentric housing. The chambers become smaller and the air pressure increases again. Therefore, air is pushed out of the exhaust port.

Motor speed and power output are controlled by adjusting the air supply pressure or volume. Compressed air motors are reliable and ideally suited to heavy-duty industrial applications. Additionally, they eliminate the need for electricity, making them suitable for environments where explosive or flammable vapours may be present.

Contact Flux Pumps for your pneumatic drum pump

At Flux Pumps UK, we offer a range of pneumatic drum pumps equipped with powerful, reliable air-operated motors designed to handle even the toughest applications. Whether you’re transferring acids, alkalis, food products or flammable liquids, Flux Pumps provide the powerful, safe pumping solutions that you need.

Visit our shop or contact our team for expert advice and support in choosing the right product. Don’t wait—enhance operational efficiency with the precision and performance of Flux pneumatic drum pumps today!