Bitumen and Asphalt Transfer Pump

Why Bitumen and Asphalt Need Positive Displacement Pumps

Bitumen (called asphalt in some regions) is the heavy residue of crude oil refining — a black, highly viscous or semi-solid material at ambient temperature. To flow at all it is held hot, usually well above 100°C, where its viscosity drops to a pumpable level. That combination of extreme cold viscosity and hot, sticky running conditions dictates the pump technology.

Centrifugal pumps lose head and efficiency quickly as viscosity climbs, so the published guidance for Qingdao Green Power's centrifugal range is to switch to a gear or screw pump above about 150 cSt — and cold bitumen is orders of magnitude beyond that. A positive displacement pump instead traps a fixed volume per revolution, so it pushes thick product steadily and tolerates viscosity swings as temperature changes. The wider logic of high-viscosity pump selection applies directly to bitumen, and our guide to the best pump for high-viscosity liquids explains the technology comparison behind it.

Pump Options for Hot Bitumen Transfer

The progressive cavity action of the G-type is a strong match for bitumen because it moves the product in large sealed cavities with low shear and steady flow, and its published media list explicitly includes bitumen. The 3GB triple screw, which conveys clean low-viscosity oil at up to 350°C, is relevant where the product is kept genuinely thin by heat. Both families are shown on the G and 3GB industrial screw pump product page; confirm the exact model, stator elastomer and materials against your bitumen grade and temperature with Qingdao Green Power.

Heating, Tracing and Insulation Are Part of the System

A bitumen transfer pump is only as reliable as its suction supply. If the tank outlet, suction pipe or pump casing cools, bitumen solidifies, the pump starves, and cavitation or seal damage follows. Successful installations therefore treat heat as part of the pump system:

• Heat the tank outlet and suction line with steam coils or electric tracing, and insulate them to the pump flange.
• Keep the pump casing warm with a heating jacket or traced housing so the product stays fluid at the seal and in the clearances.
• Design for cold starts — confirm motor torque and pump limits at the worst-case cold viscosity before the line is warm.
• Flush and standby — provide a flush connection and, on intermittent duties, a standby rotation plan so bitumen does not set solid inside the pump.

Operating Checks for a Bitumen Duty

• Never run a progressive cavity pump dry: without liquid the elastomeric stator is destroyed within seconds — fit low-level protection and a dry-run trip.
• Protect against closed discharge: positive displacement pumps need a relief valve set below the maximum allowable pressure.
• Monitor temperature: keep the product within the range the stator elastomer and seals can tolerate for sustained service.
• Check for solids: oversize particles or agglomerates damage rotor, stator and gear teeth — keep solids below the minimum flow passage.
• Follow a startup sequence: bring the line up to temperature before starting, then purge with hot product before shutdown.

Every bitumen installation differs in grade, temperature, flow and pipe layout, so the final specification belongs with an engineer who can match the machine to the duty — for related context on heated heavy products, see our heavy oil pump selection article.

Frequently Asked Questions