Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide) is commonly used to adjust pH levels in water and wastewater treatment. Caustic soda can also be found in chemical, paper, and soap manufacturing as well as being an additive in a variety of other products.  Caustic is a slippery chemical that likes to find leak paths.  This can be very dangerous given its toxicity and corrosive nature.  Once exposed to air the chemical will begin to crystalize forming into a white scale.  When pumping caustic soda its primary leak paths are flange gaskets and mechanical seals.  When caustic crystalizes on a mechanical seal its abrasive crystals and corrosive properties damage the seal face increasing the potential for increased leakage.  This leads to frequent mechanical seal maintenance.

Sealless pumps are a great solution for pumping caustic without issues.  By eliminating the mechanical seal there is no dynamic leak path for the chemical to find.  Iwaki America offers both low cost non-metallic pumps for ambient caustic and 316 stainless steel pumps for hot caustic applications.  Visit www.iwakiamerica.com for more information on solving your caustic soda pump issues.