Rotary lobe pumps
Alfa Laval Rotary Lobe Pumps Product Leaflets
How does rotary lobe pumps work?
Alfa Laval rotary lobe pumps consist of two intermeshed rotors affixed to a gear train. A gear train in the pump gearbox drives and accurately synchronizes the rotors. The rotors move in opposite directions, creating a partial vacuum that allows atmospheric pressure or other external pressures to force the fluid into the pump chamber. As the rotors disengage, a cavity forms and expands, filling with fluid. As the rotors engage, the cavity diminishes, displacing the fluid into the outlet port.
OptiLobe Rotary Lobe Pump
Alfa Laval OptiLobe rotary lobe pumps are cost-effective alternatives for general applications requiring gentle product treatment and easy serviceability. Versatile, reliable, and energy-efficient, these hygienic positive displacement pumps enhance both process flexibility and operational reliability.
Benefits of the OptiLobe rotary lobe pump
- Gentle, hygienic design with cost-effective simplicity
- Optimal product quality due to gentle, low-shear operation
- Robust design for long service life
- Easy maintenance thanks to self-setting, front-loading seals
- Low total cost of ownership with full stainless-steel construction
Rely on corrosion-resistant, all stainless-steel Alfa Laval OptiLobe rotary lobe pumps to maximize process flexibility, minimize the risk of contamination, and simplify washdown procedures. Designed for the food, dairy, beverage, and home and personal care industries, OptiLobe pumps meet CE directives and comply with EHEDG, 3-A, and FDA hygienic standards.
How does the OptiLobe rotary lobe pump work
OptiLobe pump technology
Alfa Laval OptiLobe pumps use a robust platform with advanced sealing and heavy-duty bearings to ensure uptime and productivity. The front-loading, self-setting seals are in direct contact with the media, providing excellent cleanability and lubrication, which improves seal life.
Shaft support includes a rigid, one-piece bearing housing and heavy-duty L10 tapered roller bearings (minimum 20,000-hour life), which provide stable shaft retention and balanced loading. This helps prevent pump head contact, lowers maintenance needs, and boosts uptime.
Optional heating/cooling covers
For processes involving products that harden at low temperatures — like sugar solutions, marmalades, butter, margarine, gels, lotions, and body butter — optional heating or cooling front covers are available.
Service and maintenance
Factory-set shimming allows rotors to be changed without adjustments or retiming. High-precision parts are interchangeable across pumps of the same size, simplifying spare part handling and improving service efficiency.
Product models and performance
OptiLobe pumps are available with 10 different pump head displacements across five gearbox modules. They support flow rates up to 77 m³/h, differential pressures up to 8 bar, media temperatures up to 130°C, and port sizes from 25 mm to 100 mm.
Operating principle
A gear train in the gearbox drives the synchronized tri-lobe rotors. As the rotors counter-rotate, they create partial vacuum that draws fluid into the pump chamber. Expanding cavities fill with fluid, which is then displaced toward the outlet port as the rotors engage.
Construction features
Alfa Laval rotary lobe pumps include rotor case, rotor cover, rotors, rotor nuts, shafts, gearbox, shaft seals, and elastomers. No internal contact occurs inside the pump head. Pumps are available as bare shaft or mounted units with baseplate, coupling, gear motor, and shroud for plug-and-play installation.
Standard construction includes 316L stainless steel for all wetted parts, full stainless exterior, and EPDM elastomers. EasyFit shaft seals are front-loading, and precision components are fully interchangeable across sizes. Alfa Laval manufactures all parts — including rotors and rotor cases — to ensure full spare part compatibility and maintenance reliability.
SRU Rotary Lobe Pump
The Alfa Laval SRU rotary lobe pump is a positive displacement pump for gentle handling of sensitive process fluids in demanding hygienic applications. It offers high-efficiency fluid transfer with low shear and pulsation, helping to maximize uptime while minimizing contamination risk and maintenance costs.
Benefits of the SRU rotary lobe pump
- High efficiency and gentle product handling
- Minimized contamination risk due to ultra-clean surfaces and drainable pump head
- Flexible configuration options with modular pump design
- Low maintenance requirements thanks to robust gearbox and heavy-duty components
- Meets hygienic standards including 3-A, FDA, and optional ATEX compliance
The SRU is ideal for transferring media of varying viscosities, especially where hygiene and product integrity are critical. It is widely used in the food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries.
How does the SRU rotary lobe pump work
Consistent performance
The SRU features a front cover seal with defined compression, rotor nut retention, and ultra-clean finishes. This ensures consistent, contamination-free performance in hygienic processes.
Greater flexibility
A modular design allows the SRU pump to be configured for various capacities, pressures, and process conditions. Twelve pump head displacements are available, with flow rates up to 106 m³/h and pressures up to 20 bar.
Low maintenance design
The heavy-duty gearbox includes torque-locking assemblies, tapered roller bearings, and shafts engineered for extended life and reduced downtime.
Hygienic certification and compliance
The SRU meets the strictest hygienic standards, including 3-A Sanitary and FDA compliance, and can be configured for ATEX environments.
SX Rotary Lobe Pump
The Alfa Laval SX rotary lobe pump is designed for ultra-gentle, low-shear pumping in the most sensitive hygienic and ultra-clean applications. Engineered for industries like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, personal care, and food, it ensures maximum product integrity and meets the highest hygiene standards with full CIP and SIP compatibility.
Benefits of the SX rotary lobe pump
- Premium gentle handling with very low pulsation and shear
- Superior product safety and quality in hygienic and ultra-clean applications
- Highly efficient and low-maintenance operation
- Designed for maximum uptime with no internal contact parts
- Fully compliant with CIP/SIP, EHEDG, 3-A, and FDA requirements
The SX pump is available with 14 pump head displacements based on seven gearbox modules, supporting flow rates up to 115 m³/h and pressures up to 15 bar. It’s suitable for both bare shaft and plug-and-play configurations.
How does the SX rotary lobe pump work
Construction
Alfa Laval SX pumps include a rotor case, rotors, rotor nuts, shafts, gearbox, elastomers, and shaft seals. All wetted parts are made of 316L stainless steel. The gearbox is standard in painted cast iron, with options available upon request.
Operating principle
A gear train in the pump gearbox synchronizes two counter-rotating lobed rotors. These rotors form expanding cavities that draw fluid in, transport it through the pump chamber, and push it out as the rotors engage. There are no internal contacting parts, ensuring gentle, contamination-free product transfer.
Spare part compatibility and servicing
All pump parts, including high-precision rotors and rotor cases, are manufactured by Alfa Laval. This ensures full interchangeability and easier servicing for maximum reliability and lower total cost of ownership.
SX UltraPure Rotary Lobe Pump
The Alfa Laval SX UltraPure rotary lobe pump is a premium solution designed for the gentle and efficient transportation of process fluids in high-purity applications. With optimized multi-lobe rotor geometry and verified CIP/SIP capabilities, it ensures low shear, low pulsation, and high product integrity, making it ideal for biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries.
Benefits of the SX UltraPure rotary lobe pump
- Exceptionally gentle pumping with low pulsation and minimized shear
- Ideal for sensitive products such as blood, plasma, and live cultures
- Low contamination risk due to USP Class VI elastomers and full material traceability
- Enhanced consumer safety and process control with Q-doc documentation
- Robust, stainless-steel gearbox for reliable performance and low maintenance
- Complies with EHEDG, 3.1, FDA, and ATEX standards
The SX UltraPure is available in 14 different models, supporting flow rates up to 115 m³/h, pressures up to 15 bar, and media temperatures up to 150°C. Its hygienic design, backed by Alfa Laval’s Q-doc package, ensures smooth qualification, validation, and change control processes aligned with Good Documentation Practice (GDP).
How does the SX UltraPure rotary lobe pump work
Ultra-gentle operation for sensitive applications
The SX UltraPure pump features multi-lobe rotors and precision-optimized rotor case geometry, minimizing product damage from shear or pulsation. This makes it ideal for delicate media such as live cultures and pharmaceutical ingredients.
Performance through advanced engineering
Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Alfa Laval engineers have fine-tuned the flow paths, rotor geometry, and pump head configuration. This ensures smooth, repeatable operation with high product yield and consistent quality.
Hygienic design and enhanced cleanability
Features include a low-profile rotor nut, front-loading mechanical seals, drainable pump head with a 3° fall angle, hygienic finishes, and stainless-steel paint-free gearbox. These elements ensure full cleanability and minimal contamination risk.
Ease of maintenance and reliability
The robust stainless-steel gearbox incorporates heavy-duty shafts, torque locking assemblies, and taper roller bearings. Universal port design allows both horizontal and vertical inlet/outlet configurations. All pump parts are Alfa Laval-manufactured, ensuring spare part availability and full interchangeability.
Global support and specification
With standardization across models and global availability, the SX UltraPure is easy to specify and quick to deploy. A wide variety of mechanical seals is available to match specific media and process requirements.
Certifications and documentation
Each SX UltraPure pump is delivered with the Alfa Laval Q-doc package to assist with validation, qualification, and regulatory compliance. The pump is EHEDG-certified, FDA-compliant, ATEX-approved, and includes full 3.1 traceability for wetted parts.