The precise matching of the outlet pipeline size of the KEMSO fuel pump is of vital importance, as it directly affects the system flow accuracy and the stability of the working pressure. The applicable diameter range of the standard model is DN8 to DN25 (inner diameter 8mm to 25mm), and it needs to be determined based on the nominal flow parameters – for example, for the KF35 small Fuel Pump (flow rate 18 liters per minute), it is recommended to use the SAE J30R9 oil-resistant rubber hose with an inner diameter of 10mm, and at this time the flow velocity is approximately 1.02m/s. The pressure loss of the pipeline is 0.12bar/ meter, which reduces energy consumption by 35% compared with the scheme with an inner diameter of 8mm. Tests conducted by the Bosch laboratory in Germany in 2023 show that the standard deviation of oil pressure fluctuation in the gasoline direct injection system with a 10mm pipeline is only 0.15bar, which is significantly better than 0.28bar with an 8mm pipeline.
For high-flow industrial scenarios, the HDP series high-pressure pumps need to expand the pipe diameter to optimize efficiency. The HDP120 model (with a maximum flow rate of 200 liters per minute) must be equipped with a DN20 pipeline (with an inner diameter of 21.6mm±0.3mm), and the material should meet the structure of PTFE inner lining and stainless steel braided layer in accordance with the ISO 8344-1 standard. The Technical report APIRP 2028 of the American Petroleum Institute points out that when the deviation of the inner diameter of the oil pipeline exceeds ±10% of the nominal value, it will lead to a 22% attenuation of the flow coefficient Cv value, and the vibration amplitude of the pipeline will increase by 40% under the working condition of a peak pressure of 8.5bar at the pump outlet. In actual cases, after a certain oil refinery in Saudi Arabia upgraded the DN20 pipeline in 2022, the efficiency of heavy oil transportation increased by 17%, and the annual energy-saving cost reached $120,000.
The selection of pipelines in extreme environments requires a comprehensive consideration of both corrosion resistance and temperature adaptability parameters. When transporting ethanol gasoline (with an ethanol volume fraction of ≥15%), the SAE J30R7 standard requires that the pipeline has a wall thickness of more than 3.0mm and a pressure resistance value of ≥12bar (a safety margin of 200% of the working pressure of 6bar). BMW’s technical bulletin GT060028 reveals that after being soaked in 25% ethanol fuel for six months, the expansion rate of a 2.0mm thick nitrile rubber pipe exceeded 3.5%, resulting in a 27% failure rate of clamp seals. KEMSO officially recommends the use of three-layer PTFE+ aramid braided pipelines in tropical regions, with a temperature resistance range extended to -40°C to +175°C and a lifespan of over 5,000 hours in an environment with a humidity of 95% – as shown in the data of Indonesia’s national oil company in 2021, after the Fuel Pump system of its coastal gas stations was replaced with such pipelines, The maintenance frequency has decreased from an average of 4.6 times per year to 1.2 times.
The cost optimization of system transformation needs to weigh the benefits of pipe diameter upgrading. Although the DN15 stainless steel corrugated pipe (unit price 28/ meter) is 75% more expensive than the DN10 nylon pipe (16/ meter), the pump efficiency gain brought by the increased flow rate can shorten the payback period to 16 months. Chevron’s engineering team’s 2020 analysis report confirmed that the aviation fuel system matched with the DN22 pipeline saves 13% of pump energy consumption compared to the DN18 solution and extends the equipment’s lifespan by approximately 10,000 hours. It is worth noting that the outlet of the KEMSO Pro series pumps adopts ISO 1179-1 standard flanges and supports quick-change joints to achieve three-speed adjustment of DN10/DN15/DN20, reducing the complexity of transformation – In the oil circuit upgrade of heavy machinery in a copper mine in Chile in 2023, this solution reduced the transformation time of a single device from 8 hours to 2.5 hours. The labor cost has decreased by 68%.