Why viscosity determines the configuration of your gear pump and reactor

When designing an efficient process or production system, success stands or falls with the properties of the medium. Viscosity is the most critical fluid property in this regard. Whether you are sizing a separate gear pump for fluid displacement or configuring a reactor for a chemical process, viscosity directly determines the hardware selection, the required power, and the ultimate efficiency. 

The influence of viscosity per component explained:

Configure gear pump

When selecting a gear pump, the viscosity determines how the fluid behaves between the rotating gears and the housing:

• Low viscosity: Causes internal leakage (slip) past the clearances in the pump. This reduces the volumetric efficiency and requires tighter tolerances or a higher rotational speed to achieve the desired output.
• High viscosity: Causes increased flow resistance and friction. This requires a larger inlet, a reduced rotational speed to prevent cavitation, and a heavier drive to overcome the viscous forces. 

Configure reactor

When configuring a reactor, everything revolves around creating the right conditions for mixing, reaction rate, and heat transfer:

• Mixing intensity and agitator: High viscosity requires a specific type of agitator (such as a spiral or anchor agitator) and a more powerful motor to keep the entire volume in motion without 'dead zones'.
• Heat transfer: Viscous fluids have poorer heat exchange with the reactor wall. The configuration must be adjusted accordingly with additional cooling or heating capacity to prevent hotspots and uncontrollable reactions.
• Changing viscosity: In many processes, viscosity changes during the reaction (for example, during polymerization). The reactor configuration must be flexible enough to continue functioning efficiently over the entire viscosity range. 

Visit our stand at WoTS and win!

Would you like to discuss the right starting points for configuring your gear pump or reactor? Stop by during the World of Technology & Science (WoTS) at our stand 10D051 from Tuesday, September 22 to Friday, September 25, 2026. Our specialists are happy to help you think through your specific process challenges.

Contest

When you visit our stand, you stand a chance to win a unique prize: we are raffling off one amazing Leonardo da Vinci LEGO set every day of the exhibition! Test your knowledge of viscosity by filling out our questionnaire at the stand and enter the draw!