69% Energy Reduction on Ceramic Filter Press Feeding

Featured Case: CERDOMUS — Filter Press Feeding

The Challenge

CERDOMUS, a leading ceramic tile manufacturer in Castelbolognese, Italy, needed to feed a high-pressure filter press with thick, abrasive ceramic slips (density 2, up to 40°C). Their existing plunger pump consumed 13 kW of power, was inefficient at variable speeds, and the filter cycle time was unacceptably long.

The product — ceramic slip with high solids content — is highly abrasive and demands a pump that can maintain consistent pressure against the 12 bar back-pressure of the filter press without cavitation or flow interruption.

The Solution

KECO specified a Rotho MS2 (M Series) peristaltic pump with frequency inverter drive, enabling variable flow control from 0 to 5,800 L/h. The peristaltic design generates positive displacement flow even against 12 bar discharge pressure, eliminating the efficiency losses inherent in plunger pump operation at partial load.

The pump handles ceramic slip at density 2 and up to 40°C — conditions that cause rapid wear in pump types with internal mechanical components in contact with the product.

CERDOMUS Results

Additional Ceramics Industry Installations

MARAZZI — Eliminated Machine Stoppages

MARAZZI, one of the world's largest ceramic tile manufacturers (Sassuolo, Italy), was running a progressive cavity pump for enamel dosing on abrasive ceramic slips at density 1.7. The progressive cavity pump required frequent, expensive maintenance due to stator and rotor wear — and caused costly production stoppages.

The Rotho PSF1D (S Series double-head pump) eliminated machine stoppages entirely. The double pump body with pulse dampeners delivers pulsation-free flow to the mass flowmeter — critical for dosing accuracy. With no seals, no valves, and only the hose as a wear item, maintenance cost dropped substantially.

"The Rotho peristaltic pump solved the problems because of its high resistance to abrasive sludges and no seals or valves into the pump."

Tube life: 6 months on 24 h/day continuous duty at density 1.7.

CEDIR — 12-Month Tube Life on Abrasive Enamel

CEDIR (Toscanella, Italy) pumps highly abrasive enamel at density 2 and 43 RPM with a Rotho MS2. Despite the extreme abrasive duty, tube replacement is needed only once per year — demonstrating exceptionally low maintenance cost even on the most demanding ceramic applications.

NAXOS-FINCIBEC — Replaced Submersible Pump on Sludge Transfer

NAXOS-FINCIBEC (Solignano, Italy) had a submersible pump that repeatedly clogged and failed on thick sedimented sludge containing solid raw materials. The Rotho SF100 (L/LD Series) replaced it — handling 20,000 L/h at 2 bar with a -3 to -4 m suction lift. The self-priming peristaltic design handles settled sludge with solids without plugging.

COOP IMOLA — Continuous Enamel Dosing with Inverter Control

COOP IMOLA (Borgo Tossignano, Italy) runs a Rotho PSF1 (S Series) 24 h/day on ceramic enamel dosing at density 1.5. Inverter-driven for variable capacity from 160 to 1,400 L/h. Better footprint, maintenance access, and longer tube life than competing pump solutions evaluated during selection.

Why Peristaltic Pumps Excel in Ceramics

Ceramic slips, enamels, and glazes are among the most abrasive fluids in any industry — dense, high-solids, and loaded with mineral particles that destroy mechanical seals, rotors, and impellers rapidly. Peristaltic pumps offer three critical advantages in ceramics manufacturing:

• No wetted mechanical parts: Rollers squeeze the hose externally — the ceramic product never contacts metal, seals, or bearings. The hose is the only wear item.
• High-pressure capability: The MS2 can pump against 12 bar discharge pressure — enough to feed high-pressure filter presses directly.
• Inverter compatibility: Variable speed drive enables precise flow control without mechanical adjustments — essential for recipe-driven enamel dosing.