Technical Resource
Food Grade Gear Pump
Plant transfer of food and beverage fluids. Tote into process, tank to tank, load-out.
This page is for plant transfer of food and beverage fluids. Tote into process, tank to tank, load-out to a filler you already own. NAPCO builds the 2-inch and 3-inch stainless rotary gear pumps for that job. See food and beverage for the industry page.
NAPCO does not make fillers or homogenizers.
What food grade means here
The housing metal has to be stainless. The job is surface transfer of oils, syrups, flavorings, chocolate, and other viscous food fluids.
Gears mesh and carry a fixed volume each turn. Shaft speed sets flow. System backpressure sets the load, up to 100 PSI. Details: rotary gear pump working principle.
NAPCO pumps prime themselves. Reverse the motor and the same line unloads.
This is plant transfer.
The longer selection writeup lives at stainless steel gear pumps for food processing. Use that when you are still choosing a pump type. Use this page when you want a NAPCO stainless gear pump for food-grade transfer.
Why stainless
Live product copy puts food-grade duty on the S models. That is PA200S and PA300S.
Food-grade duty on the live product pages is the stainless S models.
Say stainless. Do not order by alloy number from this article.
Which model
Performance tables on the product pages are water at rated speed. Higher-viscosity fluids may require lower RPM. Size from measured viscosity at pumping temperature, plus flow and pressure. Sizing: how to size a rotary gear pump.
PA200S
The PA200S is the 2-inch stainless pump. 69 GPM at 190 RPM and 10 PSI. 60 GPM at 100 PSI. 5.7 bhp at 100 PSI. Max 100 PSI, max 190 RPM, 114 lbs. 2-inch NPT.
The live page names chemical transfer, corrosive fluids, and food-grade duty. Typical applications include food and beverage and flavourings and syrups.
Tote and drum work, smaller batch lines.
PA300S
The PA300S is the 3-inch stainless pump. 158 GPM at 280 RPM and 10 PSI. 140 GPM at 100 PSI. 13.4 bhp at 100 PSI. Max 100 PSI, max 280 RPM, 173 lbs. 3-inch NPT.
Plant pump-over and high-volume transfer. Typical applications include food and beverage.
Both sizes prime themselves and run either direction.
Rebuild
A factory kit is gears, seals, bearings, and gaskets. 2 to 4 hours on the 2-inch (PK200S). 2 to 5 hours on the 3-inch (PK300S). Hand tools. The product pages put kit cost at 30 to 50 percent of a new pump.
Gears
Nitrile gears are standard. Viton gears are the option for aggressive chemicals.
Viton seals are already on every NAPCO pump. The gear is the part you change with the fluid.
Send the SDS or the ingredient list before you assume either elastomer is safe in flavorings, oils, or acids. Do not guess.
Jobs this pump should not take
This is plant transfer. NAPCO’s tested ceiling is 100 PSI.
Fillers and homogenizers are a different machine. We do not build those.
If the fluid attacks nitrile, change the gear. The pump type can stay if the job is still surface transfer.
FAQ
What is a food grade gear pump?
A stainless rotary gear pump specified for food and beverage transfer. For NAPCO that is a 2-inch or 3-inch S model, sized on viscosity, flow, and pressure.
PA200S or PA300S?
2-inch (PA200S) for drums, totes, and smaller lines. 3-inch (PA300S) for plant pump-over. Same 100 PSI ceiling on both.
Can I use a C model?
Food-grade duty on the live product pages is the stainless S models.
Nitrile or Viton gears?
Nitrile is standard. Viton is the option for aggressive chemicals. Send the SDS. Do not assume.
Can I rebuild it?
Yes. PK200S, 2 to 4 hours. PK300S, 2 to 5 hours. Hand tools. Kit is 30 to 50 percent of a new pump, per the product pages.
Specifying a food grade gear pump
Send SDS if you have it, viscosity at pumping temperature, flow, and pressure. We will confirm gears and size.