CAT pumps are a known brand throughout the world, offering a range of industrial duty, highly robust, triplex piston pumps, which are designed specifically for difficult, high pressure applications. In fact, their pressure capabilities exceed most other pump types. The CAT 280 pump is a 3 frame model, making it entry level in terms of flow and pressure performance capacity.

With the synchronised pistons that are incorporated into the pump, the CAT piston pump creates a stable, low pulsation flow as the fluid moves continually in one, smooth forward direction. It is determined by the running speed of the CAT pump and is generally unaltered by such issues of specific gravity, back pressure or viscosity of the fluid. This steady flow enables the triplex piston pump to operate necessarily smoothly and efficiently for most applications.

By taking in a fixed volume of liquid, the high pressure piston pump ensures that a constant volumetric flow is always delivered. This is attributed to the inlet stroke on the piston moving the set amount of liquid around and out of the pump.

The primary uses of CAT triplex pumps include water mist cooling, chemical injection, pressure cleaning, reverse osmosis and food processing, where high pressure is a feature of the application. CAT pumps are available as standard in brass and 304 stainless steel depending upon customer requirements, as well as with a variety of seal materials including Viton, EDPM, PTFE and NBR, making them compatible with a range of fluids. 

Features of the CAT Piston Pump:

• 3 Frame triplex piston pump, capable of achieving constant high pressures, irrespective of varying flowrates
• Model CAT 280 - brass construction, Model CAT 281 - 304 Stainless Steel
• Dependable output- discharge pressure, specific gravity and liquid viscosity have no effect upon the flow rate.
• Speed relative to flow rate – performance can be simple to control and predict as the pump output is directly linear to the operating speed
• Resilient drive ends – CAT pumps are produced to the highest quality with close consistent tolerance, the crankshafts, crossheads and connecting rods are optimised to minimise wear.
• None abrasive surfaces - the piston pump does not rely on the fluid’s lubricating properties as there is no relative movement between contact surfaces within the pump head.
• Solid ceramic plungers - to make sure that the seals are aligned correctly when seals are replaced, smooth solid plungers made from alumina ceramics are located concentrically
• No inner liquid mixing- internal mixing of lubricant and process liquid is eradicated due to the substantial gap between the pump head and the oil bath. Any spillages of the liquid are clear as there is a drainage area which is open beneath the CAT piston pump.
• Highly efficient - minimal internal slippage and low friction ensure that the energy efficiency levels are between 85% & 95% and consequently running costs are lower.
• Continuous duty
• Available bare shaft, electric and engine driven
• ATEX certification available

• Model 280 - 3 Frame Piston Pump - Solid Shaft, Brass, 11.4lpm, 69bar
• Model 281 - 3 Frame Piston Pump - Solid Shaft, Stainless Steel, 11.4lpm, 69bar

• CAT 280/281 3 Frame High Pressure Triplex Piston Pump - Datasheet

Fresh Water Supply to Diving Chamber - Belt-Driven Plunger Pump

Castle Pumps customise and engineer pumping solutions when required, to ensure that they match the customer's bespoke requirements exactly. In this case study, we put together a ready to use skid mounted pump system complete with pump, motor, belt drive, guard and steel base to meet their requirement for a high pressure, low flow solution.

Triplex piston pumps are a pumping technology defined by their high pressure capabilities, which exceed most other pump types. However they are not designed for fluids with suspended solids as they can become trapped in the valves, therefore CAT piston pumps are primarily designed for high pressure applications involving relatively clean fluids, free of from solids or abrasive particles. These include but are not limited to: