What Matters When Transferring
Five design factors determine the choice of method—regardless of industry or medium.
Flow Rate & Volume
- Drum pump up to 240 l/min, pneumatic diaphragm pump up to 1,040 l/min
- MAGSON MA up to 950 l/min (PP/ETFE), MM up to 600 l/min (stainless steel)
- Submersible centrifugal pump up to 74 m³/h for large tanks and continuous operation
Media Properties
- Low-viscosity: Centrifugal pump (barrel pump, submersible centrifugal pump, MAGSON)
- Containing solids up to 50 mm (particles up to 40% of the hose’s inner diameter): FHP peristaltic pump
- High-viscosity / shear-sensitive: Eccentric screw pump
Installation & Integration
- Portable between containers: Drum pump, COMBIFLUX, battery pack
- Stationary on the system: BR 600/700 submersible centrifugal pump
- System-integrated process pump: MAGSON, high operating capacity
Material Compatibility
- PP, ETFE, PVDF, stainless steel, Hastelloy C, aluminum
- Corrosive + hot / high-pressure applications: MAGSON stainless steel (MM, MML, optionally Hastelloy/Inconel)
- Food: FOOD-grade materials in accordance with EC 1935/2004 and EU 10/2011
Safety & Hermetic Sealing
- ATEX in accordance with Directive 2014/34/EU for flammable media
- Sealed containers with dip tube: SAFETEC pump set
- Drip-free, closed discharge—no human contact
Solutions
| Feature | MAGSON / SAFETEC | Drum pump (BR 300/400) | diaphragm pump (RFM/FDM) | centrifugal Immersion pump |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drive principle | Electric, self-priming pump MAS 13/115 | Electric or pneumatic, axially acting centrifugal pump | Pneumatic, oscillating positive displacement pump | Electric (BR 600 also pneumatic), vertical centrifugal pump |
| Max. flow rate | Up to 2,000 l/min | 240 l/min (BR 400) · 57 l/min (JUNIORFLUX) | 375 l/min (RFM) · 1,040 l/min (FDM) | 42 m³/h (BR 600) · 74 m³/h (BR 700) |
| Max. head / pressure | 13–16 mWC | 13 mWC (axial) · 30 mWC (semi-axial) | 7 bar / 70 mWC (RFM) · 8.6 bar (FDM) | 32 mWC (BR 600) · 35 mWC (BR 700) |
| Max. viscosity | Low-viscosity media | 1,200 mPas | 15,000 mPas | 1,200 mPas |
| Solids | – | – | Up to 50 mm (FDM) | Fibres, slurries (BR 600) |
| Self-priming | ✓ Self-priming | – | ✓ Dry up to 4.5 m / product-filled up to 9.5 m | – |
| Installation / immersion depth | External, for sealed containers with permanently installed dip tube | 300–3,000 mm | External, with suction line | BR 600: 700–4,100 mm · BR 700: 300–1,000 mm |
| Materials | PP, ETFE, stainless steel; seals EPDM or FKM | PP, PVDF, stainless steel, aluminium, Hastelloy C | PP, PTFE, PVDF, acetal, aluminium, stainless steel, grey cast iron | PP, PVDF, stainless steel (BR 600); PP, PVDF (BR 700) |
| Explosion protection | ✓ Depending on configuration | ✓ ATEX (stainless steel, Hastelloy C) | ✓ ATEX (aluminium, grey cast iron, stainless steel, acetal) | – |
| FOOD / FDA / 3-A | – | ✓ F 427, F 430, MINIFLUX Sanitary | ✓ FDA (RFML version) | – |
| Modularity | SAFETEC variants BASIC, STANDARD, COMFORT and COMFORT "D"; optionally with control station, FMC metering and leak detection | Freely combinable with motor, hose, dispensing gun, flow meter | Compressed air supply required, pulsation dampener optional | Material, immersion depth and drive individually configured |
| Ideal for | Safe emptying of sealed drums and IBCs containing hazardous chemicals | Modular standard transfer from drums, IBCs, canisters | Aggressive, solids-laden or Ex-rated media without electricity | Deep tanks, continuous operation, circulation |
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Case Studies
Case Studies: How Customers Use FLUX Systems for Decanting and Conveying.
Automatic and virtually complete filling of industrial greases
VISCOFLUX lite, F 550 S, FMO, FLUXTRONIC® – transferring high-viscosity industrial greases from drums into storage tanks.
Safely Transferring Ethanol in Hazardous Areas
FP 425 Ex S, F 460 Ex, FMC 100 – ATEX kit for ethanol-based cosmetic bases.
Hygienically and nearly completely transfer tomato paste concentrate
VISCOFLUX mobile S, F 580 S FOOD – high-viscosity concentrate gently dispensed from a 200-liter drum.
Safe and Mobile Conveyance of Caustic Soda to Degreasing Baths
COMBIFLUX FP 314 (PP), FBM-B 3100 – corrosive lye from canisters in electroplating plants.
Decanting in Various Industries
Decanting tasks vary greatly depending on the medium, container, and process—the choice of pump, materials, and certification must be tailored to the specific industry.
Chemistry
Dosing acids, alkalis, and solvents—explosion-proof and tailored to specific materials.
Food
Tomato paste, fruit juice, cocoa butter, and low-viscosity oils—compliant with FDA, 3-A, and EC Regulation 1935/2004, using hygienic pumps or VISCOFLUX FOOD.
Pharmacy
FDA-compliant small-batch filling—APIs, suspensions, creams.
Cosmetics
Precise filling of lotions, tinctures, and perfume bases.
Surface Technology
Dosing electroplating solutions and additives into process tanks.
Frequently Asked Questions About Decanting
The 400 Series drum pump is the standard solution for pumping low- to medium-viscosity fluids (up to 1,200 mPas) from drums, IBCs, or canisters—powered by mains electricity or compressed air, and modularly combinable with a hose, dispensing nozzles, and flow meters.
RFM/FDM compressed-air diaphragm pumps are used where aggressive, solids-containing (up to 50 mm), or explosion-protected media must be pumped, no power connection is available, or the medium needs to be self-primed up to 4.5 m dry (9.5 m when filled with product). Compressed-air diaphragm pumps are seal-less and protected against dry running—which also makes them resistant to damage during cleaning and maintenance.
The MAGSON has no shaft seal. The outer rotating drive magnet transmits the motor’s power contactlessly to the inner magnet and the impeller. The pump chamber and the drive are hermetically sealed off from each other by a gap ring—leaks are structurally impossible.
Since the shaft seal is traditionally the main point of wear (requiring regular seal replacement, downtime, and posing a risk of leakage), this maintenance requirement is completely eliminated. MAGSON pumps are available in PP/ETFE (MA, MAS) or stainless steel (MM, MML)—depending on requirements for pressure, temperature, and media resistance.
Sealed drums and IBC containers with a permanently installed dip tube (CDS or QC coupling) cannot be emptied using conventional drum or container pumps—they are sealed at the top, so the fluid can only be drawn out through the existing dip tube.
The SAFETEC pump set uses self-priming MAGSON magnetic centrifugal pumps and empties the container via suction through this very dip tube. Drip-free, hermetically sealed, no contact with the fluid for personnel. Materials: PP or ETFE; piping: PVC or PVDF. Optionally available with flow measurement and dosing control (FLUX SAFETEC controller). Comfort version with filling lance and low-foam filling (SAE).
The 400 Series drum pump handles fluids up to approximately 1,200 mPas (axially acting centrifugal pump). Compressed-air diaphragm pumps can handle up to 15,000 mPas, while MAGSON magnetic centrifugal pumps can handle up to 250 mPas.
As soon as the fluid is highly viscous (greases, pastes, concentrates) or shear-sensitive, these pump types are no longer suitable—in such cases, FLUX eccentric screw pumps (VISCOFLUX, VISCOPOWER) take over the pumping task: low-pulsation, gentle, with a delivery pressure of up to 15 bar (VISCOPOWER F 570) and viscosities of up to 80,000 mPas (F 570) or 500,000 mPas (VISCOFLUX systems). The corresponding “Residual Drainage” page explains this method in detail.
For flammable or potentially explosive media (ethanol, solvents, fuels, flavorings), ATEX-certified pumps and motors in accordance with Directive 2014/34/EU are required. Drum pumps made of stainless steel or Hastelloy C (e.g., FP 425 Ex S, F 460 Ex) are suitable for Zone 1. Air-operated diaphragm pumps are available in aluminum, gray cast iron, stainless steel, and acetal as ATEX-certified models. The MAGSON MML is optionally available in an ATEX version—a rare combination of hermetically sealed and Ex-approved.
Battery-powered motors such as the FBM 4100 are generally not ATEX-certified—in these cases, the compressed-air diaphragm pump or the electric Ex version is the standard solution. The Ex concept also includes grounding, equipotential bonding between the source and target containers, and antistatic hoses.
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