|
About Bachus Company Inc.
Many people call Larry ‘The Pump Guy’. Larry writes the ‘Pump Guy’ column
in Energy Tech Magazine and World Pumps Magazine. A few of The Pump Guy articles are available on our
articles page.
Larry writes like he talks. If you like the articles, you’ll love his
book entitled "Know and Understand Centrifugal
Pumps" written in both English and Spanish versions.
Larry continues inventing products when not lecturing and consulting. As a
member of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), most of Larry’s
products find application in civil and mechanical engineering.
A number of years ago, while working in a petro-chemical plant, Larry
encountered some premature pump failure, linked to the o-rings
installed in the mechanical seals. In collaboration with some intelligent
associates, trips to the library, and a chance witnessing of his young
daughter bouncing a rubber ball in the house, Larry hit upon the seeds of
the tool that broke the code on O-Ring identification. Larry mortgaged his
house to finance the development of the device. Today that tool is called
the ORID®. ORID® is an acronym meaning O-Ring Identifying
Device. Today the ORID® is a standard tool used by hydraulic and
pneumatic technicians, pump mechanics and instrumentation techs all over
the world.
The ORID® performs a non-destructive field test of an O-Ring seal to
indicate its rubber compound and compatibility with a fluid, gas, or
solid. This tool, sold around the world, is instrumental in preventing
leaks in process equipment, and protecting the environment.
Again, while working with pumps, this time in a paint factory, Larry
realized that some pumps must, by design and circumstances, work under cavitating conditions. Most pump literature says to avoid cavitation and
inadequate NPSH. This is somewhat like you doctor telling you to get
8-hours of sleep, or the Highway Department telling you to avoid traffic
accidents. Sometimes you can…and sometimes you can’t. Some pumps are
forced to operate under cavitating conditions. Once again, working with
intelligent associates, trips to the library, and an insatiable desire to
conquer problems, and circumstances, Larry put together the proto-type of
the product that was to become the TURBO TANK®. The original TURBO TANK®
was made from a 5-gallon bucket, a 12-volt battery, and an automobile
windshield washer pump. Both Larry, and the maintenance manager at the
paint factory, were amazed to witness destructive cavitation venting its
force against a process pump seal… month after month… with no effect. Once
again Larry mortgaged the house and emptied the savings account to finance
the project.
Today, the TURBO TANK® double seal support system, is tripling and
quadrupling the service life of industrial rotating equipment and
mechanical seals. Some of the original TURBO TANK®s are running more than
8 years with no seal failure, under obviously cavitating conditions. The
successful TURBO TANK® is now in its fifth generation. |
