Alfa Laval MaxiLobe Rotary lobe pumps

Introduction

Get more from every production run with the Alfa Laval MaxiLobe®.

Engineered for higher efficiency, a broader operating range, and

simplified maintenance, these advanced hygienic rotary lobe pumps

help reduce investment and operating costs while increasing yield.

Reliable performance across varying process conditions delivers

more uptime, consistent product quality, and a lower total cost of

ownership. High volumetric efficiency and a wide performance

envelope enable smaller pumps to be sized closer to actual process

requirements while achieving the same duty at lower operating

speeds, reducing energy consumption, wear, and product shear.

Applications

Designed for hygienic transfer of process fluids, the Alfa Laval

MaxiLobe is ideal for dairy, food, beverage, and home and

personal care applications. Its gentle, low-shear pumping action

handles products across a wide viscosity range and is suited for

shear-sensitive media, higher discharge pressures, and cleaning

in-place processes.

The MaxiLobe rotary lobe pump is available with 12 different

pump head displacements to handle flow rates up to 112 m³/h

and differential pressures up to 16 bar.

Benefits

• Reduce investment costs, maximize process flexibility, and

streamline system design

• Boost profitability and product quality through increased

production efficiency and minimized downtime

• Safeguard product integrity, simplify process validation, and

minimize cross-contamination risks with proven, fully factory

tested pumps

• Simplify maintenance and maximize uptime with front-loading

seals, fully interchangeable spare parts and easy-to-set pump

clearances

• Upgrade legacy rotary lobe pumps with minimal pipework

modifications

Standard design

MaxiLobe has tri-lobe rotors and is rated to 150 °C. All product

wetted metal components – including the rotor case, front cover,

rotors, and rotor nuts – are manufactured in EN 1.4404 (AISI

316L) stainless steel.

An all-stainless-steel exterior, including the gearbox housing and

feet, provides exceptional corrosion resistance for demanding

hygienic production environments.

A robust gearbox with duplex shafts, rigid shaft assembly design,

and heavy-duty bearings ensures accurate rotor timing,

supporting high volumetric efficiency and long service life.

The pump is equipped with a front-loading single mechanical

seal, enabling quick, easy inspection or replacement without

removing the pump or disconnecting pipework. Single flushed

and double mechanical shaft seals are available as options.

Precision-profiled elastomer seals and an optimized shaft seal

location enhance hygienic design by supporting superior

cleanability and compliance with stringent hygienic standards.

Working principle

Alfa Laval MaxiLobe rotary lobe pumps operate on the positive

displacement principle, providing smooth, reliable transfer of low

to high-viscosity products in hygienic applications while

maintaining product integrity.

Inside the pump head, precision-machined tri-lobe rotors rotate in

opposite directions without contacting each other or the pump

casing. A robust timing gearbox synchronizes the rotors to

maintain accurate clearances throughout operation.

As the counter-rotating rotors revolve, expanding cavities form

between the rotor lobes and the pump casing, creating a partial

vacuum that draws product into the pump. The product is then

gently carried around the outside of the rotors within the cavities.

As the rotors mesh on the discharge side, the cavities decrease in

size, displacing the product through the outlet at a consistent flow

rate.

Because there is no metal-to-metal contact in the pump head,

MaxiLobe minimizes product shear and equipment wear,ensuring

efficient fluid transfer. Its gentle pumping action makes

the pump ideal for handling shear-sensitive, high-value products

across a wide range of hygienic applications.