Somarakis liquid ring pumps are large, single-stage machines used where a plant needs high volumes of air or gas handled at vacuum or at modest compression. The SV series is the general vacuum line; the HV series is applied where the process calls for deeper vacuum. Both use the same principle as every liquid ring pump: an eccentric rotor with a ring of seal liquid that forms the working chambers, with no metal-to-metal sliding contact.

Somarakis pumps are frequently run as compressors, moving process gas or vapor to a positive discharge pressure rather than pulling vacuum. That changes what wears and how the rebuild is specified, and it is covered below.

Every Somarakis rebuild follows our seven-step repair process:

1. Tear down and inspection. The pump is disassembled, cleaned and measured. We identify the cause of failure and report it before repair begins.
2. Materials inspection. New and remanufactured parts are checked against current OEM specifications. Stainless lining is 304L or 316L.
3. Remanufacturing. Rotors, porting surfaces, shafts, sleeves, heads and bodies are repaired or manufactured new in our shop. Parts the OEM no longer supplies are reverse engineered from your pump.
4. Tolerances. Every clearance is machined to original OEM tolerances.
5. Assembly. Each clearance is double-checked as the pump is built.
6. Painting and coating. Primed and painted to your plant specification.
7. Final inspection. Free rotation, seal integrity and fit are verified before crating.

We stock and machine parts for Somarakis pumps, including rotors, porting surfaces, shafts, sleeves, bearings, packing, seals and gaskets. See vacuum pump parts.

Somarakis pumps are often applied on gas that cast iron does not tolerate well: sour gas, chloride-bearing vapor, low-pH condensate. We repair corroded cast iron by welding and remachining and can clad water- and gas-contact surfaces in 304L or 316L stainless steel in-house. For replacement pumps, the PM 5986 line is available in cast iron, 304 stainless, 316L stainless, titanium and Hastelloy, so the material can be matched to the process rather than the other way around.

When a Somarakis pump is beyond economic repair, or a new unit is needed and the OEM lead time will not work, Precise Mechanical manufactures the PM 5986 liquid ring vacuum pump and compressor as a drop-in replacement for Somarakis SV series and HV series pumps. It is built to the original mounting and connection layout, requiring minimal or no piping or baseplate modification.

PM 5986 specifications:

Send the nameplate model, serial and service and we will confirm the PM 5986 configuration that matches your pump. Full details are on the Somarakis replacements page, and the rebuild vs. replace vs. exchange guide (/resources/rebuild-vs-replace-vs-exchange) explains when a new pump is the better choice.