Pumps

Pumps are used for the transportation of liquids, through long pipes and channels without
changing the chemical composition of the liquids. Pumps increase the mechanical energy of the
liquid by increasing its velocity and pressure.

Choice of pumps:
Following parameters should be kept in mind while choosing a pump.

The quantity of liquid to be handled (size of pump).

The head against which the liquid is to be pumped (potential head, friction head)
Nature of liquid (density, viscosity, chemical reactivity & corrosiveness)
Nature of power supplied to the pump (electrically or mechanically)

Types of pumps:
Pumps

Positive
Displacement
Pumps
Reciprocating
Pumps

Rotary Pumps
Centrifugal Pumps

Piston Pump

Gear Pump

Plunger or Ram
Pump

Lobe Pump

Metering Pump

Turbine Pump

Diapharagm
Pump

Screw pump

Vane Pump

Positive displacement pumps

The positive displacement pumps are used where high pressure head is required.
NRV (non return valves) are used.
The liquid is always displaced positively (in one direction only).

Reciprocating pumps
The main components of the reciprocating pumps are a piston attached to a cranks shaft
driven by a motor and a cylinder.

Piston pump
Can be single acting or double acting (two pistons in parallel with common suction and

discharge).
Maximum discharge pressure can be up to 50 atm.
The delivery of the pump is equal to total swept volume of the cylinders ideally.
Volumetric efficiency in normally greater than 90%.

Plunger pump
A plunger (heavy walled cylinder of large diameter) is used
instead of the piston in piston pump.
The discharge pressure is up to 1500 atm.
May be used for injections of small quantities of inhibitors
to polymerisation units and also for boiler feed water
applications.

Diaphragm pump
A diaphragm (a polymeric material or flexible SS sheet) is used.
Used for handling corrosive liquids and those containing
suspensions of abrasive solids.
The discharge pressure is up to 2 atm (0.2 MN/m2).

Rotary Pumps
A gear, lobe, screw or other mechanical assembly that displaces the liquid, is rotated with the
help of motor.

Gear pump
Used for the transportation of highly viscous liquids
(lubricating oils).
Capable of delivering high pressures.

Lobe pump
Lobes are used instead of gears.
Used for high pressure applications.

Screw pump
Rotating screw or helical blades are
used.
Used for the transportation of highly
viscous liquids.
The pressure dropped over the pitch of
screw is about 10 bar or 106 N/m2.

Peristaltic pump
A special type of pump used for accurate and constant
flow rates.
A silicon rubber or elastic tubing typically of 3-25 mm is
used the liquid is displaced by the rotating rollers
pressing the tube.
Used in pharmaceutical industry and laboratories.
Pumping performance is up to 1-1.25 atm.

Terms
Clearance
The clearance is the empty spaces between the gears or between lobes to avoid wear and tear.
The clearance in the pump should be greater than the size of suspension particles.

Clearance Volume
The volume of liquid remained in the cylinder when the piston is at TDC (top dead centre).
This volume can be determined by filling the cylinder at TDC.

Swept Volume
The total volume displaced by the piston is known as the displaced volume or swept volume.

Centrifugal pumps
The two main components of a centrifugal pump are the
impeller and the volute. The impeller produces liquid velocity
and the volute forces the liquid to discharge from the pump
converting velocity to pressure. This is accomplished by
offsetting the impeller in the volute and by maintaining a close
clearance between the impeller and the volute at the cut-water.
Please note the impeller rotation. A centrifugal pump impeller
slings the liquid out of the volute. It does not cup the liquid.
Centrifugal pumps are used where high velocity head is required.

Terms:
Flooded suction:
A Suction Head exists when the liquid is taken from an open to
atmosphere tank where the liquid level is above the centreline of the
suction, commonly known as a Flooded Suction.

pump

Suction lift:
A Suction Lift exists when the liquid is taken from an open to
atmosphere tank where the liquid level is below the centreline of the
suction.

pump

Cavitation:
If the suction pressure is slightly greater than the vapour pressure of the process liquid, some
liquid may flash to vapour inside the pump; this phenomenon is known as cavitation.
The cavitation occurs only in centrifugal pumps.

Priming:
The term "pump priming" is derived from the operation of older pumps a suction valve had to
be primed with water so that the pump would function properly.
Priming is used to remove cavitation.

Vortexing:
Vortexing is caused by insufficient surface tension on the liquid. There is not enough liquid
height above the suction line entrance. The velocity at the suction line entrance is too high.

NPSH (Net Positive Suction Head):

To avoid cavitation the pressure at the pump inlet must exceed the vapour pressure by a
certain value of head called the net positive suction head. There are two components that must
be considered:

Net Positive Suction Head Required(NPSHR)

Net Positive Suction Head Available(NPSHA)

If the NPSHA < NPSHR the cavitation occurs.

NPSHR (Net Positive suction Head Required):

The minimum net positive suction head which is required to avoid cavitation is known as
NPSHR. The net positive suction head required is a function of the pump design at the
operating point on the pump performance curve.

NPSHA (Net Positive suction Head Available):

The net positive suction head available is a function of the pump suction system.
The Net Positive Suction Head is the absolute total suction head in feet.
The NPSH available in a flooded suction system is:
Atmospheric Pressure (-) Vapor Pressure (+) Liquid Height (-) Friction in the Suction Line.
The NPSH available in a suction lift system is:
Atmospheric Pressure (-) Vapor Pressure (-) Liquid Ht. (-) Friction in the Suction Line.