PUMP WORKING PRINCIPLES

Pumps are a common piece of equipment in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries.
Pumping equipment is extremely diverse, varying in type, size, driver, and construction
materials. Pumps are classified into two types based on how they transmit energy to the
pumped liquid: kinetic and positive displacement. In a kinetic type, a rotating element called
an impeller applies centrifugal force to the fluid, causing it to move from the pump suction to
the discharge. Positive displacement, on the other hand, uses the reciprocating action of one
or more pistons, or the squeezing action of meshing gears, lobes, or other moving bodies, to
move liquid from one area to another.

TYPES OF PUMPS
Pumps in the oil and gas industry are classified into various groups as shown in the graph
below. Kinetic and positive displacements are two major classes with distinct operating
principles. Kinetic pumps are centrifugal in nature. Positive displacement pumps are
classified as rotary (vane, gear, and screw) or reciprocating (piston, plunger, and diaphragm).

Figure 1.0 : Types of pumps in oil&gas industry

1. Centrifugal pumps

Kinetic energy is transmitted into the fluid by a rotating element known as an impeller
in centrifugal pumps, which are a type of kinetic pump. This causes an increase in
fluid velocity at the impeller's tip, which is then converted to pressure at the pump's
outlet. Kinetic energy is frequently converted to pressure at the volute or diffuser.
Bernoulli's principle underpins this conversion. Bernoulli's principle states that the
pressure of an incompressible fluid increases as its velocity decreases. The increasing
cross-sectional area of the volute and diffuser along the fluid's path causes the fluid's
velocity to decrease. In the case of axial centrifugal pumps, the required head is
produced by the vane's propelling or lifting action on the liquid. The impeller
diameter is the same on both the suction and discharge sides of this type of centrifugal
pump. When compared to other types of pumps, centrifugal pumps are the most cost-
effective. The maximum discharge pressure is approximately 500 bar.

Figure 1.1 : Centrifugal pump

Displacement pumps, as opposed to centrifugal pumps, are designed to move fluid

forward by trapping and pushing it along the casing. As a result, positive displacement
pumps do not raise fluid pressure unless there is resistance in the fluid's path
downstream of the pump. Unlike centrifugal pumps, which can only generate a
limited head rise, pressure increase in positive displacement pumps is dependent on
the pump's downstream condition. As a result, these pumps can generate large
pressure differences and are appropriate for high-pressure applications. Due to the
nearly infinite pressure rise, these pumps should normally have a pressure safety
valve at the discharge line. Positive displacement pumps are not as common in oil and
gas applications as centrifugal pumps. API Standards 674, 675, and 676 define the
minimum requirements for positive displacement pumps and pump units used in the
petroleum, petrochemical, and gas industries. They are only used as bellows in
specific applications.

 Metering (dosing) applications require the precise addition of a chemical into

a process fluid.
  Extremely high-pressure applications in which centrifugal pumps are
ineffective.

 Applications with low flowrates where centrifugal pumps are not cost
effective due to low efficiency.

 Direct-acting steam driven, in which the motive steam is used directly as a

power source.

 High viscosity liquids, such as turbomachinery lube oil, are pumped.

2. Rotary Pumps

Rotary pumps, which are a type of positive displacement pump, have a fixed casing
with vanes, gears, screws, and other components that operate with minimal clearance.
Their operation is based on trapping the liquid and pushing it around the casing,
resulting in a smooth flow at the outlet. Rotary pumps have a lower maximum
discharge pressure than other types. The most common types of rotary pumps are
screw, gear, lobe, and vane.

 Screw pumps

Screw pumps are typically made up of two threaded screws that turn in a fix
casing. Their operation is similar to that of meat grinders. Fluid is trapped and
transported along the screw axis between the screw threads. A variety of other
designs with one or three treaded screws are also available.

Figure 1.2 : Screw pumps

  Gear pumps

Gear pumps are the most basic type of rotary pump. Gear pumps are classified
into two types. External and internal gear pumps are used. External-gear
pumps are made up of two rotating gears. One is connected to the shaft and
meshes with the idler gear, which can freely rotate. These gears spin in
opposing directions. Due to the partial vacuum condition, liquid fills the
spaces between the gear teeth on the suction side of the pump as they separate.
As gears rotate, it is carried around and squeezed out through the discharge
nozzle. The clearance between the gears and the casing wall is so small that
the trapped liquid's slippage rate is negligible for highly viscous fluids. The
main application is for lubrication oil pumping.

Figure 1.3 : Gear pump

Screw pump vs Gear pump : side-by-side comparison

 Screw pumps are a better choice for industrial applications than gear pumps for the
following reasons:

 Greater suction capacity

 Reduce noise, vibration, and turbulence
 Higher rotational speed of up to 3500 rpm is possible.
 Reduced casing and footprint for consistent capacity
 Reduce pulsation in the discharge flow.
 Screw pumps have a longer service life.
 Lobe pumps

Lobe pumps function similarly to gear pumps. They have two or more rotors, each
with two, three, or more lobes. The liquid fills the space between the lobes and the
casing's wall as the lobes rotate and is pushed out through the discharge nozzle.
Because liquid is delivered in smaller quantities than in gear pumps, the liquid flow is
not as constant as in gear pumps. Lobe pumps can be used as vacuum packages to
achieve a partial vacuum condition.

Figure 1.3 : Lobe Pumps

3. Vane Pumps

Sliding vane pumps are the most common type of vane pump. Their operation is
based on sliding vanes that rotate around a non-concentric cam. When the rotor is
turned, centrifugal force holds these vanes against the casing bore. In some other
designs, springs are used to push the vanes out. Because the rotating vanes are in a
non-concentric casing, the free space between vanes grows as the rotor rotates at the
suction side, forcing liquid into the pump's inlet. However, due to the smaller area, the
trapped liquid is compressed at the discharge, increasing the outlet pressure. The
rotary vane pump is the most common type of vacuum pump. The risk of abrasion in
these pumps is high due to the vanes' contact with the casing's wall. Vane pumps with
an inner oil or liquid ring are frequently used to address this issue.

 Oil sealed vane pump - a thin layer of oil covers the inner wall of the casing
in an oil sealed vane pump. This layer spreads evenly around the casing due to
centrifugal forces. They are primarily employed as gas compressors and
vacuum pumps.

 Liquid ring vane pump - an impeller with fixed vanes is used in a liquid ring
vane pump. Its casing is fed by liquid (typically water), which forms a moving
cylindrical ring against the inside of the casing due to centrifugal acceleration.
This liquid ring forms a series of seals between the impeller vanes. The
eccentricity of the impeller's axis of rotation and the geometric axis of the
casing causes a cyclic variation in the volume enclosed by the vanes and the
 ring. The gas is compressed and discharged through the discharge nozzle.
Vacuum pumps and gas compressors use liquid ring vane pumps

Figure 1.4 : Vane pumps

4. Diaphragm pumps

Diaphragm pumps are a combination of a piston and diaphragm. Their working

principle are similar to piston pumps. They have a rod or plunger, which push against
a diaphragm to compress the containing liquid by means of a crankshaft. The liquid is
in contact with the diaphragm. They are only use for small capacities like dozing
applications in which an exact discharge flow is expected. The diaphragm is often
made from flexible nonmetallic material like PTFE to withstand the corrosive and
erosive environment. Diaphragm pumps are short-stroke high speed pumps comparing
to other reciprocating pumps. They are often utilized as metering pumps to handle
acid and alkaline chemicals.

Figure 1.5 : Diaphragm pumps

5. Piston pumps

Piston pumps are the most basic type of reciprocating pump. They are similar to the
internal combustion engines found in conventional automobiles. They are made up of
inlet and outlet check valves, as well as a crankshaft connected to a disk (piston). In
an enclosed cylindrical chamber, the piston reciprocates. During the expansion stage,
the piston retracts, allowing fluid to enter the chamber via the inlet valve. The piston
compresses the fluid during the compression stage, forcing it out through the
discharge valve. These pumps are designed in a double acting configuration to
provide a smoother discharge flowrate with a higher capacity. Both sides of the piston
in a double acting pump are in contact with the liquid. While one side is in
compression mode, the other side is expanding. As a result, the pump's discharge has
a continuous flowrate with less pulsation. As a rule of thumb, the maximum pressure
rise that piston pumps can achieve is 150 bar.

Figure 1.6 : Piston pumps