The main types and types of pumps, their characteristics

A pump is a hydraulic device designed to suck, pressurize, or inject a liquid by communicating to it an external kinetic or potential energy.

Types of pumps for water are distinguished according to their technical parameters, which include:

• The amount of fluid that moves the pump per unit time;
• Developed pressure or maximum head;
• Efficiency;
• power.

History of invention

The first types of pumps appeared in the 1st century BC. E. They helped in extinguishing fires. However, until the 18th century. Similar devices were used extremely rarely.

Everything changed after the invention of the steam engine and the increase in the demand for water. Various types of pumps began to displace water-lifting devices and found wide application in human economic activity. Over time, the requirements for hydraulic mechanisms have become increasingly diverse. With the development of technical thought, the main types of pumps were also outlined. These included piston, rotary, as well as machines that do not have moving working elements.

The achievements of science and technology have led to the fact that today there are many different types of pumps. What they are, what is their main purpose, we will consider in this article.

Household and industrial hydraulic machines

The existing types of pumps have different classification. One of them concerns the scope of application of such devices and distinguishes between them household and industrial. The first of these machines are used for sewage, heating and water supply in residential and industrial premises.

Industrial pumps are intended for use in various systems and installations. They are used for water supply, pumping petroleum products and corrosive substances, as well as for many other specific actions.

Pumps of volume effect

Another classification of hydraulic machines takes into account their design features and the principle of operation. What types of pumps are the main ones in this case? These are volumetric and dynamic hydraulic machines.

In the first of them the working organ is the camera. Under the action of the resulting pressure forces, it changes in volume, which leads to forced displacement of the substance.

All volumetric pumps (types, types we are considering) are designed to supply viscous liquids. The principle of operation of such devices is based on the transformation of energy. It is transferred from the engine to the pumped liquid.

Volumetric pumps are high-pressure. In the process of their work there is a significant vibration, for the damping of which the device is placed on a massive foundation. However, the advantage of these pumps lies not only in their high power. Such devices are capable of performing a dry suction.

Types of volumetric pumps

There are various devices in which the body is a camera. Among them are such units:

1. Rotary . These are pumps having a fixed body, in which are enclosed blades, blades and other similar parts. Moving the fluid in this case is facilitated by the motion of the rotors.
2. Gear . This is the simplest type of pump with forced displacement. These devices move the fluid in the process of changing the volume of the cavities of gears, interlocked with each other.
3. Impellers . If you look at such a pump in disassembled form, you can see the impeller, the blades of which are made of elastic material. It is located inside the eccentric case. What happens when such a device works? The blades bend and, rotating, displace the liquid.
4. Cam-shaped . These pumps rotate two independent rotors, which facilitates the movement of liquid through the working chamber. Cam mechanisms are widely used in the manufacture of dairy products, beverages, jams, etc. And all this is due to their ability to pump liquids that have large inclusions. Also, a similar type of pump is used in the pharmacological industry.
5. Peristaltic . In these pumps, the main working part is a multilayer flexible sleeve made of elastomer. When the engine is turned on, the shaft with the rollers starts rotating in such a device. They clamp the sleeve, facilitating the movement of the liquid inside it.
6. Screw . A stator made of elastomer is inserted into the body of these pumps. It contains a metal rotor, which has a helical shape. How does the transfer of liquid take place in this case? After turning on the motor, the rotor rotates, changing the volume of the internal cavities. At the same time, the fluid moves.

Dynamic Pumps

For these devices, double energy conversion is characteristic. Initially, it is transferred to the liquid in a kinetic form. In this case, the flow moving inside the pump increases its speed. Then a partial transformation of the energy of the liquid into a static form takes place. The flow rate decreases with increasing pressure. Such devices, unlike volumetric ones, are not capable of producing a dry suction.

Centrifugal hydraulic machines

Consider the types of pumps of a dynamic type. The most common of these are centrifugal devices. These pumps are used to supply hot or cold water, as well as for pumping aggressive and viscous liquids, sewage and water mixtures with slags, with soil, peat, etc.

How does the centrifugal pump work? Located between the blades of the rotating impeller, the fluid particles receive kinetic energy from it. This creates a centrifugal force. It moves the liquid further into the motor housing. This work is continuous due to pressure, which ensures a constant supply of new particles of liquid to the pump.

By their designation, centrifugal pumps are classified into:

• Used in the operation of the operational equipment of TPPs;
• For various technical purposes.

What are the types of centrifugal pumps belonging to the first group? The devices used for water circulation are divided into circulating and recirculating. Pumps installed for heat transfer, are divided into boiler and network. In the preparation of drinking water, condensate centrifugal pumps are used, and in the system of feeding the servomotors of steam turbines - injection pumps.

What devices are used for various technical purposes? These are such types of centrifugal pumps as household, fire, drainage, etc.

Recently, new developments of such devices have appeared. Among them, sand centrifugal pumps are very popular. They are used for pumping water mixtures. That is why such pumps are installed in places where there is sand in the water, as well as all kinds of industrial solids.

Vortex hydraulic devices

These dynamic pumps are similar in their characteristics to centrifugal, but, unlike them, they have a smaller mass and dimensions. Of the disadvantages of vortex pumps can be identified low efficiency, which in the operating mode does not exceed fifteen percent. In addition, such mechanisms are not able to pump liquid containing abrasive particles, as this leads to rapid wear of internal parts.

Inkjet Hydraulic Devices

These pumps, unlike many other similar machines, are not able to create excess pressure at the output. Their working principle is reduced to the transformation of the potential energy of the fluid into a kinetic energy. In this case, there are no moving parts in the jet pumps. The main working mechanism in devices of this type is a jet of liquid or gas.

Such pumps can be water jet (for example, hydroelevators). In them, the working fluid transfers its kinetic energy to the pumped substance. Among the jet pumps there are airlifts. Compressor is supplied with compressed air. The water-air mixture is then driven by the lifting force of the air bubbles.

Water Pumps

These devices have many kinds. But basically experts classify them according to their intended purpose. So, there are the following types of water pumps:

• Circulation , used for forced movement of liquid in air conditioning, hot water and heating systems;
• Water-lifting , necessary for extraction of liquid from wells and wells, which are submersible and superficial;
• Drainage , used for pumping water from wells, sewerage and cellars.

Types of pumps for surface water type specialists are divided into those used for:

• Increase of pressure;
• Cold water supply;
• Fire extinguishing systems.

Choosing pumps, types, characteristics and other parameters of devices must be taken into account, depending on their purpose. So, sometimes the machine will have to work in autonomous conditions. And in some cases it will be provided with its access to the electrical network.

That's why there are such types of water pumps that work on internal combustion engines. They are called motor pumps. In this case, they are divided into gasoline and diesel. There are electric pumps. Their work depends entirely on the voltage in the network.

However, the main classification of pumps relates to determining the place they occupy relative to the source of supply. According to this parameter, they are subdivided into surface and submerged. Consider these types of devices in more detail.

Surface Pumps

These devices are widely used in cottages, cottages and country houses. They are used to increase the pressure in the water supply network, as well as for irrigation and irrigation of the land. With their help raise water from wells, wells and open water bodies, located at a distance of up to eight meters from the pump axis.

There are many types of such devices. For example, according to the method of pumping water and the internal device, they are classified into vortex and barrel, drainage and circulation, and also cantilever (centrifugal). The last two types are most popular among summer residents. These units are easy to operate, compact and economical, and when they are connected to a special automation system, full stations are obtained.

Surface pumps consist of the following main components:

1. Hose . This is a kind of waterway from the place where there is a direct intake of liquids to the pump and then to the points of intersection with the water supply system or to the water.
2. Ejector . This is a special device designed to improve circulation and pressure in the pump by increasing the suction depth.
3. Housing . It is most often made of composite materials, cast iron, aluminum or stainless steel. When the unit is operating during the whole year, in winter, the enclosure requires protection from the cold.
4. The engine . It can be internal combustion or electric. It all depends on the type of pump.

Circulation pumps

This kind of surface aggregates is distinguished by a complex device. They are usually used in autonomous heating systems in order to force the water to move in a closed loop and maintain a constant temperature in it.

By their design, they have a body with a built-in steel or ceramic rotor, as well as a shaft with blades.

To date, there are the following types of circulation pumps:

• With a "wet" rotor;
• With a "dry" rotor.

The first of them are almost noiseless, economical, cheap and easy to operate. Their working element is designed in such a way that it is in water, which lubricates all parts and simultaneously cools the engine. But such aggregates have a significant drawback. The fact is that when the fluid circulation stops, the engine may overheat. In addition, the efficiency of such units is at an extremely low level.

All types of heat pumps of circulating type with a "dry" rotor have a built-in fan. Their engine is structurally isolated from the incoming liquid. In this case, the lubrication of all moving parts is done with oil.

In turn, these pumps are divided into:

• Cantilever, in which the engine is located separately from the body;
• Monoblock, where the body and the engine are also separated, but are in the same block;
• Inline-pumps, differing from the previous two by their increased tightness.

Submersible pumps

Such aggregates are indispensable in cases where water layers lie at a depth exceeding 8 m. Submersible pumps are lowered into the well together with a pressure pipe. Further, under the pressure created by the hydraulic device, water enters the house.

All types of submersible pumps are highly efficient, in addition, they have efficient and qualitative cooling. By its internal device, submersible pumps are classified into:

• Centrifugal, in which water rotates together with impeller blades and is fed outwards under high pressure;
• Vibration, in which the liquid is absorbed by the vibrational and electromagnetic mechanism.

There are such pumps from the body, the engine and the switch. In the drainage and sewage pumps, a chopper or cutting mechanism is additionally installed to prevent the presence of solids in the liquid whose size exceeds 5 cm.

Hydrotechnical fire extinguishing means

Pumps used to localize fires are subject to special requirements. From their constructive perfection and technical parameters, the success of the fight against fire depends to a large extent.

What are the different types of fire pumps? It all depends on the extinguishing conditions. So, on fire trucks, centrifugal type units are installed. They supply fire extinguishing agents without any pulsations, do not increase pressure when the fire hose is broken or clogged, simple and reliable in operation.

It is also important that centrifugal pumps installed on fire trucks do not require a complex drive from the engine and have a comparatively low mass and dimensions. However, such units have a number of drawbacks. They are not able to suck in the liquid and are ready to work only after the suction line is filled with water.

What other types of fire pumps are there? These are auxiliary units. They are also installed on fire trucks. Auxiliary pumps allow filling the body of the centrifugal mechanism and the cavity of the suction hose with water. That's why their work is short-lived. After the centrifugal pump is started, they are switched off. As auxiliary devices are used rotary-type units, etc.

Oil Pumps

These devices are designed to reduce the frictional forces that arise between moving parts of the engine. All types of oil pumps are divided into two types. The first of them is adjustable. In such pumps, constant pressure is maintained by changing the performance. The second type of oil pumps is unregulated. They also maintain a constant pressure, but only with the help of a pressure reducing valve. Most modern engines are equipped with pumps of unregulated type.

Units for pumping oil are classified and by their design. They are:

• Gears, with the leading and driven gear housed in the body;
• Rotary.

In the first of these two types of devices, oil enters the housing, where it is captured by gears. Further through the discharge valve, it moves to the system.

The performance of such a pump is directly dependent on the frequency with which the crankshaft rotates. After the pressure of the oil pumped into the unit exceeds a certain limit, a reduction valve comes into operation . It passes a certain amount of oil to the suction blade or to the crankcase of the engine.

As for rotary pumps, they can be either uncontrolled or controlled. The first type of such units has a leading and driven rotors, which are placed in its housing. These parts serve to grip the oil entering the system. Further, as in the gear pump, a reduction valve opens to move the substance.

Rotary pumps with controlled control ensure a constant working pressure, which does not depend on the speed of their crankshaft. To perform this function, they are provided with an adjusting spring and a movable stator. Constant working pressure is created by changing the volume of the cavity that is located between the driving and driven rotors.

Fuel Pumps

These units are the basic elements, without which the operation of any internal combustion engine is impossible. Their main purpose is to deliver gasoline or diesel from the tank to the combustion chamber.

One or two fuel pumps are a must for every car. These units perform work, the principle of which largely depends on the features of their design. What are the different types of fuel pumps? There are two main ones. It:

1. Mechanical gasoline pump . This device is part of the carburetor engine. By its design, it is a classic piston pump. The main parts of such an aggregate are the body, divided into two parts by a diaphragm, and also two valves for feeding and receiving fuel.
2. Electropump . This type of unit is used in gasoline engines with separate injection. Electropumps are installed either directly in the tank or in some place of the fuel line. The most widespread submersible fuel assemblies. They are placed on the bottom of the tank. In turn, the type of oil injection electric pumps are divided into centrifugal, gear and rotary.

There are many kinds of pumps, and all such devices are widely used in this or that sphere.