Pumps are being used more and more in today’s industry. When the time comes to choose the most suitable type of pump, success in the choice will depend on different factors such as the criticality of the process, the required pumping hours or the physical data of the pumping, that is, the type of fluid to be pumped, its flow, pressure, temperature, elevation among others.
In this article you will find information about what an industrial pump is and its different types.
What is an industrial pump and how does it work?
An industrial pump is understood as a machine that transforms the mechanical energy that it absorbs from an electric, thermal, or other motor, and transfers it to a fluid as hydraulic energy, which allows the fluid to be transported from one place to another, to a level or at different levels.
The operation of an industrial pump is simple: the inlet tube of the pump draws in the water and is then driven by a motor that uses coils and magnets to create a magnetic field and thus make the impeller rotate continuously.
There are two large groups of industrial pumps: in the first place we have the dynamic ones, among which are centrifuges, peripheral ones and special ones; and secondly, we have those with positive displacement, which we can group into reciprocating and rotating.
Centrifugal pumps are the most widely used class of hydraulic pumps in the industry, since they are used to pump liquids in general and allow large amounts of water to be moved.
Next, we will describe the types of industrial pumps:
Types of Industrial Pumps on the current market
Centrifugal pumps:
These pumps are the most used in the chemical industry and the most efficient for handling fluids that carry solid particles in suspension. The centrifugal pump is a type of hydraulic pump that transforms the mechanical energy of an impeller into kinetic or pressure energy of an incompressible fluid. From mechanics to hydraulics.
Positive Displacement Pumps:
This type of industrial pumps guides the fluid that moves along its entire path, which is contained between the impeller and the casing or cylinder. They have a chamber that increases volume (suction) and decreases volume (drive). Positive displacement pumps are all types of rotary pumps and include gear, screw / spindle, rotary vane, and piston pumps.
Helical Pump
This pump is known as a progressive cavity or helical screw pump. It is a positive displacement pump and is ideal for transferring fluids with brittle solids. It is suitable for viscous and abrasive fluids.
Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps
These pumps are rotary positive displacement machines that provide vacuum and are often used for all types of processes in industrial applications within the chemical industry, electrical energy, environment, food and beverage processing and packaging, marine applications, mining, oil among others.
Peristaltic Pumps:
These peristaltic pumps are a type of positive displacement hydraulic pump, used to pump a wide variety of fluids. The fluid is contained within a flexible tube embedded within a circular cover of the pump, so there is no contact between the mechanical elements and the product.
Lobular Pumps:
Lobe pumps are rotary volumetric pumps. The pumping is produced by 2 lobes that rotate in the opposite direction, to lead the liquid to the space between the body and a lobe. The effect is smooth, with good acceptance of large suspended particles.
Flexible impeller pumps
They are designed to work in both directions of travel and are characterized by being self-priming and very versatile. Although, they are not suitable for working at high temperatures (> 80?C) due to the high friction between the impeller and the body.
Rotary Pumps:
These industrial pumps are the ones that discharge a continuous flow, although they are generally thought of as pumps for viscous liquids, they can also handle almost any liquid that is free of abrasive solids. They are machines that develop pressure by transporting liquids in a defined path in only one direction. Some of the pumps mentioned above could be included in this category, although this term is commonly used to speak of internal or external gear pumps.
Reciprocal or Alternative Pumps:
In these pumps the fluid is displaced by reciprocating movement, as it moves in one direction it sucks and in the opposite direction it expels. The best-known type of pump with this classification is the diaphragm.
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