Pumping Equipment

There are many types of pumping equipment available in the construction industry. These pumps are designed for different purposes, although all have some sort of relation to draining. This can be drainage of water, oil or various other substances. One of the most commonly found pumps is the centrifugal pump. This is used in a variety of applications and is one of the most popular pumps used in tool hire companies. But just what is it, and what does it do?

What Is a Centrifugal Pump?

A centrifugal pump is designed specifically for the drainage of thin liquids.

Centrifugal pumps are a popular choice for low viscosity (thin) liquids that need to be pumped at high flow rates. Centrifugal pumps are often used in many industrial, municipal and commercial applications and are usually quick to install and easy to repair.

Within this category of pumps, there are many variations. These include booster pumps, fire pumps, end suction pumps, mag drive pumps, jet pumps, trash pumps, regenerative turbine pumps, submersible pumps and so on. Each of these focuses on a particular application. However, what brings them all together is their ease of use. Indeed, even domestic users often have centrifugal pumps in various locations across their home.

How Does a Centrifugal Pump Work?

Centrifugal pumps create kinetic energy inside the liquid itself through the use of an impeller. In most cases, a volute pump is used to achieve this. Liquid goes into the pump through the impeller's eye, which then turns at high velocity. The liquid then speeds outward radially from the chasing of the pump. The eye of the impeller then creates a vacuum, so that more fluid is drawn into the centrifugal pump.

The energy created by the pump is kinetic energy according the Bernoulli Equation. The energy transferred to the liquid corresponds to the velocity at the edge or vane tip of the impeller. The faster the impeller revolves or the bigger the impeller is, the higher will the velocity of the liquid energy transferred to the liquid be. This is described by the Affinity Laws.

Where Are Centrifugal Pumps Used?

Being one of the most common types of pumps, it will come as no surprise that they are used in a huge range of different operations. Indeed, they can be found in scientific, domestic, industrial and commercial applications. One of the most common places they are found is in the treatment of water.

They are used in process applications where very high pressures are required, where metering of fluids is needed, or where the seal less nature of this pump type is an important benefit.

We also see them as a feed water pump for a boiler, for instance. The reason why these pumps are so common is because they offer a lot of advantages, and they only have very few disadvantages. There is no risk of leaks with these pumps, no transfer of heat through the motor, the liquid is unable to travel into the motor, there is less friction and the pump never overloads, thanks to the magnetic breaker circuit they have installed. The only really big downside is that it is limited in terms of the types of liquids it is able to carry. Centrifugal pumps are all designed for low viscosity liquids, focusing primarily on water.

Pumping equipment is in high demand both in the commercial construction industry and for domestic users. There are many different types of pumps available on the market, as well as many different brands, makes and models. If you are on the lookout for pumping equipment, be that to rent or to purchase, it may be useful to know a bit more about each of the different brands to help you make the right decision in terms of which one to choose.

Honda

Honda is generally seen as the best brand for pumping equipment. It is for this reason that most companies that sell equipment that isn't of their own brand will sell Honda. You can take a look here to get an idea of prices and machines that are available for rent. Honda makes a huge range of pumps, ranging from handheld devices to motor-operated machines. They have four specific pump categories, being those for de-watering, those used in the construction industry, the multi-purpose pumps and, finally, the submersible pumps. Regardless of the size of your job, or the size of your budget for that matter, there is a pump available.

Johnson

Johnson is a very well-known brand as well. Their focus is not on domestic users, but rather on a huge range of industries. These include the pharmaceutical industry (hygiene pumps), the petrochemical industry, horticulture, shipbuilding, marine, and automotive industry. All of these pumps are produced under the SPX brand.

SPX develops, manufactures and markets pumps and equipment for industrial, horticulture, shipbuilding, marine and automotive use under its Johnson Pump brand. A wide product range, and many years of application experience makes SPX one of the most reliable pump producers worldwide.

Graco

Graco is another global manufacturer of pumping equipment. They focus on a range of different markets, delivering electric, pneumatic and hydraulic pumps. Their focus is most strongly on the contractor industry, meaning this is another company that domestic users cannot really approach. This is one of the reasons why Honda remains the most popular brand on the market, as they are one of the few that also focus on use for domestic gardens and pools in particular. Graco's focus is on all types fluid handling, meaning they do not solely work on pumps. Their popularity stems mainly from their dedication and commitment to technological excellence.

Xylem

Xylem is a company with a difference, as they have a stronger focus on ecology and sustainable development.

With deep applications expertise from leading innovation in the water industry, we are focused on producing highly efficient water technologies that use less energy, reduce life-cycle costs and provide environmental benefits to users and the communities in which they operate.

Xylem sees itself as a partner in water's life cycle. This means they have equipment to pump water up, to transport water and to sanitize water, to name but a few. They operate all over the world, with a presence in over 150 different countries. Various different makes operate under the Xylem name, including Ebro, Flojet and Global Water.

There are many different reasons why someone would need to use a submersible pump. They are uniquely designed to work while they are completely submerged underwater so that your work crew can perform their tasks wherever they need to be. However, because there are a number of different types of submersible pumps it is important to know which type will work best for the work that you need accomplished. According to WiseGeek.com,

Submersible pump types include sump pumps and sewage pumps. These are the types with which most residential users will be most familiar. However, this pump can be used in a number of other applications as well such as well pumps, fountain pumps and borehole pumps.

If you need to use a submersible pump for a job, it is important to consider a few points beforehand. Here are a few basics that you need to fully understand about submersible pumps:

The Basic Submersible Pump

The basic submersible pump has a hermetically sealed motor that can be completely submerged into the fluid that needs to be pumped. Many people prefer this type because it offers a significant amount of lifting force. This is because it does not rely on external air pressure to push the fluid like other pumps will.

There are many different applications for a submersible pump depending on the type of job you have to do. Single state pumps are great for drainage, sewage pumping, industrial pumping, and slurry pumping while multiple stage pumps are usually lowered into boreholes for water abstraction in water wells.

Not Just for Pumping Water

While the majority of uses for submersible pumps will be for pumping water, they have other uses as well. When the pressure is increased at the bottom of an oil well it helps to extract more oil. The Electric Submersible Pumping (ESP) type adds another element of lift to the natural flow of oil.

There are various types of ESPs that can ensure a higher productivity compared to just waiting for the natural flow. The Gas Lift Submersible, the Beam Pump, or the Plunger Lift are types of ESPs that can help speed up the process of oil pumping. Some of these pumps come with a water/oil separator that will allow the water to be re-injected into the reservoir without the need to bring it up to the surface.

ESP Basics

The ESP system has various components that can turn a series of pumps in order to raise the pressure of the fluid in the well and bring it to the surface. The energy source for this type of pump comes from a 3-5 kV alternating current that operates a motor that can work at extremely high temperatures, sometimes reaching up to 300 degrees Centigrade. Because of these basic components these motors can work at high pressures that can reach as much as 5000 lb/in2 and can work in wells as deep as 12,000 ft. below the surface.

With all of these added features the ESP is a unique tool that can be used in all sorts of situations. According to Groundforce.uk.com,

This versatile pump can be used in many scenarios with a key feature being that it can provide a significant amount of lifting power. The reason for that is it does not depend on external pressure.