Pumps and Compressors

Pumps: An Introduction

A pump is a mechanical device that changes mechanical power into fluid power. A pump is a device used to move fluids, such as liquids or slurries. A pump displaces a volume by physical or mechanical action. Pumps fall into five major groups: direct lift, displacement, velocity, buoyancy and gravity pumps.[

Terminology used for Pumps

CIR: The displacement of a pump is usually expressed in cubic inches per revolution (CIR). Gpm: The flow volume of a pump is rated in gallons per minute (gpm) at certain revolutions per minute (rpm); therefore, the flow volume is proportional to the shaft speed of the pump.

Power

Power is the equivalent of how much work is produced in a certain amount of time. Work can be defined, in this case, as inch-pounds. Inch-pound refers to how far (in inches) a given amount of weight (in pounds) moves. Power can be determined by using the following formula:
Power = W/T

Pump Efficiency

Pump efficiency is defined as the ratio of the power imparted on the fluid by the pump in relation to the power supplied to drive the pump. Its value is not fixed for a given pump, efficiency is a function of the discharge and therefore also operating head. Pump performance data such as this is usually supplied by the manufacturer before pump selection. Pump efficiencies tend to decline over time due to wear (e.g. increasing clearances as impellers reduce in size).

Pump Efficiency

One important part of system design involves matching the pipeline headloss-flow characteristic with the appropriate pump or pumps which will operate at or close to the point of maximum efficiency. There are free tools that help calculate head needed and show pump curves including their Best Efficiency Points (BEP). Pump efficiency is an important aspect and pumps should be regularly tested. Thermodynamic pump testing is one method.

Positive displacement Pump

A positive displacement pump is a pump that allows very little leakage through its internal components. The word displacement refers to how much fluid a pump can move in a single rotation. A positive displacement pump causes a fluid to move by trapping a fixed amount of it then forcing (displacing) that trapped volume into the discharge pipe.

Positive displacement Pump

Positive Displacement Pumps has an expanding cavity on the suction side and a decreasing cavity on the discharge side. Liquid flows into the pumps as the cavity on the suction side expands and the liquid flows out of the discharge as the cavity collapses. The volume is constant given each cycle of operation. The positive displacement pumps can be divided into two main classes
reciprocating rotary

Positive Displacement Pumps

There are generally three types of positive displacement pumps:

The vane pump The gear pump The piston pump

Of these, the piston pump offers the best tolerances among its internal components; therefore, it is generally considered to carry a higher pressure rating than the others.

Gear Pump

Gear pumps are the simplest type of rotary pumps, This uses two meshed gears rotating in a closely fitted casing. Fluid is pumped around the outer periphery by being trapped in the tooth spaces. The gears turn away from each other, creating a current that traps fluid between the teeth on the gears and the outer casing, eventually releasing the fluid on the discharge side of the pump as the teeth mesh and go around again.

Gear Pump

It does not travel back on the meshed part, since the teeth mesh closely in the centre. Many small teeth maintain a constant flow of fluid, while fewer, larger teeth create a tendency for the pump to discharge fluids in short, pulsing gushes. Widely used on car engine oil pumps. it is also used in various hydraulic power packs.

Since gears are solid in nature and cannot change their shape or size, gear pump displacement is fixed. The only thing that can change while using a gear pump is the output flow. This can be accomplished by changing the speed of the pump.

Types of Gear Pumps

There are four types of gear pumps:

The The The The external gear pump lobe pump internal gear pump gerotor pump

External Gear Pump

The external gear pump has two gears that mesh externally.

Internal Gear Pump

The internal gear pump has one gear inside another.

Gerotor Gear Pump

The gerotor-type gear pump is very similar to the internal gear pump. Notice that the shaft is connected to the inner element.

Vane Pump

A vane pump has vanes in the rotor of the pump. cylindrical rotor encased in a similarly shaped housing. As the rotor turns, the vanes trap fluid between the rotor and the casing, drawing the fluid through the pump. Vanes slide in and out of their slots as the rotor rotates, causing fluid to be moved from the input port to the output port of the pump. Vane pumps can either be fixed displacement or variable displacement. Variable displacement pumps have a movable cam ring that allows the

Balanced Vane Pump

In a balanced vane pump, the vanes extend and retract twice during each rotation.

Reciprocating Pump

Piston Diaphragm

Piston Pumps

Piston pumps offer more pressure capabilities compared with the vane and gear pumps. Piston pumps all have closer internal tolerances. Because of these close tolerances, piston pumps operate at higher efficiencies than are possible with the vane and gear pumps.

Piston Pumps

When the piston moves out of the cylinder, the fluid is pulled in through the inlet port. When the piston moves back into the cylinder, the fluid is pushed out through the outlet port.

Piston Pumps

Piston pumps come in three varieties:

Straight-axis Bent-axis Radial

Piston Pump (For concrete pumping)

Other Pumps

There are other types of pumps that are not positive displacement pumps: Impeller pump Centrifugal pump These two types of pumps have very poor tolerances between the internal components. These pumps also produce a pressure that is too low for most hydraulic systems.

Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal pumps are typically used in lower pressure systems that move thinner fluids such as water. Centrifugal pumps rely on the centrifugal force that is developed within the fluid as it is being pumped through the propeller.

Centrifugal Force

Centrifugal force is a force that tends to pull an object outward, away from the center of rotation, when the object is rotating rapidly around a center point. Thus, a spinning propeller enclosed within a housing causes a suction to be created at the input (center) of the propeller and a discharge of the fluid at the output of the pump.

Axial Flow Pumps

Axial flow pumps differ from radial flow in that the fluid enters and exits along the same direction parallel to the rotating shaft. The fluid is not accelerated but instead "lifted" by the action of the impeller. They may be likened to a propeller spinning in a length of tube. Axial flow pumps operate at much lower pressures and higher flow rates than radial flow pumps. Mixed flow pumps

Radial Flow Pumps

Often simply referred to as centrifugal pumps. The fluid enters along the axial plane, is accelerated by the impeller and exits at right angles to the shaft (radially). Radial flow pumps operate at higher pressures and lower flow rates than axial and mixed flow pumps.

Mixed Flow Pumps

Mixed flow pumps, as the name suggests, function as a compromise between radial and axial flow pumps, the fluid experiences both radial acceleration and lift and exits the impeller somewhere between 0-90 degrees from the axial direction. As a consequence mixed flow pumps operate at higher pressures than axial flow pumps while delivering higher discharges than radial flow pumps. The exit angle of the flow dictates the pressure head-discharge characteristic in relation to radial and mixed flow.

Pump Troubleshooting

Bearing failure is most common with the gear-type pumps because gears produce a large amount of side load. Another common problem is that seals will sometimes begin to leak. If the fluid reservoir is not checked on a regular basis, the drop in fluid may go unnoticed and the pump may begin to suck in air.

Pump Troubleshooting

Air bubbles will form and will be carried along with the fluid stream. This is known as entrained air. Entrained air can cause cavitation. Cavitation can be defined as vacuum void within the fluid.

Pump Troubleshooting

Common problems that occur with vane pumps are that the vanes tend to wear out over time, as do the cam ring and housing. Most pumps have an inlet strainer. It is not uncommon for this strainer to become clogged.

Pump Troubleshooting

Sometimes vane springs may fail. This could cause the walls of the pump to become scarred, thus causing leakage. The prime mover (motor) may fail. The coupling between the motor and the pump may fail.

AIR COMPRESSORS

Air Compression

Compression occurs when air is forced into a smaller space than it originally occupied. It is important to know several laws that apply when compressing air:
Pascals law Boyles law Charles law

Compressor Types

Just as with the hydraulic pumps, there are gear, vane, axial piston, and radial piston-type compressors, although the internal and external gear compressors are not used very often. All of these compressors work exactly the same as the hydraulic pump except that they transfer air, instead of oil, from the inlet port to the outlet port.

Once again, the main type of failure is bearing failure. Another problem is that the intake filters get clogged. Another common problem is belt slippage.

Compressor Troubleshooting

COMPRESSORS

Types of Compressors
Type of compressor

Positive displacement

Dynamic

Reciprocating

Rotary

Centrifugal

Axial

Reciprocating Compressor

Used for air and refrigerant compression

Works like a bicycle pump: cylinder volume reduces while pressure increases, with pulsating output
Many configurations available Single acting when using one side of the piston, and double acting when using both sides

Rotary Compressor

Rotors instead of pistons: continuous discharge

Benefits: low cost, compact, low weight, easy to maintain

Sizes between 30 200 hp Types Lobe compressor

Screw compressor
Rotary vane / Slide vane

Centrifugal Compressor

Rotating impeller transfers energy to move air

Continuous duty Designed oil free High volume applications > 12,000 cfm

Axial Flow Compressor

Comparison of Compressors:

Efficiency at full, partial and no load

Noise level
Size

Oil carry-over
Vibration

Maintenance
Capacity

Pressure

Leaks

Consequences
Energy waste: 20 30% of output Drop in system pressure

Shorter equipment life

Common leakage areas

Couplings, hoses, tubes, fittings Pressure regulators Open condensate traps, shut-off valves Pipe joints, disconnects, thread sealants

Quantifying leaks on the shop floor

Shut off compressed air operated equipments

Run compressor to charge the system to set pressure of operation

Note the time taken for Load and Unload cycles

Calculate quantity of leakage (previous slide) If Q is actual free air supplied during trial (m3/min), then: System leakage (m3/minute) = Q T / (T + t)