The industrial applications of pumps have greatly changed the way machines work. At the helm of this transformation is the high pressure positive displacement pump (abbreviated as the PD pumps). Ever since their discovery, they have constantly been applied in machinery both in the traditional and modern setting.
The two main classes of positive displacement pumps are the rotary and reciprocating pumps. Although the underlying principle of constant flow remains the same, their dissimilarity presents itself in their functionality. Rotary drives transmit highly viscous liquids efficiently but experience difficulty in moving abrasive fluids and gases. This is largely because they require constant lubrication. Reciprocating drives are however more versatile since pumping both abrasive and viscous liquids is possible.
Their ability to operate efficiently depends widely on viscosity and pressure, as seen above. These two properties usually affect rate of flow. This is actually the main reason why they are preferred to their centrifugal counterparts. The ability to maintain a constant rate of flow even with significant variations in viscosity and discharge pressure makes them more versatile.
The most monumental applications of PD pumps is in the oil industry. Here they mainly serve to pump the crude oil from the extraction site to the processing site. It was initially expensive to separately pump the constituents of the extracted matter which included the oil, gas, water and sand. This was largely due to the fact that it contained significantly large amounts of gas. However the ability of reciprocating pumps to transmit gases came in handy. The mixture was now being transmitted as it was without the need of building separate pumping stations for each element.
This desirable property has been effectively applied. Initially the extracted crude oil contained oil, gas, sand and water. Separation had to be done prior to transportation and each element mentioned above had to be transported separately. This was in essence quite expensive. PD drives however enabled the petroleum industry to tremendously reduce the cost of offshore oil production since there was no need of separating the initial mixture before moving it.
Its applications can also be extended to the chemical process industry. These include the pharmaceuticals, food and beverage production and biotechnology. A typical chemical process is usually accompanied by major fluctuations in the physical properties of the initial mixture such as viscosity. Since PD pumps maintain a constant flow rate despite these unpredictable changes, it is the most suitable for transmitting the fluid through the reaction chambers.
A similar application can be seen in paper milling industries. Paper mills are fueled by a mixture of fibers from the wood and liquid chemical. During the process the resulting mixture usually undergoes changes in density as it is burnt. Other problems such as clogging and erosion of passageways is also a common phenomena. Since the process of paper manufacturing is a highly regulated procedure, a constant flow of fuel is required. Using any other type of pumps despite these associated problems will not yield the required results. The reciprocating type pumps therefore offer the best solution for paper millers.
In summary, positive displacement pumps are the most efficient when rate of flow is a major requirement. One should properly understand all the physical properties of the fluid intended to be transmitted before settling on a choice of pumping mechanism.
The two main classes of positive displacement pumps are the rotary and reciprocating pumps. Although the underlying principle of constant flow remains the same, their dissimilarity presents itself in their functionality. Rotary drives transmit highly viscous liquids efficiently but experience difficulty in moving abrasive fluids and gases. This is largely because they require constant lubrication. Reciprocating drives are however more versatile since pumping both abrasive and viscous liquids is possible.
Their ability to operate efficiently depends widely on viscosity and pressure, as seen above. These two properties usually affect rate of flow. This is actually the main reason why they are preferred to their centrifugal counterparts. The ability to maintain a constant rate of flow even with significant variations in viscosity and discharge pressure makes them more versatile.
The most monumental applications of PD pumps is in the oil industry. Here they mainly serve to pump the crude oil from the extraction site to the processing site. It was initially expensive to separately pump the constituents of the extracted matter which included the oil, gas, water and sand. This was largely due to the fact that it contained significantly large amounts of gas. However the ability of reciprocating pumps to transmit gases came in handy. The mixture was now being transmitted as it was without the need of building separate pumping stations for each element.
This desirable property has been effectively applied. Initially the extracted crude oil contained oil, gas, sand and water. Separation had to be done prior to transportation and each element mentioned above had to be transported separately. This was in essence quite expensive. PD drives however enabled the petroleum industry to tremendously reduce the cost of offshore oil production since there was no need of separating the initial mixture before moving it.
Its applications can also be extended to the chemical process industry. These include the pharmaceuticals, food and beverage production and biotechnology. A typical chemical process is usually accompanied by major fluctuations in the physical properties of the initial mixture such as viscosity. Since PD pumps maintain a constant flow rate despite these unpredictable changes, it is the most suitable for transmitting the fluid through the reaction chambers.
A similar application can be seen in paper milling industries. Paper mills are fueled by a mixture of fibers from the wood and liquid chemical. During the process the resulting mixture usually undergoes changes in density as it is burnt. Other problems such as clogging and erosion of passageways is also a common phenomena. Since the process of paper manufacturing is a highly regulated procedure, a constant flow of fuel is required. Using any other type of pumps despite these associated problems will not yield the required results. The reciprocating type pumps therefore offer the best solution for paper millers.
In summary, positive displacement pumps are the most efficient when rate of flow is a major requirement. One should properly understand all the physical properties of the fluid intended to be transmitted before settling on a choice of pumping mechanism.
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