Basic pump principles

PUMP TYPES

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Main pump types
There are two main pump types – positive displacement and centrifugal.
Our focus is mainly on centrifugal pumps as they are by far the most
commonly used pumps, particularly in plumbing applications
Pump Types

Positive Displacement Centrifugal

Rotary Reciprocating

• Generally positive displacement pumps dispense a set amount

of liquid for every revolution of the shaft so that flow is
determined by the speed at which the pump is driven
• They are more suited to pumping more viscous or thick liquids
and are not always ideal for pumping water
• An example of a positive displacement pump is a piston pump

Piston Pump

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How centrifugal pumps work

• Centrifugal pumps have an impeller mounted on a shaft that rotates.

The impeller is mounted in the pump housing
• The liquid enters the centre, or eye, of the impeller through the suction
or pump inlet (suction side) and gains energy in the form of velocity as it
passes through the impeller vanes – centrifugal force
• This velocity energy is converted into pressure by the diffuser
(the inside shape of the pump housing)

Now we look at different types of centrifugal pumps

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End-suction pumps
End-suction pumps are the most commonly used centrifugal pumps
across all industries
• They are called end suction because the inlet, or suction, is at the
end and the discharge is at a right angle
• Consist of a single impellor in a casing that also acts as the volute
• Available in close coupled configuration, or long coupled configuration
• Larger sizes are used for irrigation, water supply and industrial process
• Smaller sizes are used for household pressure systems or pool pumps
• If they are fitted with a venturi jet ( jet pump), they are ideal for
household pressure systems when the water tank is below ground level.

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 Chapter Two – Pump Types

Inline pumps
As the name suggests these pumps have the suction and discharge inline
with each other
• Allows for pipeline mounting and was the original concept for inline
pumps
• Typically used in heating and air-conditioning applications, in smaller
sizes as a ‘wet runner’ motor design
• Wet runner or circulator pumps are used in applications where no
noise can be tolerated, typically in buildings for heating and cooling
systems
• Because the motor bearings ( journal) are lubricated by the pumped
liquid, the system must be clean
• Wet runners are most commonly used in ‘closed systems’
• Without a seal, they are generally leak free

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 Chapter Two – Pump Types
Submersible pumps
Submersible pumps are used for the removal or
transfer of sewage, waste water or storm water

• Designed to operate with the complete pump

and motor submerged in the water they are
pumping
• The motor on submersible pumps is usually
cooled by the liquid they pump and not air
cooled like a standard pump
• Usually have the ability to pump solids – the
size of the solids will depend on the pump
and impeller design

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 Chapter Two – Pump Types
Submersible pumps – installation
There are various installation configurations for submersible
pumps, from free standing to auto coupling

• The auto coupling allows easy removal of the pumps to clear

blockages or perform service work
• Submersible pumps can also be installed outside the liquid,
or “dry mounted”

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 Chapter Two – Pump Types

Multistage pumps
Multistage pumps are, as the
name suggests a number of
singles stages of a
centrifugal pump, mounted
on a common shaft

• This design allows us to efficiently produce high

pressure pumps
• These are used for boosting or transferring water
where we have large distances or variations in height
• The construction of these pumps is the same as a
single stage pump, except there is a diffuser that
feeds the water from one impellor to the next
• Multistage pumps are also used for submersible
borehole pumps1

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Jet pumps
Compared to a standard centrifugal pump, a jet pump has two additional
components, a jet and a venturi
• The output from the impeller(s) is split and approximately 1/3rd of the
water is circulated back to the jet assembly under pressure
• As the water Passes through the jet its velocity is increases but the
pressure drops creating a suction effect drawing in entrapped air and
water from the suction line
• After passing through the jet the recirculated water enters a tapered
venturi where the energy is convert back from velocity to pressure
• These types of pumps are noisy but are very good on a suction lift
typically of up to 6 m

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Shallow well jet pumps
Shallow well jet pumps are built up around
the following components
• Standard centrifugal pump
• Has inbuilt jet/venturi system
• Jet and venturi sizes determine the pumps
performance characteristics

Advantages and disadvantages

• Advantages – good suction lift capability
generally 6m lift
• Disadvantage – are generally noisy compared
to standard centrifugal pump
• Larger motor required

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Deep well ejector
Deep well ejectors recirculate up to 1/3rd of the water from the pump
back to the ejector assembly, via a separate pipe (2 pipe system)

Advantages
• Can be installed remote (off set)
from water source e.g. away from
flood risk
• Pump/motor placed above ground
which makes it easy to service

Disadvantages
• Larger motor required, meaning
higher running costs

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Sanitary pumps
Sanitary pumps are used for food and beverages
applications, for both thin and highly viscous liquids

Benefits
• Hygienic design
• All polished stainless steel
• Large range for most applications

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Immersible pumps
Immersible pumps have the pump immersed in the
liquid while the motor is air cooled

Applications
• Cooling
• Lubrication and filtration in machine tools
• Condensate transfer
• Industrial washing machines

Benefits
• Able to pump chips from machining process
• Adaptable build-in length
• Large number of variants with many different
materials and sealing solutions

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Dosing (membrane) pumps
High precision dosing and disinfection pump
systems using a range of technologies are used for
treating industrial process water and wastewater

Applications: Benefits
• Pulp and paper • High-precision pumping saves chemical
• Textiles • Resistant to chemicals
• Food and beverages • Compact and efficient
• Industrial process water • Wide performance area per pump
• Wastewater (large turn-down ratio)

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Split-case pumps
Split-case pumps are used where water flow requirements are high

Applications
• Water distribution
• Irrigation
• Air conditioning and cooling systems
• Boiler feed

Benefits
• Easy service and maintenance
• Low lifecycle costs
• Large performance area

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Pump systems
Pump systems describe a pump package that incorporates other
components for a complete system approach to solving pumping
challenges
• These can range from a packaged pump booster that incorporates
a number of vertical multistage pumps, a controller, manifold, valves,
etc., into a package water boosting station

• Sometimes they are as straight forward as a small packaged waste

water pumping station, or a larger pump and pumping chamber system

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