Reciprocating water pumps

Explain reciprocating water pumps.

The following are the main parts of a reciprocating pump as shown in fig.


(i) A cylinder with a piston, piston rod, connecting rod & a crank.
(ii) Suction pipe (iii) Delivery pipe
(iv) Suction valve (v) Delivery valve

Working : Fig. shows a single acting reciprocating pump, which consists of a piston which
moves


forward and backward in a close fitting cylinder. The movement of a piston is obtained by
connecting the piston rod to crank by means of a connecting rod. The crank is rotated by
means of an electric motor. Suction & delivery pipes with suction valve and delivery valve
are connected to the cylinder. The suction and delivery valve arc one way valves or non-
return valves which allow the water to flow in one direction only. Suction valve allows water
from suction pipe to the cylinder which delivery valve allows water from cylinder to del
ivory pipe only.
When crank starts rotating the piston moves to and from in the cylinder. When crank is at A.,
the piston is at the extreme left position in the cylinder. As a crank is rotating from A to C.



the piston is moving towards right in the cylinder. The movement of the piston towards right
creates a partial vacuum in the cylinder. But on the surface of the liquid in the sump
atmospheric pressure is acting, which is more than the pressure inside the cylinder. Thus, the
liquid is forced in the suction pipe from the sump. This liquid opens the suction valve and
enters the cylinder.

When crank is rotating from C to A



the piston from its extreme right piston starts moving towards left in the cylinder. The
movement of the piston towards left increases the pressure of the liquid inside the cylinder
more than atmospheric pressure. Hence, suction valve closes and delivery valves open the
liquid is forced into the delivery pipe and is raised to a required height.




5 difference between gear pump and centrifugal pump ?
Gear pump is a positive displacement pump.

(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.
or
A positive displacement pump has an expanding cavity on the suction side and a decreasing
cavity on the discharge side. Liquid flows into the pump 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.
A positive displacement pump can be further classified according to the mechanism used to
move the fluid:

a.Rotary-type, internal gear, screw, shuttle block, flexible vane or sliding vane,
circumferential piston, helical twisted roots (e.g. the Wendelkolben pump) or liquid ring
vacuum pumps.

b.Reciprocating-type, for example, piston or diaphragm pumps.

Gear pump is generally used for viscous fluid especially in hydraulic service.

Gear pump are used for high head , low flow application.

Widely used on car engine oil pumps. it is also used in various hydraulic power packs..

If you change the direction of gear pump, suction will become discharge and discharge port
become suction port.

Gear pumps requires high degree of close clearances between gears and its housings.

In centrifugal pump you will find above all in reverse .

A centrifugal pump is a rotodynamic pump that uses a rotating impeller to increase the
pressure and flow rate of a fluid. Centrifugal pumps are the most common type of pump used
to move liquids through a piping system. The fluid enters the pump impeller along or near to
the rotating axis and is accelerated by the impeller, flowing radially outward or axially into a
diffuser or volute chamber, from where it exits into the downstream piping system.
Centrifugal pumps are typically used for large discharge through smaller heads.
Centrifugal pumps are most often associated with the radial flow type. However, the term
"centrifugal pump" can be used to describe all impeller type rotodynamic pumps including
the radial, axial and mixed flow variations.

Gear pump is high efficiency pump while centrifugal pump will have relatively low
efficiency.

Basic Comparison - Centrifugal Pumps
Vs. Positive Displacement Pumps

Centrifugal Positive Displacement
Mechanics
Imparts velocity to the liquid resulting
in a pressure at the outlet (pressure is
created and flow results).
Captures confined amounts of liquid
and transfers it from the suction to the
discharge port (flow is created and
pressure results).
Performance Flow varies with changing pressure.
Flow is constant with changing
pressure.
Viscosity
Efficiency decreases with increasing
viscosity due to frictional losses inside
the pump (typically not used on
viscosities abov e850 cSt).
Efficiency increases with increasing
viscosity.
Efficiency
Efficiency peaks at best-efficiency-
point. At higher or lower pressures,
efficiency decreases.
Efficiency increases with increasing
pressure.
Inlet
Conditions
Liquid must be in the pump to create a
pressure differential. A dry pump will
not prime on its own.
Negative pressure is created at the
inlet port. A dry pump will prime on
its own.


How Flow through gear pumps is controlled
The output from the Gear Pumps (Positive displacement Pumps) is controlled by regulating
(Control) valves on the discharge side. Like in Windlass or Mooring winches you can increase
or decrease the speed of rotation by moving the handle of the Control Block which varies
the amount of oil being returned directly to the sump.