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.