Pumps, Fans, Blowers and Compressors

Fluids are moved by pumps, fans, blowers, and compressors. These use work to increase the mechanical energy of a fluid, which in turn can increase the flow rate (velocity), pressure, or elevation of the fluid. Definitions overlap, but broad categories can be defined -- the characterization is based on the phase of the fluid, the flow capacity, and the required pressure change (head).
Liquids are typically moved by pumps. Gases are moved by fans (large volume, small pressure difference), blowers (large volume, moderate pressure difference), or compressors (large pressure differences). Specialized equipment is also used to produce vacuums in process systems.

 Increase

the mechanical energy of the liquid, increasing its velocity, pressure, or elevation or all three Two types of pump:
Positive displacement pumps and Centrifugal pumps

 Apply

pressure directly to the liquid by a reciprocating piston, or by rotating members which form chambers alternately filled by and emptied of the liquid operate by trapping a fixed volume of liquid then releasing it to a higher pressure by means of a piston or rotary gear

 Reciprocating

Pumps

Reciprocating pumps use a piston, plunger, or

diaphragm to raise the pressure of a liquid. The pumping chambers are surrounded by one-way valves so that liquid can only move in from the low pressure side and out from the high pressure side. They are classed as "single acting" if fluid is moved only on the downstroke, or "double acting" if fluid is moved by both sides of the piston.

 Examples of Reciprocating Pumps Piston Pumps liquid is drawn through an inlet check valve into the cylinder by the withdrawal of a piston and then is forced out through a discharge check valve on the return stroke; max discharge of 50 atm

 Plunger Pump used for higher pressures; are single acting and usually motor-driven; can discharge up to 1500 atm or more Diaphragm Pump handle small to moderate amounts of liquid, up to about 100 gal/min; can develop pressures in excess of 100 atm

 Rotary Pumps Liquid enters through a gap between the rotating element and pump wall at a low pressure where it is trapped. Then, as the element rotates, it squeezes the liquid out through a one-way valve on the opposite side of the casing Typically, rotary pumps are used in high head, low flow applications. They are good for high viscosity and low vapor pressure fluids. The fluid pumped must be "lubricating"; solids cannot be present. A key difference from centrifugal pumps is that discharge pressure variation has little effect on capacity Rotary pumps are common in laboratory settings because they have constant displacement at a set speed, and so can be used as metering pumps. Rotary pumps are also extremely common in fluid-power applications.

 Examples of Rotary Pumps Gear Pump

 Lobe Pump

Screw Pump

 Cam pumps

Vane pumps

 Peristaltic pump Used in the production of biochemicals Discharge rate is almost constant The fluid is contained within a flexible tube fitted inside a circular pump casing (though linear peristaltic pumps have been made). A rotor with a number of "rollers", "shoes" or "wipers" attached to the external circumference compresses the flexible tube. As the rotor turns, the part of tube under compression closes (or "occludes") thus forcing the fluid to be pumped to move through the tube. Additionally, as the tube opens to its natural state after the passing of the cam ("restitution" or "resilience") fluid flow is induced to the pump.

Generate high velocities, then convert the resulting kinetic energy of the liquid to pressure energy. is a rotodynamic pump that uses a rotating impeller to create flow by the addition of energy to a fluid. Centrifugal pumps are commonly used to move liquids through piping. The fluid enters the pump impeller along or near to the rotating axis and is accelerated by the impeller, flowing radially outward into a diffuser or volute chamber (casing), from where it exits into the downstream piping. Centrifugal pumps are used for large discharge through smaller heads.

 Fans

discharge large volume of gas into open spaces for large ducts; they are lowspeed machines that generate very low pressures on the order of 0.04 atm; density is constant Blowers are high-speed rotary devices that develop a maximum pressure of about 2 atm to several thousand atmosphere; density changes too great