07/07/2020 | Industrial Water Treatment | 8 MINUTE READ

A Quick Guide to Understand Industrial Water Pumps

When you work in an industrial facility, one important piece of equipment that may need to be installed in your building is an industrial water pump. These pumps are designed to work harder than standard water pumps, which makes them ideal for industrial settings. They are also made to handle water as well as a wide range of additional liquids. There are many different reasons why an industrial setting could use a water pump. For instance, these pumps are regularly used to remove excess water from construction sites. They are also useful in areas where flooding is common and stagnant water can cause issues with work flow.

Many industrial businesses will use these water pumps to send water to a variety of different manufacturing processes. However, these pumps can also be used for the treatment of effluent and wastewater that flow through wastewater treatment facilities. There are a range of different types and sizes of industrial water pumps, which gives you the ability to select a pump that meets your exact needs.

This article will take a closer look at industrial water pumps and the functions that they have.

Functions of Industrial Water Pumps

Industrial water pumps have many different functions, which allows them to be highly versatile in industrial settings. These pumps are able to:

  • Remove excess water from construction sites
  • Pump water away in areas that are usually flooded from heavy rains
  • Get rid of water in areas where stagnant water causes costly disruptions of work
  • Pump water to many different manufacturing processes, which extend from cooling and thermal processes to mining and power processes
  • Help with the treatment of effluent and wastewater

The exact functions of your industrial water pump depend on the type of pump that you choose. If you are looking to send water to numerous manufacturing process throughout the facility, you will likely need to obtain a large water pump with enough space to send water to the entire facility.

2 Common Types of Industrial Water Pumps

While there are many different types of industrial water pumps that you can obtain for your facility, these types can be further divided into two separate categories, which include centrifugal pumps and positive displacement pumps. Understanding the difference between these two pump types should make it easy for you to identify which one is right for your industrial facility. Centrifugal pumps are much more common than positive displacement pumps and are used solely for moving water. On the other hand, positive displacement pumps are able to move water and build pressure when necessary.

Centrifugal Pumps

While centrifugal pumps have the potential to be very large to account for the needs of an industrial facility, these pumps are also very simplistic and contain only a few moving parts. The flow of water through a centrifugal pump is steady and consistent, which is why these pumps are used solely for moving water. If you work in an industrial setting that needs to send water to various manufacturing processes, a centrifugal pump may be enough to provide for all of your needs.

Before a centrifugal pump can be used, it must be primed, which is why these particular pumps work well when placed below the input source or fully submersed. The many different kinds of centrifugal pumps available to you include:

  • Booster pumps
  • Fire pumps
  • Submersible pumps
  • Self-priming pumps
  • Well pumps
  • Trash pumps
  • Vertical turbine pumps
  • Grinder pumps
  • Axial flow pumps

Each pump comes with a slightly different feature-set, which is why it’s highly recommended that you shop around and obtain information on all of the types of pumps that you can select from. These pumps are ideal when high flow rates are called for. Since this type of pump can provide a steady flow of water, it won’t experience the kinds of pulsations that can occur when using a positive displacement pump. While these pumps are mainly designed to pump water, they also work with other liquids that would be considered thin liquids. If you attempt to use a thicker substance in the pump, the flow rate would likely worsen.

Positive Displacement Pumps

Positive displacement pumps are unique in that they don’t come with an impeller, which is a rotating component that’s found in centrifugal water pumps. Instead of using impellers, positive displacement pumps are outfitted with reciprocating or rotating parts that are designed to move water while also increasing pressure around the discharge side of the water pump. There are a variety of different positive displacement pumps that your industrial facility can use, which extend to:

  • Peristaltic pumps
  • Plunger pumps
  • Piston pumps
  • Diaphragm pumps
  • Metering pumps
  • Flexible impeller pumps

These pumps are usually meant to be used in facilities and for processes where low water flow is necessary. They can also be used for high pressure situations or for processes where a combination of high pressure and low flow is needed. Both pump options are usually made from carbon steel or cast iron. However, they can also be made from stainless steel for the sole purpose of processing water.

Choosing Your Industrial Water Pump

When you’re trying to choose between centrifugal water pumps and positive displacement pumps, it’s important to understand the features and applications that each type can accommodate. While centrifugal pumps are mainly used for getting rid of excess water at construction sites, they are able to be used for many additional applications as well. For instance, they can pump water supplies to manufacturing processes in industrial facilities. They also match very well with pneumatic systems or certain applications that don’t require suction lifts.

This type of pump can also be used with fire-protection systems. The primary issue that comes with using a centrifugal pump in an industrial setting is that these pumps require recirculating liquid in order to avoid issues where the system overheats due to low flow rates. This type of water pump must be filled with the liquid that you wish to pump throughout your facility if you want the pump to work efficiently.

As for positive displacement pumps, these specific types of pumps are ideal for many industrial facilities because they are able to get rid of any air that has built up in the lines, which lessens the need to bleed air constantly. The only issue with using a positive displacement pump is that they don’t have a lot of space between the edge of the system and the rotating pump, which leads to a slow rotation.

Even though the speed of a positive displacement pump can be increased, it will likely become less efficient when you do so. Since these pumps can be used in high-pressure situations, they are ideal for pumping liquids that have a high viscosity. These liquids include resins, paints, and oils. Both industrial water pumps are highly effective and can provide you with a number of notable benefits. If you want to be certain about your purchasing decision when it comes time to buy an industrial water pump, it’s recommended that you speak with a reliable and reputable supplier.

Industrial Water Pump Maintenance

The amount of pump maintenance that you will be required to perform depends on the type of industrial water pump that you choose. Since centrifugal pumps come with only a few moving parts, they require very little maintenance. On the other hand, the maintenance requirements for industrial water pumps are considerably more stringent. While industrial water pumps can last for a lengthy period of time, obtaining regular maintenance on the system should help you prolong the life of the unit.

While the maintenance requirements for centrifugal systems are light, they should still be maintained regularly. These systems should receive their first oil change after 200 hours of operation. Any additional oil changes can occur after 2,000 hours of operation. The same is true of all other maintenance on the water pump. When considering a positive displacement pump, you should think about scheduling maintenance for every three months or 2,000 hours of operation. However, more consistent maintenance may be necessary to ensure that the system remains efficient.

The purpose of maintaining industrial water pumps is to make sure that the pumps remain in peak condition and run at a consistent efficiency. It’s also important to understand that not performing maintenance could cause an issue to be left unchecked, which may lead to significant damage to the system itself. When this damage occurs, the repair costs would likely be much higher than the maintenance costs.

Industrial water pumps are simple yet powerful systems that can be essential for a wide variety of industrial facilities. If you’ve been searching for the right industrial water pump to have installed in your facility, make sure that you consider all of your options. Once you have purchased your water pump of choice, you should measure the water flow regularly to ensure that the pump remains in great condition.

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Posted by Sensorex on July 7, 2020

Sensorex is a global leader in the design and manufacture of quality sensors for water quality and process applications. The company offers more than 2000 sensor packages for pH, ORP, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, free chlorine, chlorine dioxide, UV transmittance and other specialty measurements, as well as a full line of sensor accessories and transmitters. Its expert technical support engineers solve analytical sensor challenges with custom designs and off the shelf products.

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