December 30, 2021 Laurel Parks No Comments

The Different Types of Pumps and Their Industrial Uses

The Different Types of Pumps and Their Main Uses

These days, there are numerous types of pumps used in a variety of industries around the world. Due to the diverse nature of these industries, every type of industrial pump offers its own benefits and applications. This article gives an overview of five industrial pump uses and which pumps are the best fit for each industry. These examples will include the two types of industrial pumps — dynamic pumps and positive displacement pumps.

Why Use Industrial Pumps for Industry Operations

The goal of an industrial pump is to move liquids either from one space to another or one level to another. This could be during the midst of sorting, excavating, transport, or other stages of production. These types of industrial pumps are most often found in the water, water treatment, chemical, oil, petroleum, and beverage industries.

The industry and application of the industrial pump will determine whether you’ll need a dynamic pump or a positive displacement pump. A dynamic pump moves liquid through its rotating impeller, creating a vacuum to help move fluid. Although a dynamic pump can displace high volumes of liquid, compared to a positive displacement pump, it generates a lower pressure with less suction and life. On the other hand, a positive displacement pump is more popular and uses pistons, plungers, and diaphragms to move liquids in a pulsing manner. These pumps can move high viscosity fluid with high pressure, which is why they are more prevalent in difficult conditions. Using the correct type of pump can eliminate the need to go through an industrial pump repair procedure as it won’t fail in harsh conditions like during oil drilling or electricity generation.

The Different Types of Pumps

Industries need industrial pumps for varying reasons, which is why you’ll find a broad range of industrial pumps. Each pump comes with its own benefits and application. Below are five of the most popular industrial pumps and their uses:

Centrifugal Pumps – dynamic

This pump is the most common type of pump as it has many different configurations available. It’s also quick to install, requires minimal maintenance, and repairs quickly. Centrifugal pumps are used in residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal applications where high flow rates and moderate head increase are required.

Reciprocating pumps – positive displacement

Reciprocating pumps are one of the most popular of the positive displacement pumps and have been around since the 15th century when they were operated manually. Over the centuries, hand-powered pumps have evolved into colossal pumping systems used in the industrial, mining, and agricultural industries worldwide. Due to the high level of force reciprocating pumps can generate, thir main function is to pump viscous liquids.

Rotary Pumps – positive displacement

Rotary pumps are used to move both fluids and gas through piping systems and include gear pumps, vane pumps, and screw pumps. These pumps create a steady and unvarying flow due to the rotating mechanisms. This is unlike reciprocating pumps, which produce a pulsing flow. Rotary pumps are most commonly used to transfer oil and other non-abrasive fluids, which is why they make up for 10% of all pumps for industry.

Submersible Pump – dynamic

As the name suggests, submersible pumps are designed to function with the pump and pump motor submerged in the fluid that needs to be pumped. The pump motor is sealed so no liquid can get into the motor and cause a fuse. Submersible pumps are also called stormwater or sewage pumps, and their applications include building services, domestic, industrial, commercial, rural, municipal, and rainwater recycling.

Gear Pump – positive displacement

Gear pumps operate with rotating motors to create a void and suction for the fluid intake. An unchanging volume of liquid moves through these gears at a constant rate if the pump speed is constant. These pumps transfer thick liquid, making them perfect for pumping grease, oils, and fuel.

In Need of Industrial Pump Repair?

At Houston Pump and Gear, we offer seal and gasket services and industrial pump repair for pumps of all shapes and sizes including the sub categories of dynamic and positive displacement pumps. Based in Houston, we offer top service with speed and efficiency and offer more than just industrial pump repair in Houston, Texas. Our clients are based as far north as Alaska, and all the way to the south in Mexico. Contact us for a free pump repair estimate!

December 16, 2021 The Houston Pump and Gear Team

How to Repair an Industrial Pump

When pump operations run smoothly, it’s easy to neglect regular industrial pump service or maintenance checks. However, without proper maintenance, it’s bound to not be long until disaster strikes, and the need arises for industrial pump repair, screeching your entire operation to a halt. In this article, we explain why industrial pump maintenance is important and how to repair an industrial pump.

The Importance of Industrial Pump Maintenance

An industrial pump maintenance calendar and checklist are vitally important. By checking parts, seals, and lubricants, you’re ensuring the longevity of machinery parts and decreasing the risk of permanent damage. The most crucial aspect of pump maintenance is preventative maintenance. This should be conducted after every 8 hours of operation, while full-service maintenance is usually conducted after 250 hours of operation. It’s important to log all maintenance activities for future reference and refer to the manufacturer-issued manuals at all times. When in doubt, contact the experts for industrial pump repair in Houston.

The Industrial Pump Repair Procedure

Even when a proper maintenance schedule is followed, industrial pump failure is still bound to happen. This unforeseen circumstance can disrupt your entire operations, so we recommended following the below industrial pump repair steps:

Step 1: Check the performance

Pump operators should monitor the performance of their pumps and the rest of the operations over time. This makes you familiar with how things sound and look when running efficiently with no damages. Make a note of any strange sounds you may hear or leakages you see on the ground or other parts of the equipment.

Step 2: Inspect

Take your time to inspect all aspects of the pump. This includes inspecting the seals and impeller for any signs of damage, cracks, leakages, dry seals, etc.

Step 3: Downtime

Make the best use of the downtime period by inspecting all other aspects of the pump and looking for worn bearings and dry/damaged seals. Use this time to repair those parts, too.

Step 4: Checklist and order parts

Make a checklist of all the parts that require replacing or repairing and compare it to the manufacturer’s manual. Take this time to order common replacement parts like seals, gaskets, lubricants, etc. It’s helpful to take photos as you go through the process, so you make sure you’re not missing any parts or counting them twice.

Step 5: Rebuild the pump

This step requires the pump to be rebuilt with the correct, clean, repaired, or replaced parts. In some cases, realignment of parts will be necessary so be sure to schedule that into the downtime.

Step 6: Maintain the industrial pump

Once the pump has been repaired, you’ll have to continuously monitor the entire system’s performance and follow through with the 8-hour interval checks. Update your maintenance plan to ensure repair downtime can be shortened or avoided in the future.

Know When to Contact the Experts

We encourage all industrial pump operators to know the limits of their teams when it comes to pump repairs. In some cases, facilities may not have the right tools or experience of a certain pump manufacturer’s product to make informed decisions. Experts can take advantage of an exchange program or a 24 hour emergency pump service to avoid downtime. The last thing you want is to cause further unforeseen delays in the repair process.

If you’re wondering how to repair an industrial pump, look no further than Houston Pump and Gear. We specialize in industrial pump repair as well as industrial gearbox repairr. We service a number of brands, including providing service for Falk gearbox repairs and Philadelphia gearbox repairs. We also offer fundamental bearing and mechanical seal repair services, as well as a gearbox exchange program to keep your operations running while we repair the parts.