Applications Of The High Pressure Positive Displacement Pump

By Daphne Bowen


For a long time, pumps have changed the way machinery operates. The high pressure positive displacement pump is at the forefront of this. On the onset of its invention, it has been used in both the traditional and modern society.

There are two main types that constitute the positive displacement pumps. These are the rotary and reciprocating pumps. They are both used when the main aim is to obtain a constant flow. Their main difference arises from the type of fluids they transmit. The rotary type is best suited for moving highly viscous fluids. This means that abrasive fluids will not be efficiently transmitted. Reciprocating types are well known for their ability to move both highly viscous and abrasive fluids with ease efficiently.

Their ability to operate efficiently depends widely on viscosity and pressure, as seen above. These two properties usually affect rate of flow. This is actually the main reason why they are preferred to their centrifugal counterparts. The ability to maintain a constant rate of flow even with significant variations in viscosity and discharge pressure makes them more versatile.

Their applications are spread all over the facets of industrialization. One major use can be seen in the oil, gas and petroleum industry. Centrifugal pumps cannot move fluids that contain large amounts of gas. PD drives however have the capabilities of handling fluids with up to 50 percent gas without requiring any modification. Specialized PD drives can transmit fluids with up to 95 percent gas.

The properties above helped curb the cost of transmitting oil from offshore countries since oil and gas mixture could be pumped through one mechanism only.

In the field of chemical engineering, PD drives are vital to the pumping mechanisms. A standard chemical reaction results in huge changes in viscosity of the underlying mixture. This implies that other pumps such as the centrifugal types would not sufficiently carry the mixture through the reactor. PD drives will be able to transmit the mixture constantly irregardless of the fluctuations. This is the major reason why its uses extend to the pharmaceutical, foods and beverages and the biotechnology industries.

Paper mills usually dissolve the wood fibers and the resulting solution is used as a fuel for the boilers. This fuel needs to be pumped at a consistent rate. Viscosity of this solution keeps changing as it is burned while pressure also fluctuates wildly due to clogging in some passageways and erosion. A PD drive is therefore vital in ensuring that a constant rate of flow is maintained since irregular amounts of heat can distort the final quality of paper.

In conclusion, one should have a proper understanding concerning the physical properties of fluids to be moved and the expected changes in its properties during the process. This information would be vital on deciding which type of pumps to apply.




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