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Rotary Pump Family Tree

Rotary pumps operate in a circular motion and displace a constant amount of liquid with each revolution of the pump shaft. In general, this is accomplished by pumping elements (e.g., gears, lobes, vanes, screws) moving in such a way as to expand volumes to allow liquid to enter the pump. These volumes are then contained by the pump geometry until the pumping elements move in such a way as to reduce the volumes and force liquid out of the pump. Flow from rotary PD pumps is relatively unaffected by differential pressure and is smooth and continuous. Rotary PD pumps have very tight internal clearances which minimize the amount of liquid that slips back from discharge to suction side of the pump. Because of this, they are very efficient. These pumps work well with a wide range of viscosities, particularly high viscosities.

Positive displacement (PD) pumps are divided into two broad classifications, reciprocating and rotary (Figure 1). Pump School currently focuses on rotary pumping principles.

Figure 1

By definition, PD pumps displace a known quantity of liquid with each revolution of the pumping elements (i.e., gears, rotors, screws, vanes). PD pumps displace liquid by creating a

space between the pumping elements and trapping liquid in the space. The rotation of the pumping elements then reduces the size of the space and moves the liquid out of the pump. PD pumps can handle fluids of all viscosities up to 1,320,000 cSt / 6,000,000 SSU, capacities up to 1,150 M3/Hr / 5,000 GPM, and pressures up to 700 BAR / 10,000 PSI. Rotary pumps are self-priming and deliver a constant, smooth flow, regardless of pressure variations. The following information is taken from Hydraulic Institute's, Pump Types and Nomenclature, 1994. For more detailed information about the rotary pumping principles, see the specific pumping principles under Pump School's Pumping Principles page. Internal Gear. Internal gear pumps (Figure 2) carry fluid between the gear teeth from the inlet to outlet ports. The outer gear (rotor) drives the inner or idler gear on a stationary pin. The gears create voids as they come out of mesh and liquid flows into the cavities. As the gears come back into mesh, the volume is reduced and the liquid is forced out of the discharge port. The crescent prevents liquid from flowing backwards from the outlet to the inlet port. External Gear. External gear pumps (Figure 3) also use gears which come in and out of mesh. As the teeth come out of mesh, liquid flows into the pump and is carried between the teeth and the casing to the discharge side of the pump. The teeth come back into mesh and the liquid is forced out the discharge port. External gear pumps rotate two identical gears against each other. Both gears are on a shaft with bearings on either side of the gears. Vane. The vanes - blades, buckets, rollers, or slippers - work with a cam to draw fluid into and force it out of the pump chamber. The vanes may be in either the rotor or stator. The vane-in rotor pumps may be made with constant or variable displacement pumping elements. Figure 4 shows a sliding vane pump. Flexible Member. This principle is similar to the Vane principle except the vanes flex rather than slide. The fluid pumping and sealing action depends on the elasticity of the flexible members. The flexible members may be a tube, a vane, or a liner. Figure 5 shows a flexible vane pump. Lobe. Fluid is carried between the rotor teeth and the pumping chamber. The rotor surfaces create continuous sealing. Both gears are driven and are synchronized by timing gears. Rotors include bi-wing, tri-lobe, and multi-lobe configurations. Figure 6 is a tri-lobe pump.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Circumferential Piston. Fluid is carried from inlet to outlet in spaces between piston surfaces. Rotors must be timed by separate means, and each rotor may have one or more piston elements. See Figure 7. Screw. Screw pumps carry fluid in the spaces between the screw threads. The fluid is displaced axially as the screws mesh. Single screw pumps (Figure 8) are commonly called progressive cavity pumps. They have a rotor with external threads and a stator with internal threads. The rotor threads are eccentric to the axis of rotation. Multiple screw pumps have multiple external screw threads. These pumps may be timed or untimed. Figure 9 shows a three-screw pump.

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

2007, Pump School School Policy Sponsored by Viking Pump, Inc.

Rotary pumps present a few advantages over their centrifugal cousins. These advantages include:

Flow is independent of pressure. You can change the flow without upsetting the pump's efficiency. The pump can handle high viscosity fluids efficiently. The pump is self priming You get a smooth pulse free flow of the liquid into the system. You can get the desirable high head low flow combination that is need in many high pressure applications.

They give you a non-shearing action that will not degrade sensitive petrochemicals and polymers

Rotary Pumps on wiseGEEK:

Rotary pumps are very efficient because they naturally remove air from the lines, eliminating the need to bleed the air from the lines manually. Positive displacement rotary pumps also have their weaknesses. Because of the nature of the pump, the clearance between the rotating pump and the outer edge must be very close, requiring that the pumps rotate at a slow, steady speed.

These pumps operate by having a rotating member turn inside a housing in such a way as to create trapped liquid through the pump. Figure 10-10 shows several configurations of rotary pumps. Although these pumps may look like centrifugal pumps, their action is that of a positive displacement pump in that the liquid is continually compressed to a high pressure without first being given a high kinetic energy. Rotary pumps have the same characteristics as reciprocating pumps, except that at low speed leakage between the cavities increases. At very low speeds the reduction in efficiency can be very significant. When compared to reciprocating pumps, rotary pumps require less space, and deliver relatively pulsation-free flow. Their main advantage is that unlike reciprocating and centrifugal pumps, their construction subjects the pumped fluid to a minimum amount of shear or turbulence. Thus, they tend to be used in process applications where one of the other pump types could be expected to shear and disperse one liquid into another making subsequent treating more difficult. Their disadvantages are that they have close clearances that require that the liquids being pumped have a lubricating value, be non-corrosive, and contain few solids. Therefore, they tend to be limited to relatively solids-free oil or emulsion streams. In addition to the standard rotary pumps shown in Figure 10-10, another type of positive displacement rotary pump exists in which the pump, motor, and pumped liquid are completely contained within a closed vessel (Figure 10-11). This type of pump is known as a canned rotary pump since the motor/pump package is contained within the closed vessel, or can. This type of pump is essential for pumping toxic liquids, radioactive waste water, and other liquids that pose serious risks if a shaft seal failure occurs. Although canned centrifugal pumps have existed for many years,they were inefficient andin some casesnot able to reasonably handle more viscous fluids. Todays canned rotary pumps are able to accommodate highly viscous fluids. As for pricing, the current canned motor/pump package compares well with conventional shaft-sealed pumps that are flexibly coupled to standard industrial three-phase AC motors.

b. Rotary Pump. These pumps use a system of rotating gears (Figure 4-2) to create a suction at the inlet and force a water stream out of the discharge. The gears' teeth move away from each other at the inlet port. This action causes a partial vacuum and the water in the suction pipe rises. In the pump, the water is carried between the gear teeth and around both sides of the pump case. At the outlet, the teeth moving together and meshing causes a positive pressure that forces the water into the discharge line.

In a rotary gear pump, water flows continuously and steadily with very small pulsations. The pump size and shaft rotation speed determine how much water is pumped per hour. Gear pumps are generally intended for low-speed operation. The flowing water lubricates all internal parts. Therefore, the pumps should be used for pumping water that is free of sand or grit. If sand or grit does flow through the gears, the close-fitting gear teeth will wear, thus reducing pump efficiency or lifting capacity.

Rotary positive displacement pumps

Rotary vane pump Positive displacement rotary pumps are pumps that move fluid using the principles of rotation. The vacuum created by the rotation of the pump captures and draws in the liquid. Advantages: Rotary pumps are very efficient because they naturally remove air from the lines, eliminating the need to bleed the air from the lines manually. Drawbacks: Positive displacement rotary pumps also have their weaknesses. Because of the nature of the pump, the clearance between the rotating pump and the outer edge must be very close, requiring that the pumps rotate at a slow, steady speed. If rotary pumps are operated at high speeds, the fluids will cause erosion. Rotary pumps that experience such erosion eventually show signs of enlarged clearances, which allow liquid to slip through and reduce the efficiency of the pump. Rotary positive displacement pumps can be grouped into three main types:

Gear pumps - a simple type of rotary pump where the liquid is pushed between to gears. Screw pumps - the shape of the internals of this pump usually two screws turning against each other pump the liquid. Rotary vane pumps - similar to scroll compressors, consisting of a cylindrical rotor encased in a similarly shaped housing. As the rotor turns, the vanes trap fluid between the rotor and the casing, drawing the fluid through the pump.

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