Uses and Applications of Pumps
The basic purpose of a pump is to transfer fluid or liquid or gases or slurries from a low lever to a higher level. In fluid systems, pumps are used to keep the fluid moving in a very useful way. When fluids move, they are frequently required to move upwards through the pipes. The pumps provide enough push to keep the fluid going upwards. Also, while fluids go through pipes, they encounter friction, like anything else. Pumps help to overcome this friction loss to keep everything moving.
Pumps are widely used in variety of applications starting from homes to offices to school/colleges/hospitals/ to commercial complexes to industrial applications to aerospace. The list is endless. We can say that wherever one finds liquids in pipes or tubes, a pump is probably nearby. Pumps can be found in refrigerators, air conditioners, power plants, cars, ships, and airplanes, just to name a few. Human civilization as it is known today would not exist without pumps.
Applications of pumps can be classified as follows :
Industrial Applications
Pumps have become the prime movers in innumerable industrial processes. The pumps encounter endless combinations of pressure, density, viscosity, temperature, volatility, corrosiveness and solvent action, of solids in suspension and gases in solution. A single type of pump cannot cope efficiently with all conditions. There are wide variety of pumps for various applications.
Industrial Application of pumps can be classified into the following industries:
- Aerospace and Aviation Industry
- Agriculture Industry
- Automotive and Automobile Industry
- Brewery or Distillery Industry
- Chemical Industry
- Construction Industry
- Dairy Industry
- Food Processing Industry
- HVAC Industry
- Marine and Maritime Industry
- Mining Industry
- Paper and Pulp Industry
- Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry
- Power generation Industry
- Printing Industry
- Packaging Industry
- Oil and Gas Industry
- Paint Industry
Commercial Applications
Pumps are widely used in variety of applications starting from homes to industries to schools/colleges/hospitals/ to commercial complexes and so on. The commercial application of pumps is wide and varied. The list is endless. We can say without any doubt that when one finds liquids in pipes or tubes, a pump is probably nearby. Human civilization as it is known today would not exist without pumps.
Use of pumps in Commercial applications
- One of the most common application of pump and a very useful one is the water supply from municipal water to all offices, schools, colleges, hospitals and all other commercial buildings.
- Pumps are used to transport water from one storage tank at the ground floor to another tank at the top floor of big commercial buildings and complexes.
- In commercial/institutional buildings the heat pump system can be a central installation connected to an air duct or hydronic system or a multi-zone system where multiple heat pump units are placed in different zones of the building to provide individual space conditioning. This is split air conditioner.
- Pumps are used to supply water to large fountains in commercial parks.
- Pumps are used in various appliances which are all used for commercial purposes such as:
- Beverage Vending Machines
- Post-mix Drink Dispensers
- Espresso Coffee Machines
- Smoke Generators
- Steam Generators
- Carpet Cleaners
- Vacuum Cleaners
- Refrigerators
- Ice Makers
- Coolers
- Blowers
- Water Purifiers
- Another use of pump in commercial applications is to draw fuel from petrol pumps to all two, three and four wheeler vehicles.
- Pumps are used in Service stations as well where a good quantity of water is needed.
- Pumps are used to clean drainage, sewage, trash in commercial areas.
- Some pumps are used to prevent flooding in the basement of commercial buildings and complexes.
- Pumps are also used for wastewater drainage.
- Swimming pools in hotels, clubs, resorts etc. use pumps.
- Pumps are required in heating, air conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) of all buildings for commercial and official purposes.
- Fire service stations make use of pumps.
- Pumps are used in LPG cylinder filling as well and so on.
Residential Applications
Pumps are widely used in variety of applications at home. In some applications, the pump is visible whereas in some other applications the pump is not visible but it is installed in the appliance itself.
Use of Pumps in Residential applications
- One of the most common application of pump and a very useful one is the home water supply from municipal water.
- Pumps are also used to draw water from shallow or deep well which can be stored in a tank.
- Pumps are used to transport water from one storage tank at the ground floor to another tank at the top floor if the residential house is a two or more storey building.
- Some of the home appliances in which the pumps are used are as follows:
- Air conditioners
- Refrigerators
- Vacuum cleaners
- Water coolers
- Washing machines
- Blowers etc.
- Pumps are used in the collection of sewage, effluent, drainage and seepage water in homes.
- Pumps are used to supply water to fountains which are used in the home garden or used also as an indoor decorative item.
- There are pumps for use in lawn sprinkling.
- Another important use of pump is to prevent flooding at the basement of a residential building.
- Pumps are used in small household items like inflating a bicycle tire, a ball or a toy used by the children of the house etc.
Common Pumps used in Residential Applications
- Well Pump
- Air lift Pump
- Heat Pump
- Boiler Feedwater Pump
- Circulator Pump
- Water Pump
- Booster Pump
- Bicycle Pump
Other Applications
It is seen that pumps are widely used in all aspects of human lives. Besides the industrial, commercial and residential applications of pumps, there are some other applications of pumps which are as follows:
- Municipal Application
- Flood Control
- Fire Service
- Wastewater Treatment
- Machine Tool
- Semiconductor Processing
- OEM
- Desalination
- High Pressure Coolant
Municipal Application : Pumps are used widely in municipal applications. Typical municipal application areas include water, sludge, re-circirculation, and other water/wastewater service areas. Right from drawing water from beneath the ground to transporting water to the storage tank to the mobile tanker to transporting water to commercial and residential areas, pumps are used.
Flood Control : Pumps are used to prevent flooding at the basement of commercial and residential buildings. Pumps are also used to pump out water in a flooding area though this cannot be done in a very big scale.
Fire Service : Fire service station is another area where huge quantity of water is used and pumps are of great use here.
Wastewater Treatment : The need for water conservation is growing. It is necessary to process industrial wastewater and treat sewage in urban areas. Pumps are used for wastewater treatment.
Machine Tool : Small pumps are used in machine tools.
Semiconductor Processing : Pumps are used in broad range of applications where clean vacuum is a must like semiconductor, scientific, research and development. Different varieties of pumps are used for industrial gripping and chucking, laboratory degassing, and purification in the fields of chemical and semiconductor processing and manufacturing.
OEM : Pumps are designed to suit many OEM applications.
Desalination : Pumps are used in desalination of water , that is, the process of removing salt and other materials from water to get fresh water.
High Pressure Coolant : High-pressure coolant fixes heat problems, chip problems and poor lubricity and pumps are installed in the coolants.
