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Positive Displacement Pumps

1. Positive displacement (PD) pumps displace a fixed volume of liquid with each rotation of the shaft, so their flow rate is proportional to pump speed and independent of pressure changes. 2. PD pumps include internal gear pumps, external gear pumps, lobe pumps, and vane pumps. They are self-priming and work well with viscous liquids and solids but require pressure relief mechanisms. 3. In contrast, centrifugal pumps rely on kinetic energy to force liquid out and their performance depends on factors like pressure, viscosity, and flow rate. Their efficiency decreases at high pressures and viscosities unlike PD pumps.

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421 views1 page

Positive Displacement Pumps

1. Positive displacement (PD) pumps displace a fixed volume of liquid with each rotation of the shaft, so their flow rate is proportional to pump speed and independent of pressure changes. 2. PD pumps include internal gear pumps, external gear pumps, lobe pumps, and vane pumps. They are self-priming and work well with viscous liquids and solids but require pressure relief mechanisms. 3. In contrast, centrifugal pumps rely on kinetic energy to force liquid out and their performance depends on factors like pressure, viscosity, and flow rate. Their efficiency decreases at high pressures and viscosities unlike PD pumps.

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Positive

Displacement
Pumps

Department Editor: Scott Jenkins

umps are essential equipment in the chemical process industries (CPI).


Given the imperatives to reduce production costs and maximize energy
efficiency, pump selection is crucial. Knowledge of pumping basics,
along with the fluid characteristics for a particular application can help
engineers make the best choice.
While the majority of pumps in use in CPI plants are kinetic energy pumps
(the largest category being centrifugal pumps), positive displacement (PD)
pumps are an important class of industrial equipment. The following is a
collection of information on several types of PD pumps and an outline of the

PD PUMP operating principles

differences between positive displacement pumps and centrifugal pumps.

Types of PD Pumps

Selection Starting Point

Internal gear pumps


Internal gear pumps have an outer gear
called the rotor that is used to drive a
smaller inner gear called the idler. The
idler gear rotates on a stationary pin
and operates inside the rotor gear. As
the two gears come out of mesh, they
create voids into which the liquid flows.
When the gears come back into mesh,
volumes are reduced and liquid is forced
out of the discharge port. A crescent
is formed between the two gears that
functions as a seal between the suction
and discharge by trapping the volume
of liquid carried between the teeth of the
rotor and idler.
Internal gear pumps are effective with
viscous liquids, but do not perform well
for liquids containing solid particles.

In pump selection, first consider what the expectations of the pump will
be. The following parameters must be determined before a pump can be
selected:
Inlet conditions To avoid suction problems, the pump should be located
as close as possible to the liquid supply
Flowrate The flowrate requirements for the pump should be considered
Differential pressure Smaller pipe size and longer pipe runs reduce
initial system cost, but the higher pressure differential raises energy consumption and reduces pump lifetime
Liquid characteristics The properties of the fluid to be pumped including material compatibility, viscosity, sensitivity to shear stress and presence of
particulates or solids are important factors

PD versus centrifugal Pumps


PD and centrifugal pumps behave differently. As a means to move liquids,
centrifugal pumps rely on kinetic energy, forcing liquid out of the pump with
energy imparted to the liquid as it moves toward the outer diameter of a
rotating impeller (pressure is created and flow results). PD pumps work by
capturing confined amounts of liquid and transferring them from the suction to
the discharge port (flow is created and pressure results).
The following plots represent examples of the performance behavior differences for centrifugal and PD pump types:

A. Flowrate versus pressure Centrifugal pumps exhibit variable flow

depending on pressure, whereas the flow in PD pumps is largely independent of pressure

B. Efficiency versus viscosity For centrifugal pumps, efficiency

decreases at greater viscosities. Positive displacement pumps are actually


more efficient at higher viscosities

C. Flowrate versus viscosity Centrifugal pumps lose flow as viscosity


increases, while the flow of a PD pump can actually increase at higher
viscosities

D. Efficiency versus pressure Changes in pressure have minimal effect


on PD pumps, but have a dramatic effect on centrifugal pumps.

A. Performance

Efficiency, %

200

Positive

150
100

Centrifugal

50
0

50
100
Capacity, gal/min

Positive

Centrifugal
0

100 200 300 400 500


Viscosity, cSt

80

Positive

60
40
Centrifugal

20
0

150

C. Flowrate

Flowrate, %

110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40

B. Viscosity

100

250 500 750 1,000


Viscosity, cSt

D. Head

80
Efficiency, %

Head feet

250

Positive

70
60

Centrifugal

50
40

55

80
Feet of head

105

PD pumps displace the same volume of liquid with each rotation of the
shaft, so flow is proportional to pump speed
PD pumps are self-priming
PD-pump mechanics require close-fitting internal parts with some running
clearance
PD pumps require a pressure-relief mechanism (either relief valves or rupture discs) in case of discharge blockage

Rotor

Idler

Crescent

External gear pumps


External gear pumps have a similar
pumping action to internal gear pumps in
that two gears come into and out of mesh
to produce flow. The difference is that
external gear pumps have two identical
gears rotating against each other. Each
gear is supported by a shaft with bearings on both sides of each gear.
External gear pumps work well in highpressure applications, such as hydraulics,
but are not effective in applications
requiring critical suction conditions.
Lobe pumps
Lobe pumps resemble external gear
pumps in operation, except that the
pumping elements do not make contact.
Lobe contact is prevented by external
timing gears.
Lobe pumps perform well with liquids
that contain solid materials, but do not
perform well with low-viscosity liquids.
Vane Pumps
Sliding vane pumps have a rotor with
radial slots, and it is positioned off-center
in a housing bore. Vanes that fit closely
into rotor slots slide in and out as the rotor turns. Pumping action is caused by the
expanding and contracting volumes contained by the rotor, vanes and housing.
Vane pumps are effective for lowviscosity liquids, and when dry-priming is
required. They are not ideal for abrasive
liquids.

Rotor

Vane

Push rod

References
1. Petersen, J. and Jacoby R., Selecting a Positive Displacement Pump, Chem.
Eng., August 2007, pp. 4246.
2. Viking Pump Inc., When to use a Positive Displacement Pump, The Pump
School Website, Viking Pump Inc., www.pumpschool.com, 2007.
3. Soares, C., Process Engineering Equipment Handbook, McGraw Hill,
New York, 2002.
4. Perrys Chemical Engineers Handbook, 8th ed. McGraw Hill, New
York, 2008.

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