Chapter 2

CLASSIFICATION OF HYDRAULIC PUMPS &

OPERATIONS 2. Positive Displacement Pump
2.1 INTRODUCTION a. Gear Pump
In Hydraulic system, the pump converts mechanical energy (hydraulic i. Internal Gear Pump
horsepower) by pushing fluid into the system. ii. External
All pumps work on the same principle generating an increasing volume on iii.Lobe ump
the intake side and a decreasing volume on the discharge side. iv. Screw Pump
2.2 TYPES OF PUMPS b. Vane Pump
1. Non Positive Displacement Pump i. Vane Pump – Fixed Displacement
(Centrifugal Pump) ii. Vane Pump – Variable
Displacement
c. Piston Pump
i. Radial Piston
ii. Arial Piston
iii. Bent Axis Piston
2.3 PUMP RATINGS
 A pump is generally rated by its maximum operating pressure capability and output flow at a given drive speed.
 The pressure rating of a pump is determined by the manufacturer and is based upon reasonable service-life expectancy
under specified operating conditions.
 Flow capacity of a pump can be expressed as displacement per revolution.

2.4 NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMP - CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

This pump design as shown in Fig 2.1 is used mainly for fluid transfer in systems where the only resistance found is created by
the weight of the fluid itself and friction.
1. Most non-positive displacement pumps operate by centrifugal force. Fluid entering the center of the pump
housing are thrown to outside by means of a rapidly driven impeller. There is no positive seal between the inlet
and outlet ports, and pressure capability is a function of drive speed.
2. Although it provides a smooth, continuous flow, the output from this type of pump is reduced as resistance is
increased.
3. In fact, it is possible to completely block off the outlet while the pump is running. For this and other reasons,
non-positive displacement pumps are seldom used in power hydraulic systems today.
4. These properties make it more likely choice for a water pump in a car engine, dishwasher or washing machine.
It could also be used as a supercharger pump for a positive displacement pump.
Fig 2.1 (a) Centrifugal Pump
2.4.1 Working Principle
It works on the principle of forced vortex flow. The forced vortex flow means when a certain mass of fluid or liquid is allowed to
rotate by an external torque than there is a rise in pressure head of the rotating liquid takes place. This rise in pressure head is
used to deliver water from one location to another. It is centrifugal force acting on the fluid that makes it to flow within the
casing.

The rise in the pressure head of the rotating liquid at any point is directly proportional to the square of the tangential velocity of
the rotating liquid.
Mathematically,

At the outlet of the impeller, radius is more and because of this the rise in the pressure head is more and the liquid at the outlet
discharged with a high pressure head. And because of this high pressure head, the liquid can be lifted to a very high level.
2.4.2 Main Parts
The various main parts of a centrifugal pump are:

1. Impeller
2. Casing
3. Suction pipe with a foot valve and strainer
4. Delivery pipe

Fig 2.1 (b) Centrifugal Pump system

1. Impeller
It is the rotating part of the pump. The impeller is mounted on a shaft and the shaft of impeller is again connected with the shaft of an electric
motor. It is rotated by the motor and consists of series of backward curved blades.

2. Casing
It is an air tight passage which surrounds the impeller. The design of the casing is done in such a way that it is capable of converting the
kinetic energy of the water discharging from the outlet of the impeller into pressure energy before it leaves the casing and enters into the
delivery pipe.

(i). Volute Casing: It is a spiral type of casing in which the area of flow increases gradually. The increase in area of flow decreases the
velocity and increases the pressure of the liquid that flows through the casing. The volute casing is shown in figure above:

(ii). Vortex Casing: In vortex casing, a circular chamber is introduced in between the impeller and casing. This is done in order to prevent
the loss of energy due to formation of eddies. The efficiency of the vortex casing is more than that of the volute casing.

(iii). Casing with Guide Blades: In this casing, the impeller is surrounded by series of guide blades. The guide blades are mounted on a ring
which is called as diffuser. The design of the guide vanes are kept as such that the water which is leaving the impeller enters the guides
without shock. The area of the guide vanes increases; this helps to decrease the velocity of the liquid and increases its pressure. After guide
vanes, water passes through the surrounding casing. In most of the cases, the casing remains concentric with the impeller.
3. Suction Pipe with Foot Valve and Strainer
A pipe whose one end is connected with the inlet of the impeller and the other end is dipped into the sump of water is called suction
pipe. The suction pipe consists of a foot valve and strainer at its lower end. The foot valve is a one way valve that opens in the upward
direction. The strainer is used to filter the unwanted particle present in the water to prevent the centrifugal pump from blockage.

4. Delivery Pipe
It is a pipe whose one end is connected to the outlet of the pump and other end is connected to the required height where water is to be
delivered.

2.4.3 Working
A centrifugal pump converts input power to kinetic energy by accelerating liquid in a revolving device - an impeller.
The most common is the volute pump - where fluid enters the pump through the eye of the impeller which rotates at high speed. The
fluid accelerates radially outward from the pump chasing and a vacuum is created at the impellers eye that continuously draws more
fluid into the pump.
The energy from the pumps prime mover is transferred to kinetic energy according the Bernoulli Equation. The energy transferred to
the liquid corresponds to the velocity at the edge or vane tip of the impeller. The faster the impeller revolves or the bigger the impeller
is, the higher will the velocity of the liquid energy transferred to the liquid be. This is described by the Affinity Laws.
Pressure and Head

If the discharge of a centrifugal pump is pointed straight up into the air the fluid will pumped to a certain height - or head - called
the shut off head. This maximum head is mainly determined by the outside diameter of the pump's impeller and the speed of the
rotating shaft. The head will change as the capacity of the pump is altered.
The kinetic energy of a liquid coming out of an impeller is obstructed by creating a resistance in the flow. The first resistance is
created by the pump casing which catches the liquid and slows it down. When the liquid slows down the kinetic energy is converted to
pressure energy.
 it is the resistance to the pump's flow that is read on a pressure gauge attached to the discharge line
A pump does not create pressure, it only creates flow. The gauge pressure is a measurement of the resistance to flow.
In fluids the term head is used to measure the kinetic energy which a pump creates. Head is a measurement of the height of the liquid
column the pump could create from the kinetic energy the pump gives to the liquid.
 the main reason for using head instead of pressure to measure a centrifugal pump's energy is that the pressure from a pump will
change if the specific gravity (weight) of the liquid changes, but the head will not
The pump's performance on any Newtonian fluid can always be described by using the term head.
Different Types of Pump Head

 Total Static Head - Total head when the pump is not running
 Total Dynamic Head (Total System Head) - Total head when the pump is running
 Static Suction Head - Head on the suction side, with pump off, if the head is higher than the pump impeller
 Static Suction Lift - Head on the suction side, with pump off, if the head is lower than the pump impeller
 Static Discharge Head - Head on discharge side of pump with the pump off
 Dynamic Suction Head/Lift - Head on suction side of pump with pump on
 Dynamic Discharge Head - Head on discharge side of pump with pump on
The head is measured in either feet or meters and can be converted to common units for pressure - like psi, Pa or bar.
 it is important to understand that the pump will pump all fluids to the same height if the shaft is turning at the same rpm
The only difference between the fluids is the amount of power it takes to get the shaft to the proper rpm. The higher
the specific gravity of the fluid the more power is required.
 Centrifugal Pumps are "constant head machines"
Note that the latter is not a constant pressure machine, since pressure is a function of head and density. The head is constant,
even if the density (and therefore pressure) changes.
2.4.4 Priming:
It is process in which the suction pipe, casing and delivery pipe upto the delivery valve is filled completely with liquid to be raised from outside
source before starting the motor. Priming is done to remove the air from the pump. If air is not removed from the pump than a small negative
pressure is created at the suction pipe and it cannot suck the water from the water sump. So it is advised to fill the pump with water before
starting it.
Application:
The centrifugal pump is used in almost every field to raise the liquid from low level to high level. They are mostly used at home for filling
water tanks, almost in every industry such as chemical, automobile, marine, manufacturing, for irrigation etc.
2.5 Cavitation
cavitation is the formation of bubbles or cavities in liquid, developed in areas of relatively low pressure around an impeller. Because of the low
pressure, the boiling point of the fluid will become low and change the state to vapour and form bubbles. The imploding or collapsing of these
bubbles trigger intense shockwaves inside the pump, causing significant damage to the impeller and/or the pump housing.
If left untreated, pump cavitation can cause:
 Failure of pump housing
 Destruction of impeller
 Excessive vibration - leading to premature seal and bearing failure
 Higher than necessary power consumption
 Decreased flow and/or pressure
2.5.1 Types of pump cavitation

There are two types of pump cavitation: suction and discharge.

2.5.2 Symptoms of Cavitation

As with any structural or mechanical issue, it’s important to have a reliable maintenance process. Checking on components and the
performance of your pump is a great way to identify early warning signs of cavitation.
One or a combination of the following symptoms can be a result of cavitation:
 Decreased Flow or Pressure: If your pump is not producing the amount of flow as stated by the manufacturer, this could mean that
cavitation is occurring.
 Unexpected Vibrations: Cavitation can cause unusual vibrations not accounted for by both the equipment used and the liquid being
pumped.
 Impeller Erosion: Pieces of impeller within the system, or eroded parts are a sure fire sign of cavitation.
 Seal/Bearing Failure: Cavitation can also cause the seals to leak or fail.
 Erratic Power Consumption: If bubbles are forming around the impeller, or the impeller itself has already started to fail, you may
notice that your pump requires more power than usual to transport its media. You may also notice fluctuations of power use as suction
rises and falls depending on how the impeller is performing.
 Noise: If there’s one sign of cavitation, it’s noise. When the bubbles implode they can make a series of bubbling, cracking, sounds.
Alternatively, it might sound like tiny marbles or ball bearings rattling around inside the impeller housing.
2.6 POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMP
The positive displacement pump is most commonly used in industrial hydraulic systems. A positive displacement pump
delivers to the system, a specific amount of fluid per stroke, revolution, or cycle. This type of pump is classified as fixed
or variable displacement.
The three best-known positive displacement pumps: gear pumps, vane pumps, and piston pumps.
2.6.1 Gear Pump with External Gearing
 The gears which would come into contact with one another prevent return flow from the pressure chamber to the suction
chamber.
In the pump as shown in Fig 2.2, two external gears would come into contact with one another. One gear is driven in the
direction of the arrow, and causes the gear to rotate in the opposite direction. The suction process is identical to that
previously described for the internally geared pump.
 The fluid in gear chamber is pushed round the gear spaces on the pressure side.
 It can easily be seen from the sectional drawing that the gears close the spaces before as they are completely empty.
 Without unloading in the remaining chambers, very high pressure would occur, which would result in hard pulsating
Volumetric Displacement and Theoretical Flow Rate
The Following analysis permits to evaluate the theoretical flow rate of a gear
pump using specified nomenclature
Do= Outside Diameter of gear, Di=Inside Diameter of gear, L= Width of gear
VD=Volumetric Displacement, N= Speed of the impeller (rpm),
QT = Theoretical Flow Rate
2.6.2 Gear Pump with Internal Gearing

 Liquid enters the suction port between the rotor (large exterior gear)
and idler (small interior gear) teeth. The arrows indicate the direction
of the pump and liquid.
 Liquid travels through the pump between the teeth of the "gear-within-
a-gear" principle. The crescent shape as shown in Fig 2.3 divides the
liquid and acts as a seal between the suction and discharge ports.
 The pump head is now nearly flooded, just prior to forcing the liquid
out of the discharge port. Intermeshing gears of the idler and rotor Fig 2.3 Internal Gear Pump
form locked pockets for the liquid which assures volume control.
 Rotor and idler teeth mesh completely to form a seal equidistant from
the discharge and suction ports. This seal forces the liquid out of the
discharge port.
Advantages Disadvantages
 Only two moving parts  Usually requires moderate speeds
 Medium pressure limitations
 Only one stuffing box  One bearing runs in the product
 Non-pulsating discharge pumped
 Overhung load on shaft bearing
 Excellent for high-viscosity liquids
 Constant and even discharge regardless of pressure Applications
conditions  Common internal gear pump applications include, but

 Operates well in either direction are not limited to:

 Can be made to operate with one direction of flow with  All varieties of fuel oil and lube oil

either rotation Low NPSH  Resins and Polymers Alcohols and solvents

 Single adjustable end clearance  Asphalt, Bitumen, and Tar

 Easy to maintain  Polyurethane foam (Isocyanate and polyol)

 Flexible design offers application  Food products such as corn syrup, chocolate, and

customization peanut butter

 Paint, inks, and pigments
 Soaps and surfactants
 Glycol
Materials of Construction / Configuration Options
 Externals (head, casing, bracket) - Cast iron, ductile iron, steel, stainless
steel, Alloy 20, and higher alloys.
 Internals (rotor, idler) - Cast iron, ductile iron, steel, stainless steel, Alloy
20, and higher alloys.
 Bushing - Carbon graphite, bronze, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide,
ceramic, colomony, and other specials materials as needed.
 Shaft Seal - Lip seals, component mechanical seals, industry-standard
cartridge mechanical seals, gas barrier seals, magnetically-driven pumps.
 Packing - Impregnated packing, if seal not required.
2.6.3 LOBE PUMP
 The lobe pump is a rotary, external-gear pump as shown in Fig 2.4. It
differs from the conventional external-gear pump in the way the "gears"
are driven. In a gear pump, one gear drive the other; in a lobe pump, both
lobes are driven through suitable drives gears outside of the pump casing
chamber. Fig 2.4 Lobe pump
2.6.4 Vane Pumps with Fixed Displacement Volume
 The rotor, which contains radial slots, are splined to the drive shaft and
rotates inside a cam ring as shown in Fig 2.5.
 Each slot contains a vane designed to mate with the surface of the cam
ring as the rotor turns.
 Centrifugal force keeps the vanes out, against the surface of the cam ring.
 During one-half revolution of rotor rotation, the volume increases
between the rotor cam ring.
Fig 2.5 Vane pump
 The resulting volume expansion causes a reduction of pressure. This
suction process, which causes fluid to flow through the inlet port and fill
the void.
 As the rotor rotates through the Second half revolution, the surface of
cam ring pushes the vanes back into their slots, and the trapped volume is
reduced. This positively ejects the trapped fluid through the discharge
port.
2.6.6 Piston Pumps
1. All piston pumps operate on the principle that a piston reciprocating in a bore will draw fluid in as it is
retracted and expel it as it moves forward.
2. The two basic designs are radial and axial, both available as fixed – or variable-displacement models.

A radial piston pump has the pistons arranged radially in a cylinder block as shown in Fig 2.7, while the
pistons in the axial units as in Fig 2.8 are parallel to each other and to the axis of the cylinder block
.Axial piston pumps may be further divided into in-line (swash plate) and bent-axis types.

Operating Characteristics
Piston pumps are highly efficient units, available in a wide range of capacities.
They are capable of operating in the medium – to high – pressure range (200 bar to 500 bar), with some
going much higher.
Because of their closely fitted parts and finely machined surfaces, cleanliness and good quality fluids are
vital to long service life.
RADIAL PISTON PUMPS
 In a radial pump, they cylinder block rotates on a stationary pintle inside a
circular reaction ring or rotor
 As the block rotates, centrifugal force, charging pressure, or some form
of mechanical action causes the pistons to follow the inner surface of the
ring, which is offset from the centerline of the cylinder block.

 Porting in the pintle permits the pistons to take in fluid as they move
outward and discharge it as they move in.
 Pump displacement is determined by the size and number of pistons Fig 2.7 Radial piston pump

(there may be more than one bank in a single cylinder block) and the
length of their stroke.
 In some models, the displacement can be varied by moving the
reaction ring to increase or decrease piston travel.
 Several types of external controls are available for this purpose.
AXIAL PISTON PUMPS
In axial piston pumps, the pistons reciprocate parallel to the axis of
rotation of the cylinder block. The simplest type of axial piston pump is
the swash plate in-line design
1. The cylinder block in this pump is turned by the drive shaft. Pistons
fitted to bores in the cylinder block are connected through piston
shoes and a shoe plate, so that the shoes bear against an angled Fig 2.8 Axial piston pump

swash plate.
2. As the block turns, the piston shoes follow the swash plate, causing
the pistons to reciprocate. The ports are arranged in the valve plate
so that the pistons pass the inlet as they are pulled out and pass the
outlet as they are forced back in.
3. Like radial piston pumps, the displacement of axial piston pumps is
determined by the size and number of pistons, as well as the stroke
length. Stroke length is determined by the angle of the swash plate.
BENT-AXIS PISTON PUMPS
 In a bent-axis piston pump, the cylinder block turns with
the drive shaft, but at an offset angle.
 The piston rods are attached to the drive shaft flange by
ball joints and are forced in and out of their bores as the
distance between the drive shaft flange and cylinder block
changes.
 A universal link keys the cylinder block to the drive shaft
to maintain alignment and assure that they turn together.
Fig 2.9 Bent axis pump
 The link does not transmit force, except to accelerate and
decelerate the cylinder block
and to overcome resistance of the block revolving in the
oil-filled housing.
 The displacement of this pump varies between 0 to 30
degrees, depending on the offset angle
Calculation of Theoretical Discharge:
D=Diameter of the cylinder clock
d= Diameter of cylinders
n=Number of Cinders
N=Speed of the cylinder block
Θ = Angle of inclination of cylinder block with horizontal
S= maximum displacement of the piston
Volumetric Displacement VD =displacement Volume of one cylinder* number of cylinders
= (cross sectional area of cylinder * maximum displacement of piston) * number of Cylinders
=(π /4 d2 *S)*n
=(π /4 d2 * D * tanθ) * n [tan θ= S/D]
Theoretical Discharge QT =VD * N
= π /4 d2 * D * tanθ * n * N
 EXERCISES
1. A hydraulic pump delivers fluid at 40 Lpm through a 25 mm diameter pipe. Determine the fluid Velocity
2. A hydraulic pump delivers fluid at 50Lpm and 10000 kPa. How much hydraulic power does the pump produce?
3. The power and load carrying capacity of a hydraulic cylinder are 10 kW and 20000N respectively. Find the piston velocity in
m/sec.
4. A hydraulic cylinder is used to compress a car body down to bale size in 8 sec. The operation requires 3 m stroke and a 40000
N force. If a 10 MPa pump has been selected, find
i. Piston area
ii. The pump flow rate
iii. The hydraulic power delivered to Cylinder
5. A gear pump has an outside diameter of 82.6 mm, inside diameter of 57.2 mm and a width of 25.4 mm. If the pump flow is
0.00183 m3 /s, and the speed is 1800 RPM, what is the volumetric efficiency?
6. A pump having a volumetric efficiency of 96% delivers 29 LPM of oil at 1000 RPM. What is the volumetric displacement of
the pump?
7. Determine the overall efficiency of a pump driven by a 10 HP prime mover if the pump delivers fluid at 40 LPM at a pressure
of 10 MPa.
8. How much hydraulic power would a pump produce when operating at 140 bar and delivering 0.001
m3 /s of oil? What power rated electric motor would be selected to drive this pump if its overall
efficiency is 85%?
9. A pump has a displacement volume of 98.4 cm3 . It delivers 0.00152 m3 /s of oil at 1000 RPM and 70
bar. If the prime mover input torque is 124.3 Nm. What is the overall efficiency of pump? What is the
theoretical torque required to operate the pump?
10. What is the theoretical flow rate from a fixed displacement, axial piston pump with a nine- bore
cylinder operating at 2000 rpm? Each bore has a 15 mm diameter and the stroke is 20 mm
11. A vane pump is to have a volumetric displacement of 115 cm3. It has a rotor diameter of 63.5 mm, a
cam ring diameter of 88.9 mm, and a vane width of 50.8 mm. What must be the eccentricity?