Hydraulic systems power countless industrial machinery and mobile equipment through fluid pressure generated by specialty pumps. Different pump designs suit various application requirements, with 4 primary types in widespread use. Understanding their operational distinctions guides appropriate selection. Below is 4 types of hydraulic pumps:
Gear Pumps
Having internal helical or spur tooth gears meshing to trap and displace fluid, gear pumps provide continuous flow and modest pressure rises up to 3,000 psi. Their simple, robust design ensures reliability ideal for lower pressure circuits. Variations like variable displacement enable flow regulation. Common industrial uses include conveyor drives and construction equipment circuits.
Vane Pumps
Vaned rotors turning inside cammed housing blocks capture and pump fluid via peripheral sliding vanes. Vane pumps produce higher pressures to 5,000 psi with good efficiency. Fixed or variable displacement models control circuits. Applications involve primary hydraulic power units, earth moving equipment, and heavy machinery requiring sustained flow and pressure.
Piston Pumps
Piston pumps consist of precision-machined cylinders filled by inlet and emptied through outlet valve ports. Reciprocating or radial piston designs optimize smooth continuous or pulsed delivery. With pressure capabilities to 10,000 psi, they efficiently power demanding functions like metal forming presses, earth compaction rollers, and injection molding.
Plunger Pumps
The highest pressure pump type, plunger pumps provide max output for hydromechanical applications. Axial or radial plungers act on fluid within a barrel via check valves. Heavy construction equipment, oilfield machinery, and marine controls require reliably sustaining pressures over 10,000 psi from plunger pumps.
Selecting A Hydraulic Pump What To Consider
Considerations include required flow rate and pressure ratings, circuit controls, fluid specifications, space constraints, noise tolerance, and life cycle cost against duty cycles and maintenance schedules. Hydraulic specialists analyze system drawings and parameters to recommend the most suitable pump design. Proper sizing, installation, and maintenance optimize performance and reliability critical to safety-centric operations.
In summary, gear, vane, piston and plunger pumps cover differing pressure and flow capabilities meeting the diverse needs of industrial hydraulic power transfer applications. Knowledge of their core technologies facilitates specifying the right pumping solution for any hydraulic system.