Basic requirements for pump selection

Pumps are the second most commonly used industrial equipment after electric motors. There are already millions of pumps in operation around the world, transporting thousands of liquids. In the many pump types to choose from, choosing the right pump is a very complicated matter.

The pump selection process is the process of matching the capabilities of a particular pump with the system requirements and the characteristics of the liquid to be pumped. Start from the nature of the pumped liquid, start from the perspective of user needs, and enter the selection of specific pumps.

1) In any application, we must first understand the basic requirements of the user for the pump. For example, the inlet conditions, the required flow rate, pressure difference, temperature, and fluid characteristics such as viscosity, abrasion, shear sensitivity, and corrosion must all be determined before the pump can be selected.

2) The pump must run well under the correct pumping conditions. In fact, the biggest problems encountered by pumps can be traced back to poor pumping conditions. Since the ability of the pump to push the liquid is much stronger than the ability to draw the liquid, the inlet conditions should be kept within the capacity of the pump.

3) Pressure difference is also a critical part, especially from the perspective of energy saving and pump life, the use of smaller pipe diameter and longer pipe laying length can reduce the initial cost of the system, but it may also lead to higher pressure difference of the pump. This higher pressure difference will translate into energy consumption and may shorten the service life of the pump, which means higher operating costs and lower efficiency.

4) The required liquid properties are usually known, and the focus is on understanding how the pump affects these properties. The vast majority of users are willing to let the liquid discharged from the pump remain in the same condition as it entered the pump. For how to correctly select the pump, material compatibility, viscosity, shear sensitivity and the presence of specific substances or solids are of great importance.