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Hydraulic pumps use the kinetic energy of water to move fluid from a low point to a higher point, based on Bernoulli’s principle. A pressure vessel can improve efficiency and prolong the pump’s life. Water pumps are useful in developing countries for accessing clean water.
A pump is any device used to move gas or liquid, usually from a low point to a higher point. Many pumps require an external power source to operate, but water pumps do not need an external power source. In a hydraulic pump, water or other fluid is put to work to pump itself. In other words, the kinetic energy of water is the power that drives a hydraulic pump.
When this type of pump works, some of the water is lifted to a higher point than where the water originally started. Also, the water leaving the pump moves at a different speed than the incoming water. This happens due to a phenomenon called stagnation pressure. Stagnation pressure is based on Bernoulli’s principle, which states that an increase in the velocity of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in fluid pressure. This principle is what the operation of a hydraulic pump is based on.
A simple water pump starts from a pipe that carries water from the source. At the end of the tube is a valve, called a dump valve. When under pressure, the discharge valve closes, carrying the water pressure against another valve further back, called the discharge check valve. This valve leads to the delivery or pressure pipe. As the water pressure in the discharge pipe decreases, the discharge check valve closes, again allowing pressure to build up against the discharge valve.
This cycle usually repeats every one or two seconds. The process is made more efficient by adding a device called a pressure vessel between the discharge check valve and the discharge pipe outlet. A pressure vessel is a small metal tank that holds a portion of air. The air acts as a shock absorber from the stresses of rapid pressure changes within the pump, also helping to prolong the life of the pump itself.
The water pump has been in use for centuries, but began to lose popularity as electricity and electric pumps became widely available. More recently, however, there has been renewed interest in the water pump as a means of bringing clean water to rural areas in developing countries. Water pumps are simple enough to be maintained by even the most remote villages. They also offer the benefit of surfacing deep sources of groundwater that are less likely to be contaminated. Sanitation and water availability are constant concerns in developing countries and the water pump helps alleviate both of these problems.
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