Circulation pumps move liquids or gases in a closed circuit, with an electric motor as the power source. They are commonly used in water heating or cooling systems and can conserve water when combined with water heaters. The entire unit is sealed to maintain a watertight seal, and the pump can be made of cast iron for closed systems. However, heat energy is lost in the process, and users must evaluate which resource is more precious.
A circulation pump is a class of pump used to move gases, liquids or semi-liquid material in a closed circuit. A common example of this type of pump is a water heating or cooling system. Due to their closed loop design, this type of pump has to overcome the frictional force within the piping system. The amount of effort required to do this is significantly less than in other types of pumping systems, where the pump would have to lift the fluid from low potential energy to high potential energy.
An electric motor is the standard power source for a circulation pump. The motor capacity required depends on the size of the application. Industrial size pumps and their motors are usually quite separate and are connected by mechanical coupling. Domestic applications are typically sealed units, with the pump and motor located very close together.
The motor rotor, pump impeller and support bearings are enclosed within the circulation pump. The entire unit is sealed to maintain a watertight seal. In a pump, the pressure is greatest at the point where the pump drive shaft entered the pump body. The area of greatest pressure is the area most likely to leak. The best design to overcome this challenge is to seal the entire unit, which redistributes the pressure over a larger area.
Circulator pumps are gaining popularity as a water conservation method when combined with water heaters. In the current model, when the hot water tap is opened, the water already in the pipes is sent first, followed by the water directly from the heater. Users typically allow the colder water that arrives first to flow down the drain while waiting for the hot water to arrive.
Adding a circulation pump to your water heater changes this workflow slightly. When the hot water is not in use, the pump returns the water in the pipes to the water heater. The boiler works to keep the hot water at the required temperature. When you open the tap, the pump sends hot water directly from the water heater to the user. This modification conserves water that would have gone directly down the drain while the user waited for hot water.
The downside to this method is the heat energy lost as the water moves out of the pipes and back into the heater. It is up to the users to evaluate which resource is more precious, heat or water. A circulation pump used in a closed system can be made of cast iron because the water in the circuit can be deoxygenated or treated with chemicals that inhibit corrosion. If your pump will have a constant flow of potable water, you need a different material.
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