Screw pumps are mechanical devices used to move substances. The Archimedean screw is a basic type, while more complex variations include those with multiple screws and those used in submarines. Screw vacuum pumps use the physics of a screw pump to create a vacuum, and augers can be constructed as a variation to dig holes in the ground.
A screw pump is a mechanical device designed to move various substances from one place to another. There are many different variations, most with very specific purposes. Among other uses, screw pumps are found inside engines, used to drill liquids like oil, as augers, and more.
The Archimedean screw, invented in the 3rd century BC by its namesake, is a type of basic screw pump. It consists of a screw enclosed by a hollow tube. One end of this device can be immersed in a liquid, such as water, and when it is rotated, the motion of the screw pump causes the liquid to back up the tube until it flows out the other end. The edges of the screw need not contact the pipe, and the fixture can be turned by hand or with some form of machinery, such as a water mill or electric turbine.
There are also more complex variations of the screw pump. For example, some employ two or more screws working in unison within a casing to move a substance. The combination of threads sit against each other and as they spin they move liquids through the device at high speed. A common place to find this variation is in the power transmission system of a submarine. Here, the screw pump can dispense fluid with little noise and can be operated under the high pressures associated with being underwater.
Screw vacuum pumps are used to move air at high pressures and use the physics of a screw pump to do so. Inside the pump is a system similar to an Archimedean screw, which pumps liquid and consequently displaces air, creating a vacuum which can be used for many different purposes. There are also dry screw vacuum pumps that do the same thing without the liquid inside. These pumps have many different uses including removing moisture and gases from a sealed space, creating a vacuum within various objects such as neon lights, and can even be used to provide the necessary suction to a car pneumatics.
Augers, like post augers, can be constructed as a variation of the screw pump. These devices are used to move dirt rather than liquid and are used to dig precise cylindrical holes in the ground. The movement of the device makes it easy to dig into the ground with a simple twist.
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