A simplex pump is a reciprocating device that pumps fluid up and down through ports at both ends of the cylinder. It is efficient and can be powered by electric, petrol, diesel or compressed air motors. Simplex pumps come in different sizes and are used in various applications, including supplying fuel oil to engines, bilge pumps, and fire water supplies.
A simplex pump is a single piston reciprocating device that moves fluids on both stroke cycles. In other words, the cylinder is filled with fluid above and below the piston and it pumps both up and down. Simplex pumps can be powered by electric, petrol, diesel or compressed air motors. They are also frequently used in manually operated hydraulic pumps. The simplex pump is a particularly efficient design capable of producing excellent flow rates with minimal input energy.
Unlike conventional reciprocating pumps which move fluid on only one stroke of their cycle, the simplex pump moves fluid on both strokes up and down through ports at both ends of the cylinder. As the piston moves up the cylinder, it draws fluid through the lower port, pushes fluid out the opposite port, and reverses the cycle on the next stroke. This bi-directional pumping action is made possible by a valved multi-chamber manifold that connects to the two flow ports. The manifold typically contains a pair of chambers for each flow port and each side of the piston. Each chamber has a valve that controls the flow of fluid through it.
During the simplex pump cycle, each side of the piston alternately draws fluid into one of its chambers and out the other. The valves and chambers are arranged so that the outlet chambers for each side of the piston vent into a common outlet. This pumping arrangement means that there is no “dead” spot or race in the cycle. This feature makes the simplex pump a particularly efficient design and capable of providing excellent output values with low input energy requirements.
Simplex pumps come in many different sizes ranging from large capacity water pumps to smaller varieties used to pressurize plumbing tools. The double cycle action and low power requirements of the simplex pump make it ideal for manual operation as it requires few cycles to build up to adequate pressure and requires no complex linkages or gearing to operate. Larger simplex pumps are usually driven by electric motors from petrol and diesel engines. Compressed air is also occasionally used to drive some pumps.
Simplex pumps are found in a variety of applications that require low horsepower and high delivery performance. Large ships use simplex pump banks to supply fuel oil to their engines, as do fuel-oil-fired furnaces. They are also commonly used as bilge pumps on larger vessels. Fire water supplies are also often supplied by simplex pumps.
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