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Air lift pumps use compressed air to pump water without mechanical parts, making them suitable for pumping sensitive fluids or in sandy wells. They work by introducing air into a vertical pipe immersed in water, creating a vacuum that draws water up. They are not suitable for high-pressure applications and should be covered with a sieve to prevent clogging.
An air pump is a device that uses the principles of gravitation and inertia to pump water by injecting a stream of compressed air into a pipe filled with a column of water. This introduced air causes the water to flow up and out of the hose, resulting in a constant flow of water out of the pump. Due to its simplicity, the air lift pump is suitable for uses where water contaminants would damage a mechanical pump or where the pumped fluids or slurry require minimal mechanical agitation. Compressed air pumps may be appropriate for wastewater treatment, archaeological research and aquaculture where low discharge pressures are required.
A compressed air pump installation typically consists of a vertical discharge or suction pipe immersed in the body of water to be pumped. A separate air tube is inserted into this extractor tube a short distance from its lower end. The air is then introduced into the water column in the extractor tube at a higher pressure than the water in the tube. Gravity then causes a body of air bubbles to rise in the extractor tube due to the lower density of the air. This column of air bubbles carries the surrounding water with it by inertia as well as forcing the water above it to move upwards.
As the water moves up, it creates a vacuum that draws water from the well into the extractor tube to take its place. This creates a constant upward movement of the water in the tube which represents the pumping mechanism of the air lift pump. The volume of the pumping process can be controlled by regulating the pressure of the airflow introduced which will also affect the ‘head’ the pump is capable of producing. Pump head refers to the vertical distance that the pump is able to move water above the well water level.
Deep, sandy wells benefit from the use of an air lift pump as sand suspended in the water quickly abrades the moving parts of a mechanical pump. Air pumps have no moving parts; due to the relatively slow water flow, even the inside of the extractor tube experiences minimal abrasion. The operation of an air lift pump is also advantageous in cases where slurries or fluids of a sensitive nature are being pumped. This is especially true for applications such as archaeological research sites where the submerged sewage content would be damaged by a mechanical pump.
Discharge capacities of aviation pumps range from approximately 20 to 2,000 gallons (75 to 7,600 liters) per minute and can reach heads of 750 feet (229 meters). The airlift pump is not suitable for applications that require high pressure discharge or suction characteristics. The inlet end of the extractor tube should ideally be covered with a sieve as entering large objects causes the tube to become clogged due to the low pressure characteristics of the system.
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