Pumping of liquids is almost universal in chemical and petrochemical processes. The many different materials being processed require close attention to selection of materials of construction of the various pump parts, shaft sealing, and the hydraulics of the individual problems. A wide variety of pumps types have been developed to satisfy the many special conditions found in chemical plant systems; however, since all of these cannot be discussed here, the omission of some does not mean that they may not be suitable for a service. In general, the final pump selection and performance details are recommended by the manufacturers to meet the conditions specified by the process design engineer. It is important that the designer of the process system be completely familiar with the action of each pump offered for a service in order that such items as control instruments and valves may be properly evaluated in the full knowledge of the system.
A pump is a physical contrivance that is used to deliver fluids from one location to another through conduits. Over the years, numerous pump designs have evolved to meet differing requirements.
The basic requirements to define the application are suction and delivery pressures, pressure loss in transmission, and the flow rate. Special requirements may exist in food, pharmaceutical, nuclear, and other industries that impose material selection requirements of the pump. The primary means of transfer of energy to the fluid that causes flow are gravity, displacement, centrifugal force, electromagnetic force, transfer of momentum, mechanical impulse, and a combination of these energy-transfer mechanisms. Gravity and centrifugal force are the most common energy-transfer mechanisms in use.
Pump designs have largely been standardized. based on application experience, numerous standards have come into existence. As special projects and new application situations for pumps develop, these standards will be updated and revised. Common pump standards are:
1. American Petroleum Institute (API) Standard 610, Centrifugal Pumps for Refinery Service.
2. American Waterworks Association (AWWA) E101, Deep Well Vertical Turbine Pumps.
3. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) UL 51, UL343, UL1081, UL448, UL1247.
4. National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) NFPA-20 Centrifugal Fire Pumps.
5. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
6. American National Standards Institute.
7. Hydraulic Institute Standards (Application).
These standards specify design, construction, and testing details such as material selection, shop inspection and tests, drawings and other uses required, clearances, construction procedures, and so on.
The most common types of pumps used in a chemical plant are centrifugal and positive displacement. Occasionally regenerative turbine pumps, axial-flow pumps, and ejectors are used.
Modern practice is to use centrifugal rather than positive displacement pumps where possible because they are usually less costly, require less maintenance, and less space. Conventional centrifugal pumps operate at speeds between 1200 and 8000 rpm. Very high speed centrifugal pumps, which can operate up to 23,000 rpm and higher, are used for low-capacity, highhead applications. Most centrifugal pumps will operate with an approximately constant head over a wide range of capacity.
Positive displacement pumps are either reciprocating or rotary. Reciprocating pumps include piston, plunger, and diaphragm types. Rotary pumps are: single lobe, multiple lobe, rotary vane, progressing cavity, and gear types. Positive displacement pumps operate with approximately constant capacities over wide variations in head, hence they usually are installed for services which require high heads at moderate capacities. A special application of small reciprocating pumps in gas processing plants is for injection of fluids (e.g. methanol and corrosion inhibitors) into process streams, where their constant-capacity characteristics are desirable. portable pumps for fire fighting