What Is a High Pressure Pump?
A high pressure pump is a type of pump that operates using differential pressure and is designed for high-pressure suction and discharge.
There is no universally defined threshold for what constitutes “high pressure” in terms of specific pressure values.
Depending on the manufacturer, the term “ultra-high pressure pump” may refer to models with a performance of 1,000 MPa or higher, while other manufacturers use the same term for models with a performance of around 300 MPa.
Similarly, a pump capable of achieving a high head (the height to which fluid can be pumped) is sometimes referred to as a high pressure pump.
Uses of High Pressure Pumps
High pressure pumps find applications in various fields, including boiler feed pumps (BFP) in power generation, descaling pumps in the manufacturing process of washing machines, refrigerators, and automobiles, and desalination technology (converting seawater into drinking water in regions with severe water shortages, such as the Middle East). These pumps are also utilized in a wide range of applications, including desalination technology.
High pressure pumps are also integral to high-pressure washers, enabling powerful cleaning and stripping using minimal water, a method often referred to as “jet cleaning.”
Principle of High Pressure Pumps
High pressure pumps typically include centrifugal pumps, which are categorized as non-volumetric pumps.
The pressure-generating capacity of centrifugal pumps varies with different types, such as volute pumps, turbine pumps, and multistage volute pumps, and the principles underlying these types are discussed below.
A centrifugal pump consists of an impeller housed within a casing, with a motor used to rotate the impeller. As the liquid is drawn in from the axis of rotation to which the impeller is attached, the rotation of the impeller creates a pressure difference between the center and the periphery. When liquid is drawn in from the low-pressure center, centrifugal force propels it outward in the direction perpendicular to the shaft (centrifugal direction). The pressure is further increased within the vortex chamber (volute) inside the casing, ultimately being pumped out through the discharge port.
In the case of turbine pumps, fixed non-rotating blades called guide vanes are positioned around the periphery of the rotating impeller. These guide vanes guide the speed of the liquid exiting the impeller, gradually decelerating it as it passes through them. This process converts the kinetic energy into pressure energy, which is then used for discharge, resulting in high-pressure liquid delivery.
In multistage centrifugal pumps, rotating blades and casings are stacked on a single shaft, allowing for incremental increases in the head at each stage, ultimately achieving even higher pressure delivery.