A Peek Inside an Axial Flow Pump

Whether you’re looking for a rental pump or about to invest in pumps, it never hurts to know what is happening inside the pump. By understanding how a pump works, you can make sure it is used in the most efficient way possible. Not to mention, maintenance will not be such a hefty task if you know what to look for and can catch any problem that is going on early on. For axial flow pumps, understanding the basic structure inside the pump will clear up a lot of questions.

An axial flow pump is simply another type of pump to circulate the flow of liquids, powered by an electric motor. It is a popular choice in many factories, as well as being used in the aftermath of natural disasters such as floods.

Inside the shaft of the pump, you will find a few propellers that create the flow of water, usually around three will be present. A type of centrifugal pump, axial flow is used when flow rates need to be very high while maintaining a low pressure.

This pump manages to produce this result by staying true to its name and keeping the water flowing axially. This means throughout the travel of water (or whatever liquid) through the pump, the liquid will remain parallel to the shaft, which creates less pressure but higher flow.

To imagine a pump at work, think of another propeller driven engine you are familiar with. For example, many boats are powered by propeller engines. There you can clearly see that the propellers move water and thus the boat goes forward, and often a wake is created behind from water being moved. Axial pumps work in a similar way, but the main focus is to push water through in the most efficient way possible. Still, their defining characteristics is the direction of water flow which may separate them from other propellor drive engines you are familiar with.

Floods have put a dent of nearly $40 billion in America’s spending since 2010, and axial flow pumps have been a huge part of the spending in order to mitigate flood waters. They are constantly being used a water pump after floods, as well as in all sorts of plants from a sewer plant to power plant, as a method of circulating various fluids. Understanding how they work might help ensure that you are running your pump to the best of its ability.