The Impact of Turbulence on AODD Pumps and How to Mitigate It
AODD pumps are very versatile, highly reliable, and used in a wide range of industries from chemical processing to wastewater treatment. With their viscous, abrasive, and corrosive handling capability, they become irreplaceable in their field of operation. However, like all pumps, operational challenges do occur with AODD pumps, and one of the most serious involves turbulence. Minimizing the consequences of turbulence in AODD pumps requires understanding how it happens, along with strategies to minimize its effects and ensure continued optimal performance, pump longevity, and lower maintenance costs. What is Turbulence? Actually, turbulence can be best described as a condition of fluid flow wherein there is chaotic change in pressure as well as velocity. To directly relate this to pump systems, turbulence occurs when the smooth flow of liquids becomes disturbed due to sudden changes in direction, velocity, or pressure, laminar in nature. Fluid motion resulted makes the flow uneven, which would affect the pump's efficiency and causes wear-and-tear on the parts of the pumps. Turbulence is developed in most AODD pumps at critical flow points of the pumping cycle, such as at inlet and outlet ports where flow rate and pressure instantaneously fluctuate as the diaphragm changes position. It can also be generated by piping design or poor pump installation. In many liquids being pumped, turbulence is created by inherent properties of the liquid. How Does Turbulence Affect AODD Pumps? 1. Reduced Pump Efficiency Another effect of turbulence is that it leads to decreased efficiency of AODD pumps. AODD pumps work on the principle of the vacuum created as a result of their movement - diaphragm movement - suction, and thus, fluid will be expelled in the opposite stroke of the diaphragm. Ideally, this process should always be conducted in a smooth, continuous manner; however, the chaotic flow resulting from turbulence disrupts the smooth movement that leads to energy losses. These losses manifest in different forms, namely increased power consumption and lower flow rates, meaning that to achieve the same [...]
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