2. A gear pump is a type of positive
displacement (PD) pump. It moves a
fluid by repeatedly enclosing a fixed
volume of oil using interlocking cogs or
gears, transferring it mechanically using a
cyclic pumping action. It delivers a
smooth pulse-free flow proportional to
the rotational speed of its gears.
3.
4. How does a gear pump work?
Gear pumps use the actions of rotating
cogs or gears to transfer fluids. The
rotating element develops a liquid seal
with the pump casing and creates
suction at the pump inlet. Fluid, drawn
into the pump, is enclosed within the
cavities of its rotating gears and
transferred to the discharge.
5. Gear Pumps are available in 2 Variants
1. External Gear Pump
2. Internal Gear Pump
7. An external gear pump consists of two
identical, interlocking gears supported
by separate shafts. Generally, one gear
is driven by a motor and this drives the
other gear (the idler). In some cases,
both shafts may be driven by
motors. The shafts are supported by
bearings on each side of the casing.
8. •As the gears come out of mesh on the inlet side
of the pump, they create an expanded
volume. Liquid flows into the cavities and is
trapped by the gear teeth as the gears continue to
rotate against the pump casing.
•The trapped fluid is moved from the inlet, to the
discharge, around the casing.
•As the teeth of the gears become interlocked on
the discharge side of the pump, the volume is
reduced and the fluid is forced out under
pressure.
9. No fluid is transferred back through the
centre, between the gears, because they are
interlocked. Close tolerances between the
gears and the casing allow the pump to
develop suction at the inlet and prevent fluid
from leaking back from the discharge side
(although leakage is more likely with low
viscosity liquids).
External gear pump designs can utilize spur,
helical or herringbone gears.
11. An internal gear pump operates on the same principle but
the two interlocking gears are of different sizes with one
rotating inside the other. The larger gear (the rotor) is an
internal gear i.e. it has the teeth projecting on the
inside. Within this is a smaller external gear (the idler –
only the rotor is driven) mounted off-centre. This is
designed to interlock with the rotor such that the gear
teeth engage at one point. A pinion and bushing attached
to the pump casing holds the idler in position. A fixed
crescent-shaped partition or spacer fills the void created
by the off-centre mounting position of the idler and acts
as a seal between the inlet and outlet ports.
12. 1. As the gears come out of mesh on the inlet side
of the pump, they create an expanded
volume. Liquid flows into the cavities and is
trapped by the gear teeth as the gears continue
to rotate against the pump casing and partition.
2. The trapped fluid is moved from the inlet, to the
discharge, around the casing.
3. As the teeth of the gears become interlocked on
the discharge side of the pump, the volume is
reduced and the fluid is forced out under
pressure.
13. What are the main features and benefits of a
gear pump?
Gear pumps are compact and simple with a
limited number of moving parts. They are
unable to match the pressure generated by
reciprocating pumps or the flow rates of
centrifugal pumps but offer higher pressures
and throughputs than vane or lobe pumps.
Gear pumps are particularly suited for
pumping oils and other high viscosity fluids.
14. Of the two designs, external gear pumps are capable of
sustaining higher pressures (up to 3000 psi) and flow rates
because of the more rigid shaft support and closer
tolerances. Internal gear pumps have better suction
capabilities and are suited to high viscosity fluids,
although they have a useful operating range from 1cP to
over 1,000,000cP. Since output is directly proportional to
rotational speed, gear pumps are commonly used for
metering and blending operations. Gear pumps can be
engineered to handle aggressive liquids. While they are
commonly made from cast iron or stainless steel, new
alloys and composites allow the pumps to handle
corrosive liquids such as sulphuric acid, sodium
hypochlorite, ferric chloride and sodium hydroxide.
15. External gear pumps can also be used in
hydraulic power applications, typically in
vehicles, lifting machinery and mobile plant
equipment. Driving a gear pump in reverse,
using oil pumped from elsewhere in a system
(normally by a tandem pump in the engine),
creates a hydraulic motor. This is particularly
useful to provide power in areas where
electrical equipment is bulky, costly or
inconvenient. Tractors, for example, rely on
engine-driven external gear pumps to power
their services.
16. What are the limitations of a gear pump?
1. Gear pumps are self-priming and can dry-lift
although their priming characteristics improve if
the gears are wetted. The gears need to be
lubricated by the pumped fluid and should not be
run dry for prolonged periods. Some gear pump
designs can be run in either direction so the same
pump can be used to load and unload a vessel,
for example.
17. 2. The close tolerances between the gears and casing
mean that these types of pump are susceptible to wear
particularly when used with abrasive fluids or feeds
containing entrained solids. However, some designs of
gear pumps, particularly internal variants, allow the
handling of solids. External gear pumps have four
bearings in the pumped medium, and tight tolerances,
so are less suited to handling abrasive fluids. Internal
gear pumps are more robust having only one bearing
(sometimes two) running in the fluid. A gear pump
should always have a strainer installed on the suction
side to protect it from large, potentially damaging,
solids.
18. 3. Generally, if the pump is expected to handle
abrasive solids it is advisable to select a pump
with a higher capacity so it can be operated at
lower speeds to reduce wear. However, it
should be borne in mind that the volumetric
efficiency of a gear pump is reduced at lower
speeds and flow rates. A gear pump should
not be operated too far from its
recommended speed.
19. 4. For high temperature applications, it is important to
ensure that the operating temperature range is compatible
with the pump specification. Thermal expansion of the
casing and gears reduces clearances within a pump and this
can also lead to increased wear, and in extreme cases, pump
failure.
5. Despite the best precautions, gear pumps generally
succumb to wear of the gears, casing and bearings over
time. As clearances increase, there is a gradual reduction in
efficiency and increase in flow slip: leakage of the pumped
fluid from the discharge back to the suction side. Flow slip is
proportional to the cube of the clearance between the cog
teeth and casing so, in practice, wear has a small effect until
a critical point is reached, from which performance degrades
rapidly.
20. 6. Gear pumps continue to pump against a back pressure
and, if subjected to a downstream blockage will continue to
pressurise the system until the pump, pipework or other
equipment fails. Although most gear pumps are equipped
with relief valves for this reason, it is always advisable to fit
relief valves elsewhere in the system to protect
downstream equipment.
7. Internal gear pumps, operating at low speed, are generally
preferred for shear-sensitive liquids such as foodstuffs, paint
and soaps. The higher speeds and lower clearances of
external gear designs make them unsuitable for these
applications. Internal gear pumps are also preferred when
hygiene is important because of their mechanical simplicity
and the fact that they are easy to strip down, clean and
reassemble.
21. What are the main applications for gear
pumps?
Gear pumps are commonly used for
pumping high viscosity fluids such as oil,
paints, resins or foodstuffs. They are
preferred in any application where accurate
dosing or high pressure output is required.
The output of a gear pump is not greatly
affected by pressure so they also tend to be
preferred in any situation where the supply
is irregular.
22.
23. SELF EVALUATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. A gear pump has a 75mm outside diameter, a 50mm inside diameter, and a
25mm width. If the actual pump flow at 1800rpm and rated pressure is 0.106 ,
what is the volumetric efficiency?
2. A gear pump has a 75mm outside diameter, a 50mm inside diameter, and a
25mm width. If the volumetric efficiency is 90% at rated pressure, what is the
corresponding actual flowrate? The pump speed is 1000rpm.
3. A vane pump is to have a volumetric displacement of 5 cm3 . It has a rotor
diameter of 2 cm, a cam ring diameter of 3 cm. What must be the eccentricity?
4. A vane pump has a rotor diameter of 50 mm, a cam ring diameter of 75mm,
and a vane width of 50 mm. If the eccentricity is 8mm, determine the
volumetric displacement.
5. A vane pump is to have a volumetric displacement of 82 cm3. It has a rotor
diameter of 5 cm , a cam ring diameter of 7.5 cm , and a vane width of 4 cm.
what must be the eccentricity?. What is the maximum volumetric displacement
possible?
6. An axial piston pump has nine pistons arranged on a piston of circle 125 mm
diameter. The diameter of the piston is 15mm. The cylinder block is set to an
off set angle of 10 . If pump runs at 1000 RPM with an volumetric efficiency of
94 %. Find the flow rate in LPS.
