The head of a pump is one of the most important parameters to know before purchasing a system. It is an extremely technical value, which is calculated in a complex way but indicates whether that type of pump is suitable for your needs. Alternatively, you might end up with a pump that cannot work as required, wasting money and time.
In recent years, technological innovation has led to significant improvements in pump performance. Today, they are much more reliable and versatile than in the past. We at CDR Pompe we always work striving for the highest quality and the greatest possible efficiency, and we can also guide you in making the best choice for your pump in the field of industrial, but also chemical e pharmaceutical.
In this article, we want to talk to you about prevalence, a type of parameter that you may not be familiar with. We will try to explain what it is, how it is calculated, and why it is essential to know it.
We understand what is meant by pump prevalence
Prevalence is a very important physical quantity that indicates the maximum height a pump can lift a fluid. In the most common measurements, it is expressed in meters. Essentially, head refers to the pump's ability to overcome the difference in height between the suction point (the area from which the liquid enters the pump) and the discharge point (the outlet area or flange where the fluid exits the casing), taking into account head losses caused by friction and other specific resistances the system may have.
We could also define the prevalence of a pump using other words, such as the energy per unit mass supplied by the pump to a fluid.
The head is calculated as the sum of the static head and the head loss, and it is essential to ensure that a pump is adequate for the specific requirements of a system.
A prevalence value that is not high enough can also cause malfunctions. Consequently, it is essential to know this value at the time of purchase. In summary, prevalence is a key indicator of a pump's operational efficiency in fluid transfer across various industrial and other application contexts.
How to calculate prevalence
The formula for calculating prevalence is as follows: H = Hgeo + (Pa-Pe)/g + (va^2 - ve^2)/2g + Hv. We will now explain the individual elements of the equation.
- His the prevalence of a pump, it is expressed in meters;
- Hgeogeodetic head between the free surface of the reservoir and the pump suction
- Dadatmospheric pressure;
- Peppertank pressure;
- P: fluid density;
- ggravitational acceleration constant 9.81 m/s2
- Gofluid velocity at suction and discharge;
- Whatcircuit pressure drops.
On a mathematical level, The head of a pump is inversely proportional to the pump's flow rate.. Flow rate is simply the amount of fluid (or volume) that passes through the pump per unit of time. Therefore, the higher the pump's flow rate, the lower the head will be.
The prevalence data can be obtained through calculations that are relatively simple. Ultimately, all that is needed is knowledge of the physical characteristics of the fluid and the pump. Alternatively, one can also refer to plant data. Specifically, we are talking about head loss, elevation difference, or pressure difference.
Prevalence is a fundamental factor when purchasing a pump
Before purchasing any type of pump, magnetic drive pumps, and mechanical seal pumps, Knowing the prevalence value is really important. Different models have different prevalences. Even seemingly identical models may have specifications that do not match the desired ones.
The prevalence data is available, in most cases, in the product data sheet. It is therefore not a hidden piece of data, or one to be calculated independently. It must, in fact, be freely available for the customer to consult at the time of purchase.
A fundamental piece of advice, therefore, is to Never buy a pump whose head value is unknown, or worse, if this value is fraudulently hidden.
For over 70 years, we at CDR Pompe We stand with companies like leader in fluid technology. With passion, experience, and constant innovation, we aim to deliver devices for handling corrosive liquids that operate with complete safety and reliability.
Our business activities are distributed in over 50 countries. Today, we are national and international leaders with a distribution network and partners that allow us to operate anywhere with full efficiency.
