What is Positive Displacement Pump –

Definition, Types and Working?

September 7, 2017 Pankaj Mishra 0 Comments Fluid Mechanics, Pump
Positive displacement pump (PDP) is a type of pump in which a moving fluid is captured
in a cavity and then discharges that fixed amount of fluid. The displacement of fluid takes
place by some parts like plunger, piston, diaphragm etc. some of these pumps have
expanding cavity at the suction side and a decreasing cavity at the discharge side. The
liquid is sucked at the inlet side when the cavity expands and discharges it when the cavity
decreases.
In order to understand it more clearly, let’s take a syringe which has a piston inside it.
When the piston is drawn outward the cavity starts expanding and water starts to enter
into the syringe cylinder. As the piston is pressed inward the cavity keeps on decreasing
and the liquid inside the syringe experiences a force that makes the water to escape out of
the syringe. So what is the conclusion of the illustration? We have seen in that the water is
displaced from the syringe during suction and discharge stroke of the piston.

Types

By considering the mechanism used to move the fluid it is divided into three major types

1. Rotary Type Positive Displacement

2. Reciprocating Type Positive Displacement
3. Linear Type Positive Displacement
Let’s discuss each one of them in detail
1. Rotary-Type Positive Displacement
Pump
In this pump the fluid is moved by the use of a rotary part. It is the rotation which
displaces the fluid from reservoir to the discharge pipe. The common example of these
types of pumps are: internal gear, screw pump, flexible vane or sliding vane, flexible
impeller, circumferential pump, helical twisted roots etc.

The rotary type positive displacement pumps can be classified again into three main types

1. Gear pumps: In this pump, the fluid is moved in between two rotating gears. The liquid
is
pushed between these two gears as it rotates.
2. Screw pumps: These pumps consist of two screw type rotor turning against each other.
When the two
screw rotates it sucks the water from the inlet and pump it to the outlet.
3. Rotary vane pumps: It is similar to scroll compressors. It consist of cylindrical rotor
having vanes on it which is encased in a similar (i.e. cylindrical type) shaped housing. When
it rotates the vanes on the rotor traps the fluid in between the rotor and casing and
discharges it through outlet.

2. Reciprocating Types Positive

Displacement Pump
In these pumps, there is a reciprocating part (which moves backward and forward) to
pump the water. The reciprocating parts may be of plunger, piston or diaphragm type. It
contains valves, inlet valves and outlet valves. The inlet valves open and outlet valves
remain closed during suction of liquid. And inlet valves remain closed and outlet valves gets
open during discharge of the liquid.
 As shown in the diagram above, as the piston moves to the right, the cavity expands and
the water is sucked into it. And when the plunger moves to the left, it pushes the liquid
which makes the discharge valve opens and water starts discharging through the cavity.

 Some reciprocating pump has an expanding cavity at inlet side and a decreasing cavity at
the outlet side. The Liquid is sucked into the cavity as it expands and discharges when the
cavity starts decreasing.
 The reciprocating pump’s category ranges from simple (with one cylinder) to Quad (four)
or even more. Most of their types have duplex (two) or triplex (three) cylinder.
 It can powered by manually, by steam or air, or through a belt driven by an engine.
 It is most commonly used in 19th century as boiler feed water pump. Now days it is used to
pump highly viscous fluids like heavy oils and concrete, and also used in special
applications where fluid is needed at low flow rates against high resistance.
They can be either single acting type or double acting type.

1. Single Acting Reciprocating pump: In this, suction takes place in one direction motion of
the piston and discharge in other direction.
2. Double Acting Reciprocating pump: Suction and discharge takes place in both
directions.

Typically reciprocating pumps can be classified as

1. Plunger pumps: A plunger is used for pumping water.
2. Piston: It has piston for pumping fluid.
3. Diaphragm: It works same as plunger pump But it has diaphragm for suction and
discharge of liquid.

3. Linear Type Positive Displacement

Pump
In this, the fluid displacement takes place linearly (i.e. in straight line). Rope pumps and
chain pumps are the examples of these types.For Better Explanation About Types Watch
the Video Given Below:

1. Rotary lobe pump

2. Progressive cavity pumps
3. Rotary gear pumps
4. Piston pumps
5. Diaphragm pumps
6. Screw pumps
7. Gear pumps
8. Hydraulic pumps
9. Rotary vane pumps
10. Peristaltic pumps
11. Rope pumps
12. Flexible impeller pump