The invention of the pump itself was a significant breakthrough for mankind. It significantly simplified the way to obtain normal water. With growing demands for a well balanced water supply, largely clear of pressure fluctuations, and at exactly the same time increasing demands on the power efficiency of buildings, pumps are now making their contribution as booster pumps. What their task is, how they function and what pressure switches do along the way is explained briefly and succinctly in this post.
What exactly are booster pumps necessary for?
A booster pump increases low water pressure and, with that, improves the flow rate. It offers an extra boost to create the water pressure to the desired level. Booster pumps are often used in pipelines to increase the pressure therefore to go the liquid along to another pump, and also for pumping in residential houses or large commercial buildings. An expansion vessel can extend a pressure booster system. By using this expansion vessel, the water pressure is likewise stabilised and therefore improved.
Booster pumps functioning
The figure gives a synopsis of the various measuring points inside a pressure booster system:
1 Input pressure ? Pressure
2a Dry run protection ? Pressure
2b Dry run protection ? Level
3 Output pressure ? Pressure
4 Pump performance ? Differential pressure
So how exactly does a booster pump work?
Booster pumps are selected based on application demands. Instead of selecting one large pump, consider selecting multiple pumps with smaller horsepower. Exquisite have an impeller that moves water that will come in through the inlet and exits through the outlet. A motor makes the impellers spin. The pumps differ in how they draw the water in and push it out. Some of them use a spinning propeller, others use an oscillating diaphragm or other pump principles.
What do mechanical pressure switches in booster pumps do?
The mechanical pressure switches in booster pumps are employed for the direct control/monitoring of safety functions to be able to protect pumps with insufficient input pressure against dry running. An example of this is the WIKA PSM-520 pressure switch.
How do mechanical pressure switches work?
The pressure component of the switch is a resilient bellow which works against a spring mechanism with an adjustable pre-load force. On the spring mechanism you will find a contact arm for actuating the change-over switch contact. The switch is actuated when the force generated by the pressure in the pressure element is higher than the set pre-load force.
Note
Further information on the various measurement solutions which you can expect you for pumps and systems can be found on the WIKA website. If you have any questions, your contact will gladly help you.
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