Rotary pumps are positive displacement pumps that are useful for many applications, such as automotive fuel systems and air conditioning equipment. Identifying the types of rotary pumps and their most suitable applications is a very important task, as rotary pumps come in various types such as screw pumps, gear pumps and rotary vane pumps.

Rotary pump manufacturers offer catalogs, installation leaflets and user manuals for their rotary pump products. Studying these documents can help you to select the most appropriate rotary pump for your application.

If you want to establish yourself as a rotary pump manufacturer, distributor or expert in the field of rotary pumps, search for education courses in the field of fluid dynamics that cover rotary pumps as a part of their syllabi. You can also search for certification courses for the continual education of fluid industry professionals.

You can start educating and training yourself and/or your employees about rotary pumps by:

1. Studying product catalogs and understanding the basics of rotary pumps
2. Searching for graduate and continuing education courses
3. Joining associations of rotary pump suppliers
4. Reading magazines and journals that provide updates on various pumps

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Get basic information from the manufacturers of industrial rotary pump products

Suppliers of rotary pumps provide useful information, such as choosing appropriate rotary pumps, their advantages over other types of pumps and their operation and maintenance.

I recommend: Imo Pump, a rotary pump supplier, offers a rotary pump handbook with useful pumping information such as viscosities of common liquids, conversion constants and pipe friction losses. Warren Pumps, a Colfax Corporation company, provides a pre-startup guide for rotary pumps. Viking Pump is another pump supplier that provides a comparison between rotary and centrifugal pumps based on aspects such as pumping efficiency, maximum capacity and initial and life-cycle costs.

Find a graduate or continual education course on rotary pumps

You can enroll for a graduate level course in fluid dynamics that gives detailed knowledge about rotary pumps. You can also search for institutions that offer continual education programs about rotary pumps.

I recommend: PDHengineer.com, an online source for continual education, offers various rotating equipment courses including courses that can help the users to select, design and maintain pumps. The International Fluid Power Society provides training and education programs through corporate training, certification programs and an e-learning facility. Global Innovative Campus is another educational service provider that offers a course called ‘Compressors, Fans and Pumps: Basics, Selection & Operation’.

Join associations to gain access to resources on rotary pumps

You can join various associations to keep yourself updated about research activities and news related to rotary pumps.

I recommend: National Fluid Power Association, an association of rotary pump distributors, manufacturers and educators, provides details on education, standards and events in the field of fluid power. The Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCFEP) is a network of researchers, educators and students from the fluid power industry. Hydraulic Institute is another association of pump industry manufacturers that provides product standards.

Rotary pumps are used in various applications from the petroleum industry to the lumber industry. There are major kinds of rotary pumps for sale: gear pumps, screw pumps and rotary vane pumps. Gear pumps are perhaps the simplest rotary pump with enmeshed gears that turn away from each other. Gear pumps can have internal and external gears. Screw pumps consist of two screws that turn in the opposite direction—one clockwise and the other counter-clockwise. The rotary vane pump has the same kind of casing as other rotary pumps, and has a rotor inside that turns, trapping fluid between the casing and the rotors, which draws fluid through the pump.

This guide supplies information about rotary pump manufacturers as well as rotary pump suppliers and rotary pump distributors. You’ll find the information divided by the three main types of rotary pumps.

1. Pick gear rotary pumps for its reliability.

2. Use screw pumps for their capacity to pump fluid without churning.

3. Rely on rotary vane pumps for pumping low viscosity liquid.

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Pick gear rotary pumps for their versatility

Because of their design, gear rotary pumps can pump fluids from fuel to chocolate. They can also handle fluids at 750 degrees F. The internal gear pumps work well for fluids of various viscosities. Externally geared pumps work well for hazardous or corrosive fluids.

I recommend: There is more than one rotary pump manufacturer that is also a rotary pump supplier as well as a rotary pump distributor. Two manufacturers of gear rotary pumps are Haight Pumps and Viking Pump. Both manufacturers of gear rotary pumps make internal gear pumps as well as external gear pumps.

Rely on the toughness and efficiency of screw rotary pumps

Screw pumps are the oldest of the designs for industrial rotary pumps. Their efficiency and toughness explain why the screw rotary pump is still in use today. The screw pump pumps without churning and can pump everything from lubrication for engines to sawdust in the lumber industry. The screw pump can be either horizontal or vertical.

I recommend: Two manufacturers of these industrial rotary pumps are Warren Pumps and Imo Pumps.

Use vane rotary pumps to pump low viscosity fluid effectively

These rotary pumps excel at pumping low viscosity fluid for long periods. Common uses of vane rotary pumps are for everything from propellants and aerosols to alcohol, Freon and more.

I recommend: Two manufactures of vane rotary pumps are Gardner Denver Thomas and ULVAC Technologies. These vane rotary pumps are maintenance-free and can be rather compact in size.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When seeking a rotary pump for sale, consider a company that manufactures a shuttle block rotary piston pump that can replace or retro-fit even the oldest pumps with minor modifications. This could be a cost-saving measure, saving your company from buying a new rotary pump through suppliers of rotary pumps.

Rotary pumps have applications in various equipment, such as hydraulic systems, laboratory equipment and automotive mechanisms. Before searching for a rotary pump that fits your application requirements, you need to be conversant with certain technical terms. Pump manufacturers use various key terms to describe types of rotary pumps and to specify the properties of rotary pumps. This guide will give you an idea about certain popular rotary pump terms, such as rotary gear pumps, rotary vane pumps, rotary lobe pumps and viscosity.

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Positive-displacement pumps

In a positive-displacement pump, a fixed amount of fluid is trapped inside the pump body and this trapped fluid is forced out through the discharge pipe. A rotary pump is the most common type of positive-displacement pump.

I recommend: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute provides information about the positive-displacement pump and its different types. You can also read through the description of positive displacement pumps at International Vacuum, an online magazine.

Rotary gear pumps

As the name indicates, rotary gear pumps are comprised of gears to force the fluid. Rotary gear pumps are suitable for high-pressure and high-volume applications.

I recommend: Alfa Pumps & Systems, a gear pump manufacturer, provides the basics of gear pumps, including their construction, principle of operation and typical applications.

Internal gear pumps

These are positive-displacement pumps with an internal gear that is driven by the input shaft. The internal gear drives an external gear that rotates around its center. These gear pumps are suitable for pumping fluids that have low viscosity.

I recommend: To understand the construction and working of an internal gear pump, you can read through an informative article at Hydraulic Equipment Manufacturers.

External gear pumps

External gear pumps use two identical gears rotating against each other, out of which the pinion is driven by the prime mover and the other gear rotates with it. External gear pumps are useful for applications such as fuel systems and chemical industry equipment.

I recommend: Pump School provides information about external gear pumps.

Rotary vane pumps

Unlike rotary gear pumps, rotary vane pumps use vanes in the form of blades, buckets, rollers or slippers. These provide high-pressure applications.

I recommend: Cole-Parmer provides information about rotary vane pumps.

Rotary lobe pumps

These rotary pumps are comprised of rotor lobes and are suitable for low-shear applications.

I recommend: Hydraulic Institute provides a definition of rotary lobe pumps. You can also read through the basics of rotary lobe pumps at Viking Pump.

Viscosity

Viscosity of the fluid is an important parameter for the design and performance of a rotary pump. Viscosity indicates the resistance of the fluid to flow. The more viscous the liquid, the lower its flowing rate.

I recommend: To understand the meaning of viscosity and its units, read through information at STLE. Additionally, Eaton Corporation offers a hydraulics glossary that explains viscosity.

Using a rotary pump without the proper training can be a dangerous scenario. Industrial rotary pumps of all types including rotary vane pumps should be operated under proper safety guidelines. When it comes to safety training, there are several avenues to use.

Get rotary pumps safety information through manufacturers or find online resources to meet your safety training needs. Any workers you come in contact with an industrial rotary pump should have some safety training so they know how to properly operate or fix them. To start your safety training:

1. Contact your rotary pump manufacturer for safety information.

2. Use safety training materials to refresh your employees on rotary pump safety in-house.

3. Look for online rotary pump safety courses.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get safety information from rotary pump distributors or manufacturers

Some rotary pump suppliers and manufacturers offer educational training sessions avaialbe for in-house safety training. Whether you are looking to purchase a new rotary pump or trying to find safety materials for an existing pump, scanning various manufacturer websites may be helpful.

I recommend: IMO Pump, rotary pump manufacturers, provides on site training for your maintenance workers to ensure safe handling of all their products. When you buy a pump from AB Industrial Equipment Company, the purchase isn't the end of your contact with the manufacturer. They provide in-house pump training for your employees so they learn to properly operate all equipment.

Look for in-house rotary pump safety materials

If you want to train a large number of employees in the proper handling and operations of the rotary pump, it may be beneficial to find safety materials to use in-house. Look for materials specific to the type of pump the employees come in contact with, and put a manager or human resource department in charge of setting up training sessions using the materials you gather.

I recommend: The Pump School provides an introduction to PD pumps with information including safety of rotary pumps. Another good overall pump-safety information page is available at the Water and Waste Digest. The McNally Institute includes an entire section on the explanation of rotary pumps and safety measures.

Seek online training for your rotary pump safety

Many industrial training websites offer pump maintenance, operation and safety courses. For a more in depth course, look for rotary pump specific classes, but don't discount general pump safety courses that may include good rotary pump information. If you would rather have a face-to-face option, find a trainer who sets up in-house training. They do all the work, but you reap all the benefits of a safer working environment.

I recommend: The Pumps and Systems Magazine resource page includes a five-article online-training course for rotary pumps. PDHOnline.org also offers a class on pumps in general with a section on rotary pumps and safety.