Among the most versatile and highly useful liquid management pieces of equipment in households, construction sites, and industrial complexes are self-priming or auto-prime pumps. These specialized pumping devices are the go-to equipment when a facility requires pumping out of large volumes of water to prevent flooding and other problems related to the overflowing of liquids. Essentially, these centrifugal pumps offer preventive, maintenance, and response capabilities to various applications.
If you’re thinking about buying a self-priming pump for your property, you should know as much about it as possible. This will allow you to appreciate its functions, know your options, and learn the benefits that such a pump provides.
Here are some essential facts about self-priming pumps that you should know:
How they work.
A self-priming pump is designed to immediately start without going through the usual start-up procedures. This pump removes air that is present in the impeller’s suction side and then transferring it to the discharge side. This is a critical function since the presence of air in the suction side could lead to performance problems and even potential damage to the pump itself. A self-priming pump eliminates the need to wait for the pump to get primed before it can be used. In time-sensitive pumping operations, this feature can prevent potential disasters from happening.
Applications.
These pumps can be used in a wide range of applications such as sewage lift stations, mines, construction sites, residential areas, industrial complexes, farms, and other locations. The bottom line is that if a site needs to pump out a large volume of water in the quickest, safest, and most efficient way possible, these pumps can be used.
Available options.
There are at least three different options when it comes to these pumps. First is the dewatering self-priming pump type that is perfect for large water volumes with heads ranging from low to medium. It allows for 600 cubic meters/hour with 3-inch to 8-inch outlet sizes. It can be mounted on a pontoon, skid, or trailer for optimum convenience. The second type is the high-head pump with outlet sizes available in 3-inches to 12-inches. This type can attain up to 200-plus heads and is recommended for quarrying and mining sites. You may also choose from different engine options, as well as build configurations for customized performance. Finally, there is a solid handling pump that can pump different liquids containing viscous and solid materials. This is the pump of choice for heavy-duty pumping tasks as it can achieve 1,100 cubic meters/hour and have heads reaching 70 meters. The available outlets are from 4-inches to 12 inches. This pump can be loaded onto pontoon, trailer, or mining skid so it is highly portable like the dewatering type.
Advantages and benefits.
These pumps offer some outstanding benefits and advantages to non-self-priming pumps, such as the ability to prime several pumps. This allows for faster run times and lower cost of installation. Users of these pumps could also enjoy significantly reduced power consumption since there’s no need to wait for the pumps to be primed first. There are also big savings in terms of the time usually allotted for the start-up procedures on non-self-priming pumps. You also won’t have to buy foot valves that cost an arm and a leg just to have an efficient pump for your daily operations. Over-all, a self-priming pump is an excellent investment on your part given the many benefits that you can enjoy.
Make sure you’ll buy your pump only from a supplier with a solid reputation. This will assure you of the excellent quality and reliable performance of the pump that you’ll be getting.
