Your pump system is a crucial part of your operations. So when it breaks, everything stops.
A broken pump system is a big problem - costing time and money to repair. Depending on your project, it can be a safety hazard for your employees and community as well.
Pump systems break for a variety of reasons, but the daily stress caused by fluid dynamics is a major one. How can you minimize the pulsations (and resulting system fatigue and failure) created by simply operating your pump?
Your system needs a pulsation dampener.
What is a Pulsation Dampener?
Simply put, pulsation dampeners are the shock absorbers of your pump system.
These system add-ons give the kinetic energy of moving fluid a place to go, reducing the damage from back-and-forth forces that come from the regular use of your system.
How do Pulsation Dampeners Work?
Pulsation dampeners are vessels filled with compressed gas and process fluid, separated most often by a flexible bladder or diaphragm. The vessel is pre-charged with gas at a calculated value below the average system pressure before liquids are introduced.
Once the pumping system starts, fluid will enter the vessel and deform the bladder until the gas
and fluid pressures equalize. When the system fluid pressure increases and decreases, the gas expands and contracts to reduce the magnitude of pressure pulsations - leading to smoother flow.
In other words, pulsation dampeners absorb the kinetic energy of your moving fluid, smoothing out the flow and pressure of your system – which means they minimize the damage caused by system fluctuations.
Why Pulsation Happens in Pump Systems
Pulsation is caused by pressure changes in your system.
Every time the pump discharges, it pushes fluid in, causing a pressure spike. Then, when the pump draws in new fluid, the pressure drops. So while your system might have an average pressure of 50PSI, normal use of your pump causes a lot of pressure fluctuations, putting stress on the components of your system.
The Problem with Pulsation
Pulsation is a daily occurrence in pump systems. But that doesn’t mean you can let it go unchecked. Here are just a few of the consequences of unmitigated pulsation:
- Excessive noise and pipe shaking
- Damage to sensitive pump system equipment
- Reduced accuracy of meters and gauges
- Shorter component life
- Minimized pump performance and efficiency
While all positive displacement pump systems will experience pulsation, the most damaging, higher-magnitude pulses are typically seen in reciprocating positive displacement pumps - especially those with fewer pistons.
Luckily, there are options for reducing pulsation damage.
Ways to Mitigate Pulsation in Pump Systems
Pulsation in positive displacement applications is a result of recurring momentum changes in the fluid.
Since momentum is a function of mass and velocity, you can reduce the energy needed to make these changes by either:
- Reducing the mass of the fluid
- Reducing the velocity of the fluid
A fluid’s mass is determined by its density (something you cannot change) and its volume. Your fluid’s volume depends on the diameter and length of your piping - which you (theoretically) have some control over.
With these physics concepts in mind, here are a few options for reducing pulsation in your pump systems:
- Increase the piping size to reduce flow velocity
- Reduce the length of your piping runs
- Use multiple smaller pump heads with overlapping output
- Use a larger pump running at a slower stroke speed
However, many of these are difficult to change depending on your project. You’re trying to get fluid from point A to point B — so adjusting the length of your pipe or the location of your pump is cost-prohibitive at best. Most of the time, these changes are just not feasible.
This is where the cost-effective and easy-to-add pulsation dampener comes in.
Four Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Pulsation Dampener
Size
A properly sized dampener can eliminate up to 99% of system shock and pulsation. If your system is experiencing high-magnitude pulsations, you need a larger dampener to help regulate the pressure. While a smaller dampener may do the job, the bladder will become stressed and fatigue more quickly.
Location
Choosing the correct placement in your system makes a huge difference in the dampener performance. Try to keep it close to the source of the pulsations, and always keep the inlet stem as short as possible.
Charge
As previously discussed, pulsation dampeners must be pre-charged with gas to help maintain your system’s pressure. This requires two considerations:
- Calculating the correct pre-charge pressure and
- Looking at the options you have to charge your pulsation dampener on site
Once you know your charge requirements, choose a dampener with charge options to match your needs.
Fluid Type
What kind of fluid is your pump system moving? Pulsation dampeners come in a variety of materials. Choose one that makes sense for your project’s specifications.
Need Help? Blacoh's Experts are Here!
Pump system repairs don’t come cheap, and failing pipes are a safety hazard that should not be ignored.
If you’re ready to decrease your risk of broken systems and all the problems that come with them, call Blacoh! Their team of experts can note your specifications and help you choose the best pulsation dampener for your specific application.
Pulsation dampeners are a simple, cost-effective fix. So don’t wait for the next system failure - contact Blacoh today!