Have you been thinking of purchasing a Submersible Pump, but not sure about how it works or which submersible pump will suit best for your usage? This guide on Submersible Pumps will help you get a clear idea of how to install, which pump to purchase and troubleshoot any problems you have with the pump.
Table of Content
- What is a Submersible Pump?
- How Submersible Pumps Work?
- Why Do You Need a Submersible Pump?
- Types of Submersible Pumps
- How Do You Choose the Right Submersible Pump?
- How much does a submersible pump cost?
- Where Can You Use It?
- Symptoms To Look Out for Failure in Submersible Pumps
What is a Submersible Pump?
A submersible pump is a piece of mechanical equipment that functions when the water is pushed up towards the surface rather than pulling it up. Since they completely submerge in the water, hence the name. It is hermetically sealed and has an airtight motor connected to the pump body which assists in pushing the fluid towards the surface.
Submersible pumps are widely used and one of the most famous equipment when it comes to pumps. Its main purpose is to serve in pumping the water from wells, and it’s so efficient in doing so because of its simple mechanism. A rotatory motion is used to change kinetic energy into pressure energy, thus easily pushing water towards the surface.
How Submersible Pumps Work?
Mainly through a rather simple mechanism, submersible pumps sometimes work by pulling in liquid along with a few aggregates and then pumping it to another location. Submersible pumps work upon the media–and its aggregates, depending on the pump then pumping it elsewhere. The motor attached to the pump body is completely hermetic, along with the electrical cable that powers the pump. The motor needs to be sealed for the pump to work while submerged in liquid. Failure in doing so defeats the purpose of the pump.
They require heavy-duty cables and are built to be depended upon. Due to their build, they can withstand being submerged in sewage, and even operate from deep inside a well.
Places deep inside a well or a sewage drain are inaccessible and you need a waterproof structure to be fit in there. At times like this, submersible pumps are ideal for transferring water from wells, boreholes, and use them as a dependable source of water supply, even from really low depths with minimum power usage and cost.
Why Do You Need a Submersible Pump?
- Draining
- Irrigation
Draining
Perhaps there is a portion of water in your property that you want to be drained and gone, these machines are perfect to complete the task quickly and efficiently. At times when your home has become flooded or any sink hazard has occurred, a submersible pump will help drain the water out of effective areas to prevent accidents and let you start with the early recovery process.
Irrigation
If you own land that requires adequate irrigation, a submersible pump is a great option to choose from. It is beneficial in supplying water to different garden sizes – from standard to massive farmlands.
An abundant water source such as a lake is all you need for them to run. These pumps are a great purchase and are pretty cheap. They can be trusted and will serve you in the long run.
Types of Submersible Pumps
- DEEP WELL
- STAINLESS STEEL
- BASE SUCTION
- OIL-FILLED MOTORS
- WATER COOLER SUBMERSIBLE
- SUBMERSIBLE UTILITY PUMP
DEEP WELL
A deep well pump is the most popular sort of submersible pump. This submersible well pump is used to pump water from the well to your home or wanted region. This pump completely submerges in the well water.
A deep well pump can likewise be used for civil purposes. An electric engine is combined with the body of these pumps that additionally works underwater. When these pumps begin working, they should be lowered in the water.
STAINLESS STEEL
These pumps offer preferred execution over cast iron pumps. As it is made out of Stainless steel, hence the name. It has a high acidic obstruction. This sort of pump regularly moves hot or marginally acidic water. Water sources, for example, may likewise be secure by their extraordinary moulds, and freshwater can likewise move much of the time.
BASE SUCTION
These pumps are generally used in streams, mining, dewatering, pools, and lakes. The base attraction’s submersible water pump sucks water from the lower part of the well and adequately guarantees the great cooling capacity of the engine.
These are crisis and endeavour pumps. These pumps have a simpler establishment than different kinds of pumps.
OIL-FILLED MOTORS
Oil-filled motors are electromechanical devices commonly found in machinery, pumps, and compressors. Encased in a sealed container filled with oil, they dissipate heat, lubricate moving parts, and insulate against environmental factors. Various industrial applications benefit from this reliability and efficiency.
WATER COOLER SUBMERSIBLE
Submersible water cooler pumps are normally used in modern regions, private water, farming area water system, and different applications. Like the oil-filled motors, it can likewise be worked underwater. Freshwater can be infused to cool the electric engine
SUBMERSIBLE UTILITY PUMP
A submersible utility pump is a multifunctional and multi-reason pump. They are used to eliminate waste and tricky stale water from homes and open-air regions. These are extremely renowned sorts of pumps because of their amazing elements. It offers programmed and manual settings. It’s also convenient.
A utility pump may likewise dispose of standing water from the overflowed cellar or yard.
How Do You Choose the Right Submersible Pump?
First and foremost, the thing to consider while deciding how to choose the right submersible pump is the media that will be transferred should come into consideration to avoid corrosion phenomenon and prevent the early wearing off of your pump. It is important to be aware of the chemical composition, viscosity, and whether that certain media is composed of any solid components. These factors affect the choice of your pipe’s casing. If you get yourself the perfect submersible pipe, it can last 15 years without any such maintenance.
Some of the things you need to check to gain insight into your media:
Check the requirement of your flow , measured in m3/h, since it matters while determining the size and dimension of the pipe.
The suction head (the place between the suction pipe and the pump) should not exceed any more than 10m. Check the discharge head (the place between the pump and the discharge pipe outlet). Valves bend, and other such Head losses are joined to obstacles on the circuit. The presence or absence of the discharge tank can change the head. Thus, the temperature is highly dependent upon the pump casing. Through these values, you can calculate the NPSHa of the pump
Often, these pumps cost around $250 to $1,200. They might last for 15 years, without maintenance, and thus, are quite an investment.
With a low depth, the shallow wells that need lesser horsepower to deliver adequate water pressure can even be purchased at a steal deal of $200 to $500. But with deeper depth, the price increases due to the requirement of more power and you can expect the charge to be around $700 to $1,200. Replacing an existing pump is a lot less expensive than installing one. It is because most of the time, replacement does not have to deal with digging, electrical upgrades, or plumbing costs.
How much does a submersible pump cost?
- Sizing
- Warranty
- Service
Sizing
Installers would check the size of your well and the gallons per minute that are needed during peak usage along with other features and customization to your well or home. You can let the company do the math for you or you do it yourself with some online research.
Warranty
The worst thing you can do is purchase a lower-quality water motor pump without any guarantee. The price and quality are often proportional so choosing high-quality, trusted products that have a warranty will ensure the absence of frequent future mishaps.
Service
After your company professional has installed a submersible pump you can sit back and be ensured about its proper installation. Always choose a company that provides a warranty, so in case of accidents, during the warranty period, or even after that, your technicians can look into the matter quickly and provide you aid.
Where Can You Use It?
- Domestic
- Solar
- Agriculture
- Construction and Building
- Industrial
- Municipal Water Supply
Domestic
There are various kinds of submersible pumps that attain domestic purposes, such as borewell pumps, centrifugal pumps, etc.
Solar
Submersible Plants such as AC Solar Pumps and DC Solar Pumps can be utilized with solar power.
Agriculture
Irrigation is crucial when it comes to agriculture and the various sorts of submersible pumps are just what you need for agricultural processes.
Construction and Building
Booster Pumps can be installed to maintain the inconsistent pressure of water. The pumps are customized to uphold the equilibrium of water pressure in low-pressure areas.
Industrial
Some of these pipes can be used for large varieties of industrial services such as HVAC and fire-fighting like End-Suction Pumps, Split Case Pumps, and so on.
Municipal Water Supply
Certain submersible pumps with innovative designs are used to extract water and ensure that it safely reaches every household.
Symptoms To Look Out for Failure in Submersible Pumps
- Decreased Output
- Irregular water flow
- Excessive Noise
- Overheating
- Murky water or clogging
- Hike in electricity bills
Decreased Output
In case the pump is not functioning at all, you can check and see if the circuit breaker has tripped or not.
Other causes that might trigger it can be the decrease in output, which would include a low water table or liquid supply, obstruction due to sand or other solids, or general wear and tear from ageing.
Irregular water flow
If the water in the pump sputters at the surface then you might be dealing with cracked water pipes or a broken check valve in a submersible pump. Professionals can help you to assess the issue.
Excessive Noise
It’s time to call a professional if you can hear disturbing noises from your motor and you have to stop using it as soon as possible. It occurs when there is insufficient liquid level and the pump is pumping air, or there might be some sort of blockage which hampers the performance of the pumps.
Overheating
When there is insufficient water in a well to keep a submersible pump cool, or if it’s failing, overheating is most likely to occur. Get in touch with a trusted company if your electric motor is heating up to prevent further damage and costly repairs in the future.
Murky water or clogging
If the liquid that’s getting pumped is unusually clogged or murky, your submersible pumps must be facing a problem with sediment or silt that has clogged in the system.
The ways to solve this is by digging a deeper well for water pumps or flushing the pump thoroughly so there are no further blockages.
Hike in electricity bills
This is a sign that your submersible pump is running for longer than it is supposed to because your float switch or pump is failing. Higher electricity bills also hint at a blockage in the pump system or insufficient impeller clearance.
You can also read this blog: Plant Engineers Need to Consider before Purchasing Industrial Pumps
Final Words
Submersible pumps are an integral mechanism for various purposes, yet, from their installation to future repairs they do not require you to spend a fortune. Their builds and mechanisms are undemanding and with a few yearly inspections and minimal check-ups, they are bound to stay with you through the test of time.