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Commonly Used Industrial Equipment Terms

Industrial equipment terms used in industries including Oil and Gas, Mining, Water and Wastewater, Agriculture, and more.

What is a Centrifugal Pump?

Centrifugal Pumps Overview Centrifugal Pumps are the most popular and commonly used type of pump for the transfer of fluids. In simple words, it is a pump that uses a rotating impeller to move water or other fluids by using centrifugal force. These are the undisputed...

What is a Charge Pump?

Charge Pump: A pump used to boost the pressure of a fluid before it enters the main pump(s) of a system. A charge pump is used to boost the pressure of a fluid before it enters the inlet of the main pump. The use of a charge provides enough pressure to overcome the...

Compressors, Fans & Blowers – Basic Understanding

Understanding Compressors, Fans & Blowers Compressors, fans, and blowers are widely used in various industries. These devices are quite suitable for complex processes and have become indispensable for some specific applications. They have been defined in simple...

What is a Dual Acting Pump?

A reciprocating pump design which produces a pressure differential across the pump on both the in and out stroke of each drive rod. Dual action pumps use two separate pumping chambers per drive rod. On the forward stroke, it pushes fluid out of the first chamber, and...

What is a Duplex Pump? | Power Zone

A designation of a reciprocating pump that uses two drive rods. Duplex pumps are common in both single and dual acting designs. Due to some of the benefits over simplex pumps, and simpler design than other reciprocating pumps, they are often a preferred pump for many...

Engine Powered Generators | Components and Types of Generators

About Generators – Engine-driven Generators A generator is best described as a machine, which transforms mechanical energy into electrical energy through combustion of a fuel. Although most of the engine driven generators have been argued to be hazardous to the...

Steam Driven Generators | Steam Turbines and Electric Generators

A steam turbine driven generator, sometimes known as “turbo generators”, can be best explained by understanding a steam turbine and a generator separately. A steam turbine is a steam-driven driver. Water is heated at an extremely high temperature to convert it into...

Mud Pump | Drilling Mud Pump

A mud pump or drilling mud pump is used to circulate drilling mud on a drilling rig at high pressure. The mud is circulated down through the drill string, and back through the annulus at high pressures. Mud pumps are typically positive displacement pumps, otherwise...

What is a Plunger Pump?

Plunger Pump: A type of reciprocating pump that utilizes a solid body to change the volume of the pumping cavity. Plunger pumps are perhaps the most common reciprocating pumps used in the industry. They are able to pump fluids at a steady flow rate regardless of the...

What is a Positive Displacement Pump?

Positive displacement pumps are "constant flow" pumps. Despite pressure in the discharge, positive displacement pumps will not adjust their flow rate. To prevent pressures exceeding that of safe levels within the system, relief valves must be installed. In the event...

Understanding Process Equipment | Types of Process Equipment

Overview Process equipment is used in several applications like water treatment, steam power generation, pipelines, saltwater disposal, etc., where chemical or mechanical methods are applied. Some examples of process equipment popularly used in these industries are...

What is a Pulsation Dampener / Suction Stabilizer?

Pulsation Dampener / Suction Stabilizer: A device installed in a pipe system that dampens pressure spikes and pulsations as a result of changes in the velocity of a fluid. Cause and Effect of Pressure Pulsations From the law of inertia, an object in motion will stay...

Pumped Storage | Energy Storage System

Pumped Storage  Pumped storage uses the concept of potential energy and hydro-electric power to generate electricity. A pumped storage system takes advantage of energy when it is abundant and generates energy when there is a shortage. Energy Peaks and Price...

What is a Quadruplex Pump?

A reciprocating pump design that uses four drive rods. A quadruplex pump design has little advantage over a triplex or quintuplex pump design. They are rarely made, usually only for custom applications. Their largest setback is within their flow characteristics. Where...

What is a Quintuplex Pump?

Quintuplex (Pump): A reciprocating pump design which incorporates five separate drive rods to drive the pump's plungers or pistons. Quintuplex pumps are a common positive displacement pump used across many industries. The pump design allows for higher flow rates and...

What is a Reverse Unit?

Reverse Unit: An equipment package used in salt water disposal, water injection, or CO2 injection applications. Power Zone has reverse units in-stock and ready for rent or sale! We also can design and manufacture reverse units for specific or custom applications....

What is a Screw Pump? | Types of Screw Pumps

Screw Pumps - An Overview A screw pump is a type of rotary pump which is equipped with screws that mesh together and rotate within a cylindrical cavity or liner. The fluid enters from the suction side of the pump and moves linearly along with these intermeshing screws...

What is a Septuplex Pump?

Septuplex (Pump): A reciprocating pump which utilizes seven drive rods to transfer linear motion to the pump's pistons or plungers. Septuplex pumps are not as common as other pumps using fewer drive rods. In many applications, a single quintuplex, or two triplex...

What is a Simplex Pump?

Simplex (Pump): A simplex is the designation of a reciprocating pump which utilizes a single drive rod design. ABOVE: SINGLE ACTING SIMPLEX PLUNGER PUMP Simplex pumps use a single drive rod to pump the fluid. They are available in both single and dual acting designs....

What is a Single Action Pump?

Single Action (Pump): A reciprocating pump design that produces a pressure differential across the pump in only one direction of drive rod motion. Single action pumps only use a single pump chamber per drive rod. They are only capable of producing pressure while the...

What is a Triplex Pump?

Triplex (Pump): A reciprocating pump design that utilizes three separate drive rods to drive the pumps plungers or pistons. Triplex pumps are available in both single and double-action designs. However, single-action is much more common. Their design uses three drive...

What is a Well Service Pump?

Well Service Pump: A pump used for the stimulation and maintenance of a well after the main drilling operations are complete. The most common type of well service pumps includes quintuplex and triplex plunger pumps. These pumps can handle steady flow rates regardless...