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Mechanical Engineering vocabulary · Fluid Mechanics, Pumps and Valves

Pump

Meaning in mechanical engineering, with examples

/pʌmp/nounCore term

In mechanical engineering, pump means: A machine that moves liquid through pipes by adding energy to it, raising its pressure or lifting it to a higher level.

In Turkish: pompa

How it is used

Used in plants, buildings and machines. A pump is started, stopped, primed and sized; engineers read its pump curve and watch for cavitation. Common types are centrifugal and positive displacement pumps. It is also a verb: to pump water.

Example sentences

  1. The pump is making a rattling noise, which may be a sign of cavitation.

  2. We need a centrifugal pump that can deliver 25 m³/h at 4 bar.

Common collocations

  • centrifugal pump
  • pump curve
  • start the pump
  • pump seal
  • pump capacity
  • flow rateThe amount of fluid that passes a point in a given time, given as a volume (for example m³/h or L/min) or as a mass (kg/s).
  • pressureThe force with which a liquid or gas pushes on each unit of area. It is measured in pascals, bar or psi.
  • valveA device that starts, stops or controls the flow of a liquid or gas in a pipe by opening, closing or partly blocking the passage.
  • compressorA machine that increases the pressure of a gas, such as air or a refrigerant, by reducing its volume. It is driven by an electric motor or an engine.
  • efficiencyThe ratio of useful output to input, usually given as a percentage. A pump with 75% efficiency turns three quarters of its input power into useful work.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Fluid Mechanics, Pumps and Valves

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